THE Water Corporation says it doesn’t believe its maintenance work caused a Fremantle doctor’s outdoor kitchen to fill with raw sewage while he was away on holiday (“Water Corp won’t come to the party,” Herald, December 16, 2023).

Tom Brett’s house in Burt Street is on a sewerage “party line” and he says blockages seem to stem from a neighbouring property; because the owner isn’t interested in upgrading the 100-year-old ceramic pipes, his only hope is for Water Corp to bypass the old system and connect he and his neighbours to the modern system just across their back fences.

He also queried whether Water Corp flushing while he was away might have pushed the sewage into his back kitchen and wanted it to take responsibility.

But the department told the Herald the overflow was due to a blockage on the shared plumbing line which was later cleared, and internal plumbing was the owners’ responsibility.

“Maintenance had no apparent impact on other properties adjacent to the same wastewater main,” a spokesperson said.

“Costs associated with internal plumbing repairs of the establishment of individual property connections is a matter for the collective property owners.”

The spokesperson said party lines were no longer used in modern developments.

“Selling agents are responsible for informing property buyers of common sewer lines.

“This makes people aware of their obligations prior to purchase.

“Common property sewers are now rare, with many having been upgraded by property owners undertaking land subdivision or redevelopments.”