Ah, drainage - where would we be without it? Imaging living with showers that overflow, sinks that don’t drain and backyards that flood. No thanks!
Of course, your sinks and basins aren’t the only drains on your parcel of land - allow us to introduce you to a concept known as a legal point of discharge.
Each parcel of land has a legal point of discharge. Before any work can commence on the property, it’s important that you meet all your obligations - and that includes accounting for the point of discharge.
There’s just one question: what is a legal point of discharge, anyway?
Each home has a point of discharge
Most homes feature hard surfaces like driveways and roofs.
When it rains, all the rainwater that gathers on hard surfaces in your property such as footpaths, driveways and roofs need to drain somewhere, lest your home turn into an island or you’re left with a mini lake in your driveway.
Some of this runoff is channeled into the stormwater drains near the nature strip.
But what about all of the water that doesn’t make its way to the stormwater drain?
That’s where your legal point of discharge comes into the picture.
When it rains, all the rainwater that gathers on hard surfaces in your property such as footpaths, driveways and roofs need to drain somewhere, lest your home turn into an island or you’re left with a mini lake in your driveway.
Some of this runoff is channeled into the stormwater drains near the nature strip.
But what about all of the water that doesn’t make its way to the stormwater drain?
That’s where your legal point of discharge comes into the picture.
Does every property have a legal point of discharge?
Yes - every property has a legal point of discharge.
Simply put, this is a specific point named by the council where all that runoff stormwater is drained to and ‘discharged’ or released to an underground Council drain.
All of the water that hits your property is channeled to these points of discharge via drains and underground pipes all around your property.
It’s also worth remembering that your legal point of discharge doesn’t always take the same form.
For example, if no such drain is available on your parcel of land, stormwater is instead channeled towards the kerb.
In some cases, your local council may require you to construct a new drain to connect to the council’s underground drains.
Simply put, this is a specific point named by the council where all that runoff stormwater is drained to and ‘discharged’ or released to an underground Council drain.
All of the water that hits your property is channeled to these points of discharge via drains and underground pipes all around your property.
It’s also worth remembering that your legal point of discharge doesn’t always take the same form.
For example, if no such drain is available on your parcel of land, stormwater is instead channeled towards the kerb.
In some cases, your local council may require you to construct a new drain to connect to the council’s underground drains.
Why your legal point of discharge report matters
Simple: while the underground and kerbside drains are the council’s responsibility, everything up to the point of connection (drains, underground pipes and the like) are your responsibility.
For new construction projects, that means designing the connections and installing them is on your shoulders.
And of course, you’ll need to know where your legal point of discharge is in the first place if you’re to build the connections!
For example, say your design calls for the driveway to be moved - in this case, you’ll need a new system of drains and underground pipes to channel stormwater to the legal point of discharge.
In order to install these connections, you’ll need to know where the legal point of discharge on your property is to begin with.
In addition to the location, your report will may also include information such as:
- Size
- Depth
- Pipe offset measurements
- Pipe type
All of which is crucial information if you’re redeveloping a parcel of land!
For new construction projects, that means designing the connections and installing them is on your shoulders.
And of course, you’ll need to know where your legal point of discharge is in the first place if you’re to build the connections!
For example, say your design calls for the driveway to be moved - in this case, you’ll need a new system of drains and underground pipes to channel stormwater to the legal point of discharge.
In order to install these connections, you’ll need to know where the legal point of discharge on your property is to begin with.
In addition to the location, your report will may also include information such as:
- Size
- Depth
- Pipe offset measurements
- Pipe type
All of which is crucial information if you’re redeveloping a parcel of land!
What your legal point of discharge report WON’T tell you
Let’s say you notice that water isn’t draining In the case of upgrades and maintenance. It could be an issue with the underground drain, or the pipes connecting to it.
Either way, you need to upgrade or replace your current network.
To do this, you’ll need to know where these connections lie. You might assume a legal point of discharge report will tell you this. However, it won’t.
A legal point of discharge report will tell you where the point of discharge is on your property - since installing these connections is the owner’s responsibility however, they won’t be included on this report.
If you want a map of connections and underground pipes and drains that connect to it, you’ll need to call a professional surveyor to do the job for you, or get in touch with the builder who still has copies of the blueprints in their system!
Either way, you need to upgrade or replace your current network.
To do this, you’ll need to know where these connections lie. You might assume a legal point of discharge report will tell you this. However, it won’t.
A legal point of discharge report will tell you where the point of discharge is on your property - since installing these connections is the owner’s responsibility however, they won’t be included on this report.
If you want a map of connections and underground pipes and drains that connect to it, you’ll need to call a professional surveyor to do the job for you, or get in touch with the builder who still has copies of the blueprints in their system!
How to find your legal point of discharge
Getting your legal point of discharge report
Your legal point of discharge is an important piece of property information - whether you’re planning construction work, renovations or simply want to upgrade your drainage, this is an important piece of property information that you’ll need before work can get started.
To find your legal point of discharge, you’ll need to start by requesting it from your local council.
Unlike many of the other land and property information reports you’ll need in your construction journey, most councils have digitised the process, eliminating the need to take a ticket and queue for hours on end.
Getting a legal point of discharge report on its own is straightforward - if you’re building however, there will be a lot of different pieces of land and property information that you’ll need.
A legal point of discharge report is only one of them.
Getting all of this information is a lot of work - luckily, our property information services make it easier than ever.
Instead of having to visit countless offices, spend hours on the phone and send out dozens of emails, PSI’s all-in-one property information service allows you to get all the reports, surveys and documents using a single, easy-to-use form.
To find your legal point of discharge, you’ll need to start by requesting it from your local council.
Unlike many of the other land and property information reports you’ll need in your construction journey, most councils have digitised the process, eliminating the need to take a ticket and queue for hours on end.
Getting a legal point of discharge report on its own is straightforward - if you’re building however, there will be a lot of different pieces of land and property information that you’ll need.
A legal point of discharge report is only one of them.
Getting all of this information is a lot of work - luckily, our property information services make it easier than ever.
Instead of having to visit countless offices, spend hours on the phone and send out dozens of emails, PSI’s all-in-one property information service allows you to get all the reports, surveys and documents using a single, easy-to-use form.
Property information made easy
Get all the property information you need with a single form!
Our connections to relevant authorities, service providers, databases and utilities operators allows us to quickly get you the information you need before construction can start in earnest.
Whether you’ve run into an unexpected issue and need a specific report to provide clarity, or need certain information when making an application for a building permit, PSI Global can help.
All you’ll have to do is visit our website and begin your search using just an address, lot and plan, or crown allotment. Then simply select all the information and reports you need, and we’ll get to work!
Make the process of getting all of your documents, reports and surveys easier - make PSI Global a part of your construction planning.
Do you have questions about our process? Feel free to get in touch with on(03) 8527 6300 or click here to reach us online.
Our connections to relevant authorities, service providers, databases and utilities operators allows us to quickly get you the information you need before construction can start in earnest.
Whether you’ve run into an unexpected issue and need a specific report to provide clarity, or need certain information when making an application for a building permit, PSI Global can help.
All you’ll have to do is visit our website and begin your search using just an address, lot and plan, or crown allotment. Then simply select all the information and reports you need, and we’ll get to work!
Make the process of getting all of your documents, reports and surveys easier - make PSI Global a part of your construction planning.
Do you have questions about our process? Feel free to get in touch with on(03) 8527 6300 or click here to reach us online.
The information in this article is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. As with all things property, we strongly recommend consulting a professional to ensure that all stages of your building project (including the Title search) go smoothly.