An owner of premises must make an application to ActewAGL where proposed buildings or site works, 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
- present a risk to the health and safety of persons operating, maintaining or replacing the water and sewerage networks.
If you are planning to undertake any of the following, an application must be submitted to ActewAGL for consideration and approval before submitting a development application to ACT Planning and Land Authority:
As a guide, works requiring an application usually include but are not limited to:
- demolition of part or all of existing structures
- construction of temporary structures (site sheds, material storage sheds, shipping containers, portable toilets, scaffolding, etc.)
- construction of permanent structures (dwellings, commercial premises, garages, sheds, carports, decks, pergolas, patios, etc.). above or below ground. Different conditions apply to lockable and unlockable structures
- construction of landscape features (retaining structures, pavements, fences, masonry walls, trees, garden beds, animal pens/yards, etc.)
- earthworks (excavations, pits, swales, berms, changes of ground levels (cut or fill), changes of gradient, changes to overland flow routes, etc.)
- installation of swimming pools, pumps and equipment, associated surrounds, pool fences, paving and landscaping
- locating water or sewerage network equipment by pot-holing or other invasive means
- changing the position of any water or sewerage network equipment (raise, lower or relocate an isolation valve, water meter, meter pit, sewerage manhole, connection, main, etc.) – such works are subject to receipt of ActewAGL's written approval and will be completed at the applicant's cost (refer to our Water and wastewater network schedule of charges)
- construction of vehicle transit or parking facilities over sewerage manholes, water valves, meter pits or other surface mounted network equipment
- construction of pavements within a service reservation or pipe protection envelope
- creation, extinguishment or relocation of a service reservation (easement)
An application is required for new works, whether or not the premises is connected to the water or sewerage network.
An application is required whether or not the location of the water or sewerage connection and/or network infrastructure:
- are inside the boundaries of a property
- are outside the boundaries of a property (on Territory Land or a neighbouring lease)
- are outside a service reservation
- has a service reservation.
ActewAGL recommend building applications to be submitted before submitting your development application to ACT Planning and Land Authority. This will facilitate smooth and rapid passage through the development approval (DA) process.
At the very latest, submissions to ActewAGL should be made by your private certifier before construction commences.
WARNING: What happens if ActewAGL approval is not obtained?
ActewAGL is not responsible for any cost, liability, expense or loss, whether direct or consequential, that an owner of the 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 equipment or seek ActewAGL advice at the earliest and most appropriate design stage of a project.
The owner of premises (or their agent architect, designer, builder or certifier) is responsible for providing drawings describing the precise location and purpose of those proposals. As a minimum, where applicable, the application document must show:
- above and below ground level footprints of existing structures (to be retained or demolished)
- above and below ground level footprints of proposed structures (temporary and permanent)
- cross sectional views of structures adjacent to water and sewerage network equipment
- existing site levels and proposed changes to levels
- all proposed landscape features
- utility network locations and attributes described in Step 4.
Note: Should any revision or alteration be made to plans after submission to ActewAGL, the revised plans must be re-submitted to ensure utility compliance.
Separate statements of compliance are required from each utility including ActewAGL electricity, water and sewerage, and natural gas networks, and other utilities (e.g. stormwater and telecommunications).
ActewAGL will approve an application to create, extinguish or relocate a service reservation (easement) provided that:
- the proposal complies with ACTEW Service and Installation rules
- where extinguishment is requested, ActewAGL has no use for that service reservation (easement) now or in the future
- "dual" service reservations (easements) containing sewer and stormwater networks are approved in writing by both ActewAGL and ACT Stormwater
- new network alignments are surveyed and submitted by the leaseholder to the ACT Planning and Land Authority survey office to modify service reservations on the "deposited plan" and/or any necessary title documentation.