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                    Drains

                    Bike and cafe tables/chairs on a footpath
                    City of Melbourne is responsible for an extensive network of underground drains that prevent stormwater run-off from impacting on property, footpaths and roads.

                    ​We monitor drainage flows, litter volume and pipe capacity to minimise the effects of flash flooding.

                    Report an issue

                    Please use the form below to report issues such as:

                    • blocked or flooding stormwater drains
                    • damaged or missing grate covers
                    • problems with a connection from a private property into a City of Melbourne drain.
                    If there is any hazard to the public, damage to property or the issue requires urgent attention, please call us immediately on 03 9658 965803 9658 9658.
                    Burst water mains

                    City of Melbourne is not responsible for emergency repairs to water mains. Please report these issues directly to the appropriate authority:

                    • North of the Yarra: City West Water, phone: 13 26 42
                    • South of the Yarra: South East Water, phone: 13 28 12.

                    Litter traps

                    To protect waterways from litter, the City of Melbourne has installed litter traps throughout the city’s drainage system to help prevent litter entering the Yarra River and Port Phillip Bay. Litter traps include:

                    • large underground litter traps weighing several tonnes
                    • litter racks that trap litter behind a large metal grate
                    • release nets attached to the end of pipes.

                    Smaller traps are located at the end point of drains to catch litter before the stormwater runs into the Yarra River or other waterways.

                    There are more than 20 litter traps throughout the City of Melbourne which are checked and emptied regularly. We will continue to install and maintain litter traps to reduce litter and improve the quality of the water washing from our streets into the Yarra River, Moonee Ponds Creek, Maribyrnong River and Port Phillip Bay.

                    Did you know?
                    Up to three billion pieces of litter (approximately 2000 to 3000 tonnes) are washed into Melbourne’s waterways through stormwater drains every year. Almost all of the litter on our beaches comes from suburban streets.

                    What you can do

                    Many people don’t realise that water in drains on roads, streets and laneways feed straight into the Yarra River and Port Phillip Bay. Unlike the sewerage system, there is no treatment process for stormwater. When it rains, anything on the ground will get washed down the drain and into our waterways.

                    You can help to help keep our waterways clean by keeping the following items off the ground and out of our drains:

                    • Litter, sediments, leaves and construction material ​​– use the many litter bins around the city and at home to dispose of litter. Use waste disposal facilities to dispose of construction materials appropriately. Do not hose or sweep bins, sediments, leaves, litter and construction material from the pavements and roads into the drains.​​

                    • Cigarette butts – butt them out and put them in a bin.
                    • Oils – put small amounts of oil in a sealed container and into a litter bin. If you run a business and have large amounts of oil, there are several companies who will collect your oil for recycling.
                    • Used water – tip dirty water containing detergents down the sink where it will be treated in the sewerage system, instead of contaminating creeks and rivers by pouring it down the drain. Water containing safe detergents can be used on your garden.
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