Tree Root Removal Sydney
For tree root removal in Sydney, Cleared Now Drain Plumbing cuts tree roots out of sewer and stormwater drains.
Wednesday Drain Deal
Call Now & Get $65 Off Your First Service
Our CCTV drain camera runs through the line before any quote, because only a camera shows the inside of the pipe without digging. The call-out fee is $0.
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Honest Diagnosis
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$0 Call-Out Fee
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Same Day Service
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Lifetime Labour Warranty
Cutting Tree Roots Out of Your Drains
Tree root removal is a drain-clearing job that cuts roots out of a sewer or stormwater pipe with a drain machine or a jetter. Sydney Water puts roots in pipes ahead of every other cause of blockages. Sydney Water also says clearing a blockage in the private wastewater pipes needs a licensed plumber. Tree roots in drains take several forms, and our blocked drains hub covers every kind of blockage, the who-pays split and drain clearing costs.
Tree Root Jobs Across Sydney
Pick the root job or clearing method that matches your sewer or stormwater line:
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Relining Root-Cracked Pipes
Cutting the roots out clears the line, but the crack they came through stays behind. When the camera shows a cracked section, pipe relining seals it from inside the pipe, with a new lining set in the old pipe and no digging. We inspect first and reline second, with the relining quoted on its own and priced on the run's length, depth and access.
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Roots in Yard Drains
Roots fill the pipes and pits that carry rain and surface water off a property, getting in through cracks and open joints. The same cut-and-jet method clears the blocked line. Our blocked stormwater drains page carries the full depth.
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Roots in Sewer Lines
When a sewer line in an older home keeps blocking, cracked clay joints with roots are the likeliest cause. Only a camera shows the crack without digging. Sydney Water lists a toilet that won't flush properly or has overflowed among its warning signs. Tree roots in sewer pipes are the common root job, and our blocked sewer page carries the sewer depth.
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Electric Eel Root Cutting
We cut roots out of the line with an electric eel. An electric eel is a motorised cable that bores through whatever is blocking the pipe. The machine trims the roots back only part way. Our electric eel drain cleaning page covers the machine and its root cutting jobs in full.
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Hydro Jetting Roots Back
The jet blaster, a high-pressure water jetter, cuts roots back to the pipe wall where the eel leaves them. Hydro jetting is a drain-cleaning method that clears the line with that jetter, and our hydro jetting hub covers the method, its costs and when it suits.
Why Roots Get Into Clay Pipes
Roots get into clay pipes through cracked joints, drawn by the moisture and nutrients inside, and the damage builds from there:
- How roots get in: Roots slip into small cracks in wastewater pipes seeking nutrients, then keep growing until they slow the flow and can block the pipe.
- Why clay joints: Roots chase moisture into the pipe joints of old clay and earthenware lines. Those older materials have extra joints and flex less than newer PVC pipe, according to the What's The Damage cost guide.
- The damage done: Roots can badly damage sewer pipes, and the Land and Environment Court lists repair or replacement of root-damaged sewer pipes among its example orders.
Trees to Keep Clear of Your Pipes
Three things keep roots out of new and existing pipes, street trees included: planting distance, the avoid list and a maintenance plan:
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Plant Six Metres Away
Find where the pipes run before you plant. Order a sewerage service diagram, Sydney Water's plan of a property's private sewer pipes, online through Sydney Water Tap in. Keep new trees at least 6 metres from wastewater pipes.
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Trees to Avoid Planting
Some trees cause more pipe trouble than others, according to Sydney Water. Sydney Water's avoid-planting table lists 37 trees and plants in total, among them the jacaranda, camphor laurel, plane trees, Brush Box, Liquidambar, Lilly Pilly and large gum trees. The figs on the list include the Moreton Bay Fig, the Weeping Fig and the Rubber Tree.
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Maintenance Plans for Trees
When a big tree stands near the drainage run, a plumber can put the pipes on a regular maintenance plan. A camera check every so often is routine upkeep with significant trees nearby. The plan lets us clear and maintain the line before it blocks. Our drain maintenance page covers plans, schedules and yearly checks in full.
Who Pays to Remove Tree Roots?
The property owner pays to clear roots in the private wastewater pipes, from the house to where they join Sydney Water's network, and Sydney Water owns the junction. The split works like this:
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Your Private Pipes
The owner answers for the private wastewater pipes up to the point of connection, where the private pipe joins Sydney Water's network. Sydney Water may fix a collapsed private wastewater pipe beneath a public footpath or road at no charge, once a plumber confirms digging is the only way.
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Roots in the Junction
When roots get into the junction, Sydney Water still owns that fitting, but the owner looks after the point of connection. The owner clears roots at the point of connection and pays for root or digging damage to the junction or its collar. When root-removal work at the connection point damages the junction, Sydney Water may repair or replace it at no cost to the customer. The owner pays for the digging to expose the junction and isn't reimbursed for that. Digging costs there are reimbursed only when a Sydney Water authorised representative approved the dig beforehand.
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A Neighbour's Tree
The Trees (Disputes Between Neighbours) Act 2006 lets a person seek Land and Environment Court orders, compensation among them, when a neighbour's tree has damaged their property. The Court's example orders include covering the cost of fixing or replacing root-damaged sewer pipes and taking out the roots. Pruning or removing a tree needs a council permit or development approval first. The Court's own tree and hedge disputes page explains the process.
Our Process
We clear roots in five steps, using the camera, the electric eel and the jet blaster:
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Camera check
Our CCTV drain camera runs through the line before any quote, so the quote covers the real fault. The camera shows the inside of the pipe without digging. The CCTV drain inspection hub covers inspections, sewer diagrams and pipe locating in full. -
Written quote
The call-out fee is $0, and you have the written quote in hand before we start any work. -
Cut the roots
The electric eel cuts roots out of the line. -
Jet the line
The jet blaster scours roots back to the pipe wall. -
Final camera run
The camera shows the line clear on a final run. When the run shows a cracked section, we quote the relining as its own job.
Common Tree Root Problems We Fix
Roots blocking pipes show up in the problems below, with Sydney Water's warning signs behind each:
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Drains That Keep Blocking
When a drain blocks again a few months after each clear, repeat blockages point to roots. Roots call for the camera and jetter rather than a standard clear. Sydney Water lists a toilet that keeps blocking among its warning signs. Roots in older clay pipes are extremely common across Sydney's established suburbs. Our gurgling drains page carries the gurgling depth.
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Wastewater at the Gully
Sydney Water lists wastewater spilling from the gully or drain by the outside tap among its warning signs. Overflows go to Sydney Water's 24/7 faults line, 13 20 90. Germs in wastewater can cause illness such as gastroenteritis on direct contact, so keep clear. Our overflowing drains page carries the overflow depth.
Why Choose Cleared Now Drain Plumbing
Our team is local and owner-led, with 15+ years' experience on root jobs in sewer and stormwater pipes. Customers have left 300+ five-star reviews behind the work. The proof on every root job:
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Camera First, Then Clear
We put the CCTV drain camera through the line before any quote, because the camera alone shows the pipe's inside without digging. Before any work starts, you know what the camera found in the line and the fix we'd suggest, with nothing dressed up.
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$0 Call-Out Fee
The call-out fee is $0 on every root job. You get fair, upfront pricing, no surprises, and the written quote is in your hands before we start any work.
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Same Day Service
When you ring, a real person picks up the phone whatever the hour and sets up Same Day Service.
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Contractor Licence 498750C
Contractor licence 498750C, issued by NSW Fair Trading for plumbing, draining and gasfitting, is held by Cleared Now Drain Plumbing.
Tree Root Removal Costs in Sydney
What's The Damage's October 2026 Sydney guide supplies the prices below, with GST in every band:
| Job | What it covers | Price band | Source |
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| Root clear, standard | An electric eel clears a root or everyday blockage, Sydney, with GST | $170 to $575 | What's The Damage guide, October 2026 |
| CCTV inspection and jetting | The camera plus jetting covers a root job, Sydney, with GST | $400 to $1,275 | What's The Damage guide, October 2026 |
| Digging through sandstone | An extra cost on excavation jobs in the Eastern Suburbs and Inner West | $500 to $2,000 | What's The Damage guide, October 2026 |
| Call-out | A plumber visits and looks at the drain | $0 | Cleared Now Drain Plumbing |
Roots point to the camera-and-jetting tier rather than a standard clear. Any cracked section gets its own relining quote, so the written quote confirms the job price.
Areas We Service
Cleared Now Drain Plumbing brings Same Day Service and tree root removal across Sydney. We service the Northern Beaches, North Shore, Hills District, Inner West, Eastern Suburbs, Western Sydney, Sutherland Shire and South West Sydney.
Book Tree Root Removal in Sydney
Got a drain that keeps blocking, or wastewater at the gully? Roots are the likeliest cause, and the camera settles it before you pay. Call (02) 9158 3577 and the person who answers lines up Same Day Service, with a $0 call-out fee. The camera runs before any quote, and the written quote comes before any work starts. You get $65 off your first service as a new customer. Every root job carries the Lifetime Labour Warranty.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Dissolves Tree Roots in Sydney Drains?
Caustic drain cleaners from the supermarket do nothing to tree roots. Our blog guide covers the signs of tree roots in pipes and the DIY questions.
Who Is Responsible for Tree Roots Blocking Drains in Sydney?
The property owner answers for the private pipes to the connection and clears roots at the junction's point of connection, and Sydney Water owns the junction. The owner's section runs from the house to that point.
Is Jetting or a Drain Machine Better for Tree Roots?
Yes, hydro jetting scours roots off the pipe wall, while a drain machine only trims them. A drain machine suits a lighter clear, and the camera decides which the line needs first.
How Fast Do Tree Roots Grow Back in Sydney Sewer Pipes?
Root regrowth comes down to the open crack and how close the tree stands. Roots that get in keep growing until the crack is sealed. Relining stops the regrowth by sealing the crack. Sydney Water's 6-metre rule for new trees keeps roots away from the line in the first place.
How Do I Book Tree Root Removal in Sydney?
You book with one call to (02) 9158 3577. A real person answers whatever hour you ring, and the $0 call-out fee applies. You get $65 off your first service as a new customer.