Blocked Drains in Canberra and Queanbeyan
Sewage coming up the shower? Stormwater pooling against the house after a storm? Ring us at any hour. We clear blocked sewer and stormwater drains and do drainage repairs across Canberra, Queanbeyan and towns within about an hour.
Ring 24/7: 03 8583 2640 or 0426 204 244
Cleared today, and the cause explained
I’m Victor, owner of Holy Mess Repairs. Anyone can get water flowing again for a week. What matters is knowing why it blocked, so you’re not ringing a plumber every few months.
Once your drain’s flowing, we tell you what we believe caused it and whether it’s likely to return. If the pipe needs repairing, we price that before lifting a shovel.
Every job in Canberra and the surrounding NSW towns is done by fully licensed tradespeople, with a compliance certificate every time.
Why Canberra drains block
- Roots from mature street and garden trees. Many older suburbs, from the inner north and south to Belconnen and Woden, have clay sewer pipes with joints that roots love.
- Ground movement. Canberra’s clay soils shrink and swell between dry summers and wet winters, which can crack pipes and open joints.
- Leaves and silt washing into stormwater pits and downpipes, especially after summer storms.
- Wipes, grease and hair inside the house, same as anywhere.
Is your drain blocked?
- Water backing up in the shower, bath or floor waste
- Gurgling plugholes after you flush
- An overflowing outdoor gully
- A sewage smell around the yard
- Stormwater pooling near the walls or overflowing the pit
- Soft, wet patches along the drain line
Several fixtures playing up at once points to the main sewer. Hold off using water and ring us.
Our process
- Ring any hour and describe what’s backing up.
- We assess it and agree the price for clearing before we begin.
- Blockage cleared.
- Likely cause explained, including whether it’s likely to return.
- Repairs quoted first if the pipe has failed, with a compliance certificate for the work.
Pricing: free estimate first, price agreed before we begin. Sewage backing up inside at night? See emergency plumbing Canberra.
Sewer and stormwater drainage repairs
Cracked pipes, root-damaged joints, sunken sections and failed connections don’t fix themselves. We repair and replace damaged sections of sewer and stormwater drains, and tell you your options and the price before any digging.
Whose pipe is it? Generally the drains on your block are yours, and the main is the utility’s (Icon Water in the ACT). If the fault’s on their side, we’ll tell you so you can report it to them and not pay for something that isn’t yours.
While you wait
- Stop running water if anything is overflowing.
- Skip the caustic cleaners on a full blockage.
- Keep children and pets clear of sewage.
- Locate the outdoor gully or the stormwater pit so we can get straight to it.
Canberra, the ACT and nearby NSW towns
We cover all of Canberra and the ACT, plus the towns within about an hour’s drive of the city, including the NSW towns around Canberra. Our Canberra base is at 4/9 Dines Place, Bruce ACT 2617.
Towns we cover include:
- Queanbeyan and the south: Queanbeyan, Jerrabomberra, Googong, Michelago and Bredbo
- North and Yass Valley: Hall, Sutton, Gundaroo, Murrumbateman, Yass and Binalong
- East: Bungendore, Captains Flat, Tarago and Braidwood
- Federal Highway: Collector, Gunning and Goulburn
Not sure if your town is in range? Call 03 8583 2640 or 0426 204 244 and ask.
Related: emergency plumbing Canberra, hot water repairs Canberra, causes of blocked drains.
Why call us
- 24/7 with a person answering.
- Agreed price before we begin.
- Cause explained, not just “it’s clear now”.
- Fully licensed tradespeople, with a compliance certificate every time.
- Insured through BizCover.
- About 4.4 stars from 120+ Google reviews.
- Based in Bruce.
HOLYMESS PTY LTD · ABN 31 666 327 813
How we quote
Call or email us and I’ll give you a free estimate over the phone. There’s no fee for the estimate. Once you’re happy with it, we send you a written document that explains what to expect, the likely scenarios and what each one costs, plus the quality of work and the warranty. That way you know exactly what you’re getting before we arrive.
Send us photos and videos on WhatsApp: 0426 204 244. Send as many as you can. The more we see, the more accurate the estimate.
Canberra blocked drain FAQs
Can you come out for a blocked drain at night?
Yes. We answer and attend 24/7. Urgent after-hours jobs are charged at our emergency plumbing rates, confirmed on the phone first.
What does clearing a blocked drain cost?
It depends on where the blockage is and what’s causing it, so you get a free estimate from your photos and we agree a price before starting.
Why does my Canberra drain keep blocking?
Most often it’s tree roots in older clay pipes, or pipes cracked by ground movement in reactive clay soil. We’ll tell you the likely cause and whether a repair would stop it.
My stormwater pit overflows in storms. Can you help?
Yes. Overflowing pits are usually leaves, silt or roots in the stormwater line. We clear it and check for damage that could keep causing trouble.
Who’s responsible if the blockage is in the main?
Drains on your property are generally yours; the sewer main is the utility’s, which is Icon Water in the ACT. If the fault’s on their side, we’ll tell you so you can report it.
Should I pour drain cleaner down first?
No, not for a full blockage. It seldom shifts roots or wipes and makes the job hazardous once the drain is opened.
Do you repair broken sewer and stormwater pipes?
Yes. We carry out drainage repairs, priced before we start, with a compliance certificate for the work.
Do you cover Queanbeyan, Googong and Jerrabomberra?
Yes, and other towns within about an hour of Canberra, including Bungendore, Murrumbateman and Yass.
Are you licensed in the ACT and NSW?
Yes. Every job in Canberra and the surrounding NSW towns is done by fully licensed tradespeople, with a compliance certificate every time. We’re insured through BizCover.
Do you charge for a quote?
No. Call or email us and we’ll give you a free estimate over the phone, with no fee for the estimate. Send photos and videos on WhatsApp to 0426 204 244 and we’ll follow up with a written document setting out the likely scenarios, the cost of each and the warranty.
Drain backing up? Ring now
03 8583 2640 or 0426 204 244, 24/7.
Holy Mess Repairs · Canberra base: 4/9 Dines Place, Bruce ACT 2617 · Main office: 19 Chivers Rd, Templestowe VIC 3106 · Serving Canberra, the ACT, Queanbeyan and towns within about an hour