Who to ring in Christchurch, by problem
| Do this now | Then ring | |
|---|---|---|
| Water pouring out inside the boundary | Close the toby at the boundary. If it's the cylinder, switch it off at the switchboard too. | A plumber. The pipe from the boundary into the house is yours. |
| Water bubbling at the toby box or in the street | Keep clear and note where it's coming from. | The city council. It owns the box and everything on the street side of the boundary. |
| Sewage from a manhole or onto the street | Keep people and pets away. | The council's wastewater line, 03 941 8999, any time. |
| Gully trap overflowing on your section | Stop all water use in the house. | A drainlayer. In a vacuum sewer area, the council first. |
| Smell of gas | Get everyone outside. Turn off the gas at the bottle only if you can reach it safely. | 111 if anyone is in danger; then an authorised gasfitter. |
What's different about urgent jobs in Christchurch
Your pipe starts at the boundary
The council's responsibility runs up to your property boundary, including the toby box even when it's on your land. A leak anywhere past that line is yours to get fixed, quickly.
One wastewater line, day and night
The council takes urgent wastewater calls on 03 941 8999 at any time. In vacuum sewer areas, it sends a contractor to check the vacuum system before anyone else is involved.
Gas comes in bottles
Piped natural gas isn't available in the South Island, so a gas leak here usually involves LPG. WorkSafe's advice is to turn the gas off at the meter or the LPG cylinder if it's safe, and leave if the smell persists.
Shared pipes, shared problem
On a cross-lease or unit title, one supply pipe may feed several homes. The council makes all connected owners jointly responsible for it, so a burst there affects, and involves, the neighbours.
While you wait
You can
- Close the toby, and tell everyone in the house not to use the taps.
- Switch off an electric cylinder at the switchboard if it's leaking, as long as you're standing somewhere dry.
- Move belongings off wet floors and take photos for your insurer.
- Replace a tap washer or a toilet ball cock, which PGDB lists as homeowner work.
Leave to an authorised tradie
- Cutting, joining or replacing any pipe, including the supply pipe from the boundary.
- Any gas pipe, fitting or appliance, including ones fed by bottles.
- Opening up or repairing a drain or lateral, which is drainlaying.
- Reconnecting a cylinder after the leak is found.
Urgent doesn't mean unlicensed
Most plumbing and drainlaying is restricted work, and all gasfitting is, so the person who arrives at midnight needs a current PGDB licence for that trade, the same as at midday. Ask to see it on a card or in the PGDB app.
The Building Act lets urgent work start without a building consent when one can't practicably be got first, because life, health or serious property damage is at stake. If the work would normally have needed consent, the owner applies to the council for a certificate of acceptance afterwards. Plenty of emergency fixes need no consent in any case, since an authorised person mending plumbing with comparable products is exempt.
Be wary on an after-hours call-out
- No licence to show, or one for a different trade.
- A big deposit before any work. There's no legal requirement to pay one, and Consumer Protection suggests no more than 10% if asked.
- No word on whether tonight's repair is temporary or permanent.
- No itemised invoice afterwards.
What we would do
Find your toby box this week, and check you can turn the valve inside, so it isn't a hunt in the dark. When something goes, stop the water or leave the gas smell, then decide whose problem it is: anything on the street side of the boundary is the council's, and sewage in the street goes to 03 941 8999. Once the water is off, very few jobs get worse while you wait for someone who does this work every week.