The Overflow Relief Gully (ORG) is an important part of your wastewater system. It is a drain-like feature with a grated lid and is found in the ground outside your home.
The ORG directs wastewater overflow outside your home if there is a blockage within your property.
Example of an overflow relief gully
For the ORG to work correctly, please ensure that the grate is loosely fitted. Make sure it is not covered by pot plants, tiling, paving or landscaping and that your roofwater pipes do not feed directly into it.
If your property was connected to the wastewater system before the 1970s, you may not have an ORG. In this case, please contact a plumber to discuss.
Banner overflow relief gully
Wet weather:
During severe wet weather, the wastewater network will be inundated with stormwater. This can come from many sources, including roofwater pipes that feed into our system, either directly through illegal connections, or via pipes that terminate directly above ORGs.
This inundation of water can result in higher water levels or gurgling in your toilet. If a toilet is gurgling, it usually means the ORG is doing its job and preventing discharge occurring inside your house. Calling a plumber isn't necessary unless there is an actual blockage within your property's wastewater line.
Please be patient as we wait for the indundation to decrease and wastewater levels to return to normal flow, which may take a few days.
Dry weather:
During dry weather, there are two reasons an ORG may overflow:
- When you're not using water in the house and the ORG is continually overflowing, this may mean there is a blockage downstream within the Council wastewater network. Please contact Council so we can investigate.
- If the ORG overflows whenever you are using water in the house (e.g. flushing the toilet, running a tap or using awashing machine), this may mean there is a blockage in your wastewater line. Please contact a plumber.