Healesville
Blocked, burst or leaking in Healesville?
Blocked drains, burst pipes and leaks in Healesville, from the Watts River flats to the old shopping strip, passed to a licensed plumber day and night.
Plumbing in Healesville
Guest houses, three creeks and a split town
Once the railway reached Healesville, elaborate country retreat residences were built alongside hotels and guest houses, according to Victorian Places. Big early houses like those may still run long original drains, possibly earthenware with many junctions, so a camera run before a price makes sense.
The town sits on the Watts River where Grace Burn Creek and New Chum Creek join it. The council's summary of the SES flood guide says high water can cut off the northern, southern and eastern parts of Healesville from each other for short periods. On low ground near the river flats a stormwater drain can back up simply because its outfall is under water, so river levels are checked before a blockage is blamed.
Elms along the main road and oaks near the mechanics institute, planted after the railway arrived, are heritage listed. Old roots like those are a likely cause of trouble in nearby sewer joints, and protected trees push the job toward relining rather than digging.
Jobs in Healesville
Long drains, river flats and shopfronts
Blocked drains
Long original lines under former guest houses, where roots find the joints.
Pipe relining
A lining near heritage elms and oaks, where a trench is not welcome.
Gutters and downpipes
Gutters behind parapets and verandah drainage on the historic shops.
What it costs: hot water replacement cost, gutter replacement cost, toilet installation cost
Healesville questions
Shops built to the footpath, gravel roads and floods
How does a plumber reach drains under a shop in town?
Usually from the back. The heritage citation for the commercial precinct describes historic shops typically with zero setbacks to the street, so drains and sewer connections are reached from the rear or through the building, and visible downpipes or parapet gutters may need a heritage permit to change.
Where does stormwater go without a kerb out front?
Often to an open table drain. A sealing scheme with kerb, channel and underground drains was proposed for one group of gravel streets, but the council says there is now insufficient funding for this project to proceed. On those streets the legal point of discharge is confirmed with council before a new stormwater line is laid.
Why might a plumber be delayed after heavy rain?
Floodwater can close the crossings between parts of town for a while. A flood call is checked against river levels first, since a drain cannot empty into a river that is already over its banks.
