Safety around trees and powerlines
Why we trim trees near powerlines?
To keep people safe
We are committed to protecting the safety of members of our community and our employees. Trees, including palms, can be blown into powerlines when they grow too close to them. If this happens, they can conduct electricity and become safety hazards.
To keep the power flowing reliably to your house
Many of our power outages are caused by trees and palm fronds touching powerlines. Trimming trees and palms helps reduce the chances of a tree or palm causing a power outage in your suburb.
Call us about trees near powerlines
If you give us a call before you start any pruning, we can advise you on the safest way. Your safety is our number one concern.
We are happy to answer all queries and concerns about trees and powerlines, but we particularly ask that you call us if you see a tree or palm close to or touching a powerline.
If our contractor notifies you that a work crew will be in your area and you wish to discuss vegetation around the powerlines, please call or e-mail us.
Contact Us
General Inquiries 1800 245 092
Emergencies1800 245 090
customerservice@powerwater.com.au
Overhead powerlines on the roadside
We will clear the vegetation around powerlines in the road reserve and remove the debris from the site. This includes trees that may come from your property and intrude into the safe clearance distance of the powerline on the road reserve.
Sometimes debris from your trees will fall into your yard. Our contractor will leave a card for you to contact us to arrange a suitable time to enter your yard and remove the debris.
We are working closely with local councils and the Department of Planning and Infrastructure (DPI) to manage vegetation near overhead powerlines in the road reserve.
Electricity service line on your property
The property owner is responsible for keeping trees clear of the electricity service line, which is the line running from the power pole on the road reserve to the house.
If you have any concerns about your service line, give us a call before you start any pruning, and we can advise you on the safest way to trim the vegetation.
If required, we will de-energise and temporarily remove the service line. This is a FREE service.
We will arrange for one of our line crew to de-energise and temporarily remove the service line while you or your contractor cut near the service line.
Do unsafe trees have to be removed altogether?
Our vegetation program identifies vegetation near powerlines that poses a safety risk to the community or our employees. Some trees and palms are not suitable for growing under or near power lines. In some cases, the pruning method may not address the safety issue or may impact on the aesthetics, and the plants may need to be removed.
If our contractors identify unsafe vegetation on your private property, they will contact you to discuss removing it permanently.
Occasionally, a tree or palm on the road reserve in front of your property may need be removed. This is done in consultation with your local council.
Who cuts the trees? Do they know what they’re doing?
We use skilled and specially trained contractors. Our contractors are trained to work near powerlines and have training in arboriculture techniques.
Our vegetation management contractors follow the work practices in the Australian Standard AS4373 ‘Pruning Trees Amenity Trees’.
However, our primary responsibility is to cut trees to ensure the safety of the public and our employees.
Some of our contractors employ the services of an arborist to make sure trees and palms are trimmed appropriately and to get the best possible aesthetic result.
How do we notify our customers where our contractors are trimming trees?
Before any trimming begins, our contractor will drop letters to all properties before they start work in your area. If you need more information on where we’ll be trimming, click here and follow the prompts.
We advertise our contractors’ planned locations regularly in the NT News, Centralian Advocate and in the Katherine Times.
We also advertise weekly on the radio on Monday mornings on Top FM 104.1FM, Mix 104.9FM and Hot 100 100.1FM.
When we need to carry out emergency tree trimming we will not have time to notify all of our customers.
Find out where our contractors are cuting this week.
What can you do to help?
You can help by calling us first if you see a tree or palm close to or touching a powerline. Please do not try to prune it yourself, as this is dangerous.
If you are landscaping near or under powerlines, it makes sense to plan ahead. See below the right type of trees to plant near powerlines and the distances to plant in your front yard near overhead powerlines
What are the best trees to plant near powerlines?
The best trees or shrubs are those with a mature height of no more than 3m. Native species are most appropriate. Your local council or nursery should be able to give you a list of suitable species.
Ideally palms should be planted 5m away from powerlines.
If you want to plant taller plants, find out what the mature height is and plant it that same distance away from the powerline. That way, if the tree were to fall, it would stay clear of the powerline.
The diagrams below show the safe distances for planting in your front yard near overhead powerlines. Before you plant in power line easements, it’s a good idea to contact us to check if there are special planting requirements.
Dial before you dig
Before planting a tree on your nature strip, call “Dial before you Dig” service to make sure you won’t dig into underground power lines. For planting inside your property boundary consult a qualified electrician.
Kids and powerlines - facts and tips
Children climbing in trees near powerlines can be a fatal combination. These four simple rules can help keep your kids safe:
- Powerlines are dangerous
- Never climb or play in trees next to powerlines
- Never touch a powerline
- If you see a powerline on the ground, don’t touch it - call an adult.
Our commitment to you
When we trim trees or palms in your area, we will:
- Advertise the location where our contractors are working
- Consult with you as much as possible regarding removal of trees
- Remove all branches and debris from the site on the same day
- Cut trees in an environmentally responsible way
- Make every effort to aesthetically trim problem trees and palms.
