Looking down drains

From drainage inspections to pipe blockages, CCTV cameras can analyse every join and inch of pipe, as Drainage TV owner Sallie Norman knows only too well after 15 years in business.

AUTHOR: LOIS OLDEHAVER

Regular drain CCTV checks are needed for many reasons. New builds that run near or over a public drain require cameras down the drain to check the condition. Drainlayers putting in new drains need to get assessments done and the video and report sent to the council for review.

And then there’s the general drain unblocking that needs a camera to have a look inside. “You’d be surprised by the number of call outs we get for things getting stuck down drains,” says Sallie Norman, owner of Tamaki Makaurau Auckland business Drainage TV.

“PlayStation games, tennis balls, and even an old handsaw left over from cutting off a root back in the day! We recently had a cat too, but don’t worry she lived to tell the tale!”

Sallie started her own business 15 years ago after watching her drainlayer husband, Mitch Norman of Master Plumbers’ member business Urban Worx Ltd, struggle to find reliable drainage inspection companies to call on.

“When it comes to CCTV, showing up when you say you’re going to is key because you might have surveyors waiting for you, or a drainlayer waiting to backfill the drain,” she says. “Having good equipment is also important.”

Rather than offer a wide range of drainage services, Drainage TV focuses purely on CCTV: “We live and breathe it—this is us all day long,” she says.

The business has a range of cameras depending on the size of the drain, from tractor cameras that can be controlled like a robot through to push rod cameras for simpler domestic checks.

“We analyse every joint and every inch of the drain line to make sure the drainlayers have installed their drains to a high quality,” says Sallie. “Surprisingly it’s the older drains that were handmade with brick that come out the best when we assess them.”

Drainage TV now has nine staff and five vans. “And believe it or not, working in a male-dominated industry is one of my favourite parts of running my business,” says Sallie. “I get to work with such great people.”

Sallie’s hot tips for drainlayers on issues she frequently encounters?

“Common problems are not ensuring the joints are pushed in far enough and hard enough. This causes infiltration and leaking, which weakens the ability of the drain. Also ensuring the correct falls and bedding have been used in the construction of the drain.”