Tree root trouble in Moreton Bay

Two Moreton Bay suburbs are among the worst for tree roots blocking wastewater pipes, according to Unitywater.

Tree roots caused 614 of the 3043 blockages in Moreton Bay, Sunshine Coast and Noosa during the 2024-25 financial year.

“Our data tells us Buderim, Clontarf and Caboolture are the suburbs with the most tree root blockages,” Unitywater Executive Manager Customer Delivery Rhett Duncan said.

“We can see 20 per cent of known blockage causes are tree roots.

“Other causes are fats, oils and greases and foreign objects, which indicates the wrong items have been flushed or put down the sink.

“Tree roots seek out water and penetrate pipes, continuing to grow and causing major issues like blockages and wastewater overflows.

“These overflows can occur on private properties through overflow relief gullies (ORGs) and inside people’s homes through toilets and shower drains.

“They cause a smelly mess and an unpleasant clean-up, as well as potentially expensive repair costs.”

Mr Duncan said residents can help prevent tree root blockages by pausing before they plant and considering the types of trees they’re planting.

“If you have any landscaping plans over summer, check out Unitywater’s free online mapping tool to check for any Unitywater infrastructure on your property,” he said.

“It’s good to know where your private pipes run on your property.

“We also have a planting guide. Choose species carefully to avoid a root invasion in your pipes.”

Learn more at www.unitywater.com/creatures