Caldermeade
Blocked, burst or leaking in Caldermeade?
Blocked drains, burst pipes and leaks in Caldermeade, from the old soldier settlement farms to the low flood ground, passed to a licensed plumber day and night.
Plumbing in Caldermeade
Swamp turned cattle country
Drainage works changed the swamp-prone Caldermeade property into good cattle paddocks. The ground stays flat and wet, and old farm drains may still carry stormwater, so where a site's water is meant to leave is found before a new drain is planned.
Floodwater surrounded Caldermeade during the 2012 floods, threatening many homes. After heavy rain, stormwater and sewer outlets here can run slow or surcharge, so fall and overflow paths are checked before a blockage is blamed.
Jobs in Caldermeade
Low ground and long farm runs
Blocked drains
Slow outlets on flat, wet ground, checked for fall first.
Burst pipes
Leaks on long water lines across farm paddocks.
CCTV drain inspection
A camera to find an old farm drain still taking stormwater.
What it costs: hot water replacement cost, gutter replacement cost, toilet installation cost
Caldermeade questions
Rising seas, settler farms and drain outlets
Does sea level change affect drains here?
It can. Victorian Places says Caldermeade was identified as one of the localities in Victoria which future rising sea levels could inundate. On ground that low, in-ground drains and tank overflows are likely to back up in wet periods, so a raised or pumped outlet may be the better design.
Why are pipe runs so long on these farms?
Fifty-five farms were created when the rest of the property went to soldier settlement, and the holdings are still large. Long private drain and water runs, tanks and on-site systems mean a long way to any outlet, and machinery access over paddocks.
Who checks whether an old farm drain is still in use?
The plumber does, before a new line goes in. A drain that looks abandoned can still be how a paddock sheds water, so cutting or blocking it can move a flooding problem rather than fix it.
