Gas, water, electricity or phone utility outages can occur at any time and can be caused by heatwaves, bushfires, storms, tree branches and car accidents. In addition, burrowing animals, construction work, and tree roots can damage underground cables and pipes.
You can help prevent utility outages by monitoring the size and health of trees. Tree branches can damage power and telephone lines and their roots can damage gas and water pipes. Contact a qualified tree clearing professional if the tree is on your property or the Council or your electricity distributor if the tree is in the street.
DO NOT attempt to remove or prune trees near powerlines yourself, even if they are on your property.
Always Dial Before You Dig to prevent damage to gas and water pipes or underground electrical and telecommunications cables when undertaking construction work.
If you receive a notification card, email or text message from your gas, electricity, water or telecommunications provider, the notification will tell you what is causing the outage and should provide you instructions on next steps.
For an unplanned outage, be prepared to evacuate the area if there is a gas leak, water mains burst or electrical emergency by developing a home or business emergency plan.
Businesses should prepare a business continuity plan for loss of business due to an outage.
For people using electrically powered life-support equipment or medical equipment, ask your doctor about emergency battery backup systems and registering the use of life-support equipment with your energy supplier.
During a Gas, Water, Electricity or Phone Outage
Electricity outage
Monitor the electrical outage and check when power will be restored. For people using electrically powered life-support equipment or medical equipment, activate your prepared emergency back-up plan.
CONTACTING YOUR UTILITY PROVIDER
Utility
|
Supplier
|
Customer Service
|
Emergency Notification
|
|
Electricity
|
United Energy
|
1300 131 689
|
132 099
|
|
Street Lights
|
United Energy
|
13 20 99
|
13 20 99
|
Note: Many NBN phone services require mains power to operate. Some systems will continue to operate with battery backup. You will need to discuss battery backup with your service provider to ensure continuity of service in a blackout.
Gas outage
For a notified gas outage during winter:
- Prepare warm clothes and blankets if the temperature gets cold
- Prepare electrical appliances to heat water for washing and cook food
- Make arrangements to shower at a friend’s place or work or the local gym
- Visit friends or go out to keep warm.
If you smell a gas leak in the street or on your property including around the gas meter, you should call the Gas Leaks and Emergency services on 1800 GAS LEAK (1800 427 532) to locate and repair the leak.
If however, you believe the leak to be after the meter on a section of pipe work connecting your appliances to the meter, or on the appliance itself, you should immediately turn off the gas at the mains and contact a gas plumber to repair the leak.
Utility
|
Supplier
|
Customer Service
|
Emergency Notification
|
|
Gas
|
Multinet
|
1300 887 501
|
132 691
|
Water outage or sewage blockage
For a planned water outage:
- Fill some jugs or containers with extra water for drinking and/or cooking
- Turn off all taps throughout your property, including laundry appliances, hot water service, water filters, air-conditioning units and outdoor sprinkling systems
- Don’t use your washing machine, dishwasher or hot water service
- Remove any wet washing from the washing machine and hang it to dry
For a water outage or sewer blockage:
- Check for planned works in the area
- Check for response times if your water has been turned off for emergency works
- Make sure all of your water taps have been turned off including the water tap for the toilet cistern so there is no risk of flooding if the water comes back on when you are not around
- Turn off your water supply at the water meter
- If the issue is on your property, contact a licensed plumber to repair and test the leak or sewer blockage. Contact the Yarra Valley Water plumbing referral service on 1300 735 328 if required.
- Businesses should activate their business continuity plan if required
Utility
|
Supplier
|
Customer Service
|
Emergency Notification
|
|
Water
|
Yarra Valley Water
|
1300 853 811
|
132 762
|
Telecommunications outage
Businesses should identify alternative telecommunications providers and methods and document in an emergency or business continuity. For example, using mobile internet if home or business internet fails or a mobile phone if the home or business landline connection fails or vice versa.
Should you experience repeated outages, consider contacting the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.
Utility
|
Supplier
|
Customer Service
|
Emergency Notification
|
|
Telecommunications
|
Telstra
|
132 200
|
132 200 (Internet and home phone)
|
|
Telecommunications
|
Optus
|
133 937
|
131 344 (Internet and home phone
|
|
Telecommunications
|
Vodaphone
|
1300 650 410
|
1300 650 410
|
Note: Many NBN phone services require mains power to operate. Some systems will continue to operate with battery backup. You will need to discuss battery backup with your service provider to ensure continuity of service in a blackout.
Explore our sites
