It took SA Water crews 30 minutes to remove the cluster, by carefully attaching lifting slings to its main roots, before fixing them to an excavator’s arm, which expertly guided the mass out of the concrete sewer chamber.

SA Water’s Senior Manager of Field Operations Colin Bell said other sections along the pipe also had extreme root intrusion, while some yielded around 200 kilograms of wet wipes.

“Our crews were convinced they entered an episode of Stranger Things after making the discovery,” Colin said.

“We were first alerted to the potential invasion after a substantial blockage occurred in another section of pipe within Walkley Heights, when we discovered what appeared to be a tree literally growing inside the sewers.

“Typically, areas in the foothills or surrounded by natural spaces experience a higher number of blockages, due to tree roots breaking into pipes in search of water and blocking the flow of sewage to our treatment plants.

“In fact, thirsty tree roots are the leading cause of sewer blockages within our network across South Australia."

To reduce the risk of blockages from tree roots, SA Water offers advice and a Healthy Pipes online tool to help South Australians plant the right tree in the right area of their property.

Colin said the tree root mass weighed around half a tonne and measured five metres in length.

“Due to the sheer weight of the root mass in Modbury, we needed the help of our excavator to safely pull the cluster out of the chamber – with our crews achieving this in one clean attempt, which was a great feat," he said.

“Our cleaning also yielded a few more surprises, such as 200 kilograms of wet wipes and several metres of rope, serving as a timely reminder to the community to consider what they’re flushing down the toilet."

For more information  about keeping our sewers healthy, visit SA Water.