Downpipe Overflowing Mount Waverley VIC 3149 – Broken Stormwater Pipe Causing Overflow

Overview of the Problem – Downpipe Overflowing at the Rear of the Home

At a property on Meredith Street in Mount Waverley VIC 3149, our team at Your Choice Plumbers was called out after the owner noticed that the two rear downpipes were overflowing, while the downpipes at the front of the house were draining normally. This is exactly the type of issue where homeowners start asking, “why is only one downpipe overflowing when the others are fine?” or “why is my downpipe backing up during rain?” As an experienced plumber Mount Waverley, we often find that when only certain downpipes overflow on an older property, the problem is usually deeper in the stormwater drain rather than in the gutters themselves.

The owner also explained that, because of a large gum tree near the property, they cleaned the gutters regularly. That was an important detail, because it helped rule out one of the most common causes of overflowing downpipes — blocked gutters.

Initial Elimination Process for the Overflowing Downpipes

Because the front downpipes were operating correctly and only the rear two were overflowing, that immediately suggested the issue was isolated to one section of the stormwater system.

The property was on a slope falling toward the street and the home was an original 1960s build, which meant the stormwater drainage system was likely older as well.

As part of our stormwater investigation, we located the legal point of discharge and confirmed the system discharged to a City of Monash barrel drain running through the nature strip. This made sense given the street layout and the curb entry pits on the same side as the property.

At that stage, the fact that only the rear downpipes were overflowing through the old earthenware connections gave us a strong clue that there could be a defect or obstruction on that rear branch of the stormwater line.

CCTV Investigation of the Blocked Stormwater Drain

We advised the owner that the best next step was to disconnect the rear downpipes from their stormwater adaptors and inspect the underground stormwater line using CCTV drain inspection Melbourne equipment. To do this, we lifted the Colorbond downpipes enough to create access, inserted our Ridgid SeeSnake drain camera into the stormwater inlet, and started with the lower rear downpipe closest to the street, as it was the most likely point to reveal the shared issue affecting both overflowing downpipes.

After advancing the camera approximately 6 metres, we began seeing a gradual build-up of soil inside the pipe. As we pushed further, the pipe became increasingly full of dirt until the camera could no longer advance.

We showed the owner the live CCTV footage on the monitor so they could see exactly what was happening inside the drain.

Locating and Clearing the Cause of the Downpipe Overflow

Once the camera reached the obstruction point, we used our NaviTrack / NaviScout locator to pinpoint the exact location of the blockage from above ground and marked the area with spray paint.

Once the obstruction point had been located, we proceeded with hydro jet drain cleaning Melbourne to try and clear the blockage. The jetting process successfully reopened the stormwater line. We then ran the CCTV camera through the drain again to determine what had actually caused the soil build-up.

That second inspection revealed the real problem:

• a section of pipe was missing
• surrounding soil was entering the stormwater line
• tree roots were also finding their way into the opening
• over time, this had created a choke point in the drain

This was the reason the rear downpipes were overflowing during rain events.

Why Only the Back Downpipes Were Overflowing

This case was a very good example of why overflowing downpipes are not always caused by blocked gutters or leaves.

Because the front section of stormwater drainage was still discharging correctly, the front downpipes kept working normally. But the rear branch was restricted by the damaged pipe section, so rainwater from the two back downpipes had nowhere to go once flow demand increased.

That is why the owner was only seeing the problem at the rear of the home.

Repairing the Broken Stormwater Drain Section

We also inspected the remainder of the stormwater line and confirmed it was in good condition overall, with no major collapse or widespread breakage, which was a good result given the age of the original earthenware drain.

This was a strong example of how older stormwater drains do not always need full replacement. In this case, the system was mostly sound and the problem was isolated to one defective section beneath the side concrete path.

We provided the quotation the same day and then carried out the repair works, which included:

• cutting the concrete in the marked area
• hand excavation due to limited access
• removing the defective section of stormwater drain
• installing a repair using 2 x 100mm earthenware to UPVC PlumbQuicks
• fitting a new section of 100mm UPVC stormwater pipe
• bedding the pipe in 7mm drainage screenings for support
• backfilling the excavation
• reinstating approximately 800mm x 800mm of concrete using rapid set concrete
• final site clean-up

Outcome and Client Result

• exact blockage location identified with CCTV and locator
• soil and root obstruction cleared with hydro jetting
• broken stormwater pipe section confirmed
• targeted repair completed without full system replacement
• rear downpipes restored to proper drainage
• concrete path reinstated cleanly

The owner was very happy to witness the whole diagnosis process from start to finish and to clearly understand the exact cause of the overflow before the repair was carried out.

Compliance & Prevention Insight

This case highlights why downpipe overflowing problems should never be assumed to be “just leaves in the gutter,” especially when some downpipes are working and others are not.

It also shows the value of specialist equipment. Without CCTV inspection, locating equipment, and hydro jetting, it would have been much harder to identify the exact failure point and separate a localised repair from a full replacement job.

On older properties, a targeted repair can often be the smartest solution when the rest of the stormwater system is still in reasonable condition.

Compliance with Australian Standards

All work carried out by Your Choice Plumbers is completed in accordance with the relevant requirements of AS/NZS 3500.2:2021, helping ensure stormwater drainage systems are diagnosed, repaired, and reinstated correctly.

In simple terms, this means your stormwater system is repaired properly so rainwater can discharge as intended instead of backing up and overflowing around the home.

Our Home Plumbing Experts Approach

As part of our Home Plumbing Experts approach, we focus on both repair and prevention.

We offer a Complimentary Property Protection Audit as part of our service, assessing key areas like water pressure, hot water temperature, and flexible hoses — helping homeowners stay ahead of potential plumbing failures and avoid unexpected water damage.

👉 Find out more about our blocked drains Melbourne services.