CCTV Drain Inspections
See inside your drains, then fix them.
See what’s really going on in your drains
A drain camera shows exactly what’s inside your pipes: roots, cracks, a dip holding water, a broken joint or a collapsed pipe. It takes the guesswork out of a drain that keeps blocking, and it means we only dig where we need to.
Aqua Works Drainage carries a CCTV drain camera on its trailer. We record the inspection, trace and mark the line on the ground, and send you a video link with photos of anything we find.
Find it once, fix it once.
Related services
Tap a card to find out more.
Drain unblocking
Blocked drains cleared with rods, hydro jetting and root cutting.
Drain repairs
Broken or root-damaged pipes dug up and replaced by our drainlayers.
Septic tank services
Inspections, council reports and servicing for septic systems.
Buying a rural property?
What to check on tank water, bores and septic before you buy or rent out.
Water testing
Know your water is safe before you move in.
24/7 emergency plumbing
Sewage overflowing or a drain backing up after hours? Call us any time.
When a camera inspection is worth it
Drains are hidden underground, so most faults stay out of sight until something backs up. A camera shows you the problem before anyone starts digging.
A drain that keeps blocking
Clearing the same drain again and again only buys time. A camera finds the cause, so you can fix it once. See drain unblocking.
Buying a house
A standard building inspection usually doesn’t look inside the drains. A pre-purchase drain inspection tells you what you’re buying, before settlement.
Before you build or renovate
Know where the drains run and what condition they’re in before you build a deck, an extension or a fence over or near them.
After a repair
A camera run after a repair shows the line is clear and the new pipe is sound.
Insurance claims
The video and photos give your insurer a clear record of the damage.
Finding and marking your drains
Our locator picks up a signal from the camera head, so we can trace where a drain runs and mark the line on the ground. Handy before you dig, build or put in a fence post.
What our camera suits
Our camera has a 30 metre cable and suits most household drains, up to 100 mm pipe. For a longer run, we go in from another inspection point.
Every inspection includes
A camera run through the drain.
A recorded video.
A video link you can keep.
Photos of anything we find.
A short findings note.
The line traced and marked.
Straight answers on what it means.
A clear price for any repair.
Licensed plumbers and drainlayers.
Signs you need a camera inspection
- A drain that blocks again and again.
- Slow drains all through the house.
- Sewage smells outside, or wet patches in the lawn.
- Big trees close to your drains.
- An older home with clay pipes.
- You’re buying, building or renovating.
Help us get it done quickly
- Show us where your gully traps and inspection points are.
- Clear the way to them.
- Tell us about any past blockages or repairs.
- Buying? Tell us your settlement date.
Want to see inside your drains?
Local Jobs – Local Trust – Local Experts
What we find, and what happens next
From our drain jobs around Rodney.
Broken pipe: a broken bend in a sewer line. A camera shows faults like this before anyone digs.
Dig in the right place: once we know where the fault is, we only dig there.
Fixed: a new bend and pipe in place. A camera run afterwards shows the line is clear.
Buying a house? Check the drains first.
Drains are hidden underground and costly to fix. Our pre-purchase drain inspection puts a camera through the main drains, traces and marks the lines, and gives you a written report with photos, a video link, and a price for any repairs.
You get the report within 2 working days, in time to talk to your lawyer or the vendor before settlement.
What a camera can find
- Tree roots growing in through joints and cracks.
- Cracked or broken pipes, and pipes that have collapsed.
- Dips in the pipe that hold water and waste.
- Open or offset joints where pipes have moved apart.
- Fat, scale and silt building up inside the pipe.
- Wrong connections, like downpipes running into the sewer.
- The pipe itself: old clay, PVC or perforated Novacoil.
We explain what each fault means, how urgent it is, and what it would take to fix.
What you get
- A video link to the recorded inspection.
- Photos of anything we find.
- A short findings note, in plain English.
- The line traced and marked on the ground.
- For a pre-purchase inspection, a written report within 2 working days.
Then we fix it
If the camera finds a fault, we give you a clear price to fix it. Our licensed drainlayers repair or replace the damaged section, with our own diggers for tight spaces and bigger jobs.
Need the drain cleared first? See drain unblocking.
How it works
Four steps to knowing what’s in your drains.
1
Book a time
Tell us what’s happening, or that you’re buying.
2
We run the camera
In through a gully trap or inspection point, recording as we go.
3
We mark the line
We trace where the drain runs and mark it on the ground.
4
You get the findings
A video link, photos and a clear price for any repair.
Local drain specialists
Aqua Works has looked after homes and businesses across Rodney and North Auckland since 2000, from our base in Warkworth. Aqua Works Drainage is our drainage team.
- Licensed plumbers and drainlayers.
- Hydro jetter, small-line jetter, root cutter and drain camera.
- Our own diggers for drain repairs.
- Members of Master Plumbers, and SiteWise Gold.
- 24/7 emergency call-outs.
Areas we cover
Mangawhai to Albany, including Warkworth, Matakana, Snells Beach, Wellsford, Orewa, Silverdale, Whangaparāoa, Millwater, Dairy Flat and Coatesville.
CCTV drain inspection FAQs
What is a CCTV drain inspection?
We push a small waterproof camera on a cable through your drain and record what it sees. You see the inside of the pipe on screen, and we keep the video.
When do I need one?
When a drain keeps blocking, when you’re buying a house, before you build over or near a drain, after a repair, or when your insurer needs a record of the damage.
Do I get the video?
Yes. We record every inspection and send you a video link, with photos of anything we find.
Can you find where my drains run?
Yes. Our locator picks up a signal from the camera head, so we trace where the drain runs and mark the line on the ground.
How far can the camera go?
Our camera has a 30 metre cable and suits most household drains, up to 100 mm pipe. For a longer run, we go in from another inspection point.
Do you need to dig?
Usually not. We go in through a gully trap or an inspection point. If there’s no way in, we talk to you about the options first.
Should I get the drains checked before buying a house?
We recommend it, especially for older homes, homes with big trees, or rural homes on a septic tank. A standard building inspection usually doesn’t look inside the drains.
Can you clean the drain first?
Yes. A dirty or partly blocked drain can hide faults, so we often jet it clean first and then run the camera.
How much does a CCTV drain inspection cost?
We charge a set rate for the first hour on site, which covers most homes, plus travel. A pre-purchase inspection with a written report is a fixed price. Call us on 0800 278 296 for today’s rates.
What happens if you find a problem?
We explain what it is and how urgent it is, then give you a clear price to fix it. Our licensed drainlayers do the repair.
What areas do you cover?
Rodney and North Auckland, from Mangawhai to Albany, including Warkworth, Matakana, Wellsford, Orewa and the Hibiscus Coast. For bigger jobs further away, give us a call.
Don’t just take our word for it…
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“We received great service from the Aqua Works team on a large property drainage project. Throughout the entire process, Steve and his team were quick to respond and always very helpful, friendly, and reassuring. … We really appreciate all of this and would highly recommend Aqua Works to anyone needing drainage or plumbing services.”
Sarah Holmes, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I have tried quite a few plumbers over the years and Aqua Works has been the best to deal with from every aspect – communication, knowledge, on-time, job done. Highly recommended.”
Andrew Bell, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Fantastic same day service, great communication.”
Chris Morgan, 2025
Want to see inside your drains?
Book a CCTV drain inspection with Aqua Works Drainage.