Many property owners in the ACT have registered easements or utility pipes running through their properties.
Easements and utility pipes are protected by Government legislation (law) in recognition of the essential function water and sewerage services play in urban communities and the environment.
ActewAGL has a legislative obligation to protect these assets and to establish rules of how, when and where protection is required. The rules are intended to ensure that:
- underground pipes are not damaged by the weight of buildings or landscape features (such as earth fill or retaining walls)
- emergency and planned maintenance access is always available to buried pipes and related structures (such as tanks, manholes, pits, valves, meters and pumps)
- access is available for the future growth of the water and sewer system to meet the demands of an ever-changing city
- homes, buildings and landscape structures are not undermined or damaged by burst water mains, sewer main collapse or by ActewAGL’s maintenance and construction activities
- separate statements of compliance are required for all utilities including ActewAGL water and sewerage, natural gas, and electricity networks, and other services (e.g. network cables, telecommunications, stormwater, etc.).
Approximately one in every two Canberra properties has sewerage network pipes inside its boundaries. Water supply, communication and electricity network services also traverse properties or run through adjacent roadways, verges and public space
The illustration below shows a typical layout of sewerage, water supply pipes and service reservations (easements).
Many water and sewer pipes are in public open spaces, including under the verge or under roadways in the ACT or Commonwealth Government land.
Many ACTEW water and sewer pipes go through residential or commercial properties.
Many ACTEW water and sewer pipes go through unleased properties.
Not all ACTEW pipes are contained in registered easements but are protected by a pipe protection envelope.
Not all easements contain pipes.
The owner of the premises, or the owner’s design agent (under instruction), must determine whether utility water and sewerage pipes (and other utility infrastructure) exist on their land prior to design. ActewAGL can provide precise locations where necessary.
Before you start your design, contact ActewAGL to obtain asset maps and utility rules.
The Owner of Premises or their agent (under instruction) must make an application to ActewAGL where works commissioned by them on or adjacent to a property will or have the potential to:
- prevent, restrict or obstruct access to water and sewerage network equipment
- cause harm to the water and sewerage network infrastructure or
- present a risk to the health and safety of persons operating, maintaining or replacing the water and sewerage networks.
List of works requiring an application.
ACT Planning and Land Authority (ACTPLA) require a wide variety of building and landscape projects to be submitted for development approval (DA) before construction or demolition can commence. ACTPLA often require your plans to be approved and stamped by ActewAGL before they will accept them in the formal DA process.
Get your plans checked for compliance with water and sewerage utility requirements before you lodge your plans with ACT Planning and Land Authority. Getting ActewAGL's stamp of approval will speed up the development approval process.
In many cases, you will be required to engage a private certifier to check your plans and certify the project complies with building regulations. Private certifiers must confirm that your design complies with utility requirements. Getting ActewAGL's stamp of approval will also speed up the private certification process.
If you intend to engage a designer, architect, builder, engineer or qualified professional to design, document and construct your project, make sure the terms of engagement require them to comply with utility requirements.
Ask your agent to comply with the steps shown in this website.
It is the owner's responsibility to determine what utility constraints apply to their land.
It is also the owner's responsibility to engage experienced professional design agents to undertake the investigation.
It is illegal to build structures or change ground levels contrary to the regulations that protect the city's water and sewerage services. The regulations are designed to protect Canberra's community assets.
ActewAGL is not responsible for any cost, liability, expense or loss – whether direct or consequential – that an owner of premises or their agent suffers or incurs as a result of the owner of premises or their agent failing to verify the presence and precise location of ACTEW utility equipment, or seeking ActewAGL advice at the earliest and most appropriate design stage of a project.
Under Utility legislation, the owner is held responsible for the costs of demolishing illegal work and making good any damage to ACTEW Corporation pipes and facilities.