Residents across South East Queensland are being urged to plant with caution this spring to help prevent nasty tree root blockages, which could land them with a hefty plumbing bill.
Recent warm weather means thirsty tree roots are on the move and can wreak havoc in household pipes. Urban Utilities spokesperson Michelle Cull said tree root blockages could be challenging to detect and costly to repair.
“Tree roots are always on the hunt for water and nutrients, so wastewater pipes are the ideal target,” she said. “Thin roots can creep through even the tiniest join between two pipes and swell to form a mass, catching wet wipes, tissues and other products that shouldn’t be flushed.”
Last financial year, tree roots caused around 2,400 blockages in Urban Utilities’ wastewater network, with Unitywater reporting that one in three blockages in their system were caused by tree roots.
Unitywater Executive Manager Customer Delivery Rhett Duncan said the numbers spoke for themselves.
“It’s clear from our data that tree roots cause one in every three blockages in our network, and these jobs are unpleasant for our crews and the community,” Mr Duncan said. “Tree roots find their way into pipes to access the water and continue growing there, effectively blocking the pipe or becoming a mass that other debris can attach to. They are more difficult to remove and remove our crews from other jobs. Pipe blockages cause wastewater overflows in our infrastructure that can flow into and damage the environment and in people’s homes, up through toilets and shower recesses, causing a smelly mess and potential health risks or property damage. We know how stressful it can be for our customers who experience overflows on their property and the costs associated with replacing private pipes. We’re asking the community to pause before they plant, consider the types of trees they’re planting and plant them away from pipes.”
Cull said they were asking people to take action this spring and protect their pipes.
“The most important thing to remember is not to plant trees too close to wastewater pipes,” she said. “Tree roots can spread two to three times the canopy radius; some species are more problematic than others. Avoid species that seek out water like figs, bottlebrushes and paperbarks and opt for those with less invasive roots such as tulipwood, lemon myrtle and native gardenias.”
Duncan supported this message, pointing to Unitywater’s online mapping tool, which helps residents and businesses determine what pipes are running through their properties.
“Input your address to check if any Unitywater pipes are on your property. It’s good to know where your private pipes run, too,” he said.
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