Greenhill Road Infrastructure Works — Pipe Stress Alert
City of Unley · Council intelligence · Last updated April 2026
“NOTICE OF MOTION FROM COUNCILLOR M BRONIECKI RE: WALKING AND CYCLING INFRASTRUCTURE ON GREENHILL ROAD”
Full Council, 23 March 2026
Greenhill Road runs right along Forestville's northern edge. A formal notice of motion means this is moving — investigations, then likely works. When they're cutting into kerbs and footpaths along that strip, underground services near the boundary get disturbed. If you've got older clay or cast-iron pipes running toward the road, get them checked before the excavators turn up.
“Administration work with staff from the City of Adelaide and the City of Burnside to investigate the provision of improved walking and cycling infrastructure along the southern boundary of the Adelaide Park Lands fronting Greenhill Road from Anzac Highway to Fullarton Road.”
Full Council, 23 March 2026
This covers the full Greenhill Road stretch — and Forestville sits right in the middle of that run. Three councils coordinating means bigger scope, more digging, and more disruption over a longer period. Residents near Greenhill should know that ground works at that scale can shift soil and put pressure on ageing stormwater and sewer connections in the blocks behind it.
“The total cost to Council of maintaining the playing surface at Unley Oval for football and cricket differs from year to year as there are various factors that can impact cost. For the 2024-25 financial year, the total cost to Council was $85,172 (excluding GST). This comprises a cost of $28,372 for football (excluding temporary fencing for Sturt Football Club matchdays) and $56,800 for cricket.”
Full Council, 23 March 2026
Not directly a plumbing issue, but Unley Oval maintenance draws on council budgets — and that affects how much is left for local drainage and infrastructure upgrades in residential areas like Forestville. Irrigation and surface drainage at the oval also means there's active groundwater management nearby, which can influence water table levels in surrounding streets.
Forestville sits tight against Greenhill Road, and the City of Unley is currently looking at infrastructure works along that corridor. That means potential digging, traffic disruptions, and older pipes in the area copping extra stress. If you're in one of the older homes on the Forestville side of Greenhill, it's worth knowing what's coming — and making sure your drains and mains are in good shape before any ground movement starts.
Forestville's housing stock is doing well for its age, but 60-odd years is a long time for copper, galvanised, and clay to stay silent. The key thing locals don't always think about until something goes wrong: the council's Greenhill Road works aren't far off. Ground movement during major infrastructure projects puts pressure on drain connections that are already marginal. A $150 camera inspection now saves you a $2000 excavation later. Get in touch before the diggers arrive. If you're in a 1950s-60s build in Forestville, your biggest early-warning sign is usually a slow drain in the laundry or a tap that loses pressure first thing in the morning. That's not normal wear—it's rust and roots catching up. Same goes for hot water units: if yours is original or pushing 15 years, it's not a case of if, it's when. Replacing one before it fails at 2am on a Friday is honestly one of the smartest calls a Forestville homeowner can make.
- Tree root intrusion in clay sewer lines—Forestville's established street trees and big private gardens mean roots have decades of growth into those 1950s-60s clay pipes, which don't stand a chance
- Hot water unit failures—original storage units in post-war Forestville homes are well past their use-by date and starting to fail without warning
- Galvanised pipe corrosion and scaling—pipes installed in the 1950s-60s builds throughout Forestville are now 60+ years old, pitting internally and restricting flow
- Stormwater overflow during heavy rain—older spouting, guttering, and downpipes on Forestville homes haven't been updated to handle modern rainfall intensity, causing water to track back toward the slab
- Sewer junction cracking near Greenhill Road—blocks close to the main road are vulnerable to ground movement from traffic and the City of Unley's upcoming infrastructure works, offsetting or cracking connections
- Blocked drains on flat allotments—many Forestville blocks have poor natural fall, so stormwater pools and debris accumulates, especially on the older-built eastern side near the reserve
- Leaking taps in kitchens and bathrooms—corrosion in aged internal copper and galvanised runs makes washers and seals fail faster than newer suburbs
- Low water pressure from mineral buildup—scale inside old galvanised lines is choking flow to taps and showers in original Forestville homes
- Burst pipes from ground heave—clay soil movement during wet winters combined with aging pipe materials makes breaks more likely on tight sites
- Septic or greywater system issues—older Forestville blocks not on full mains sometimes have decaying or poorly maintained secondary systems