Building & Renovations

If you are buying, building or renovating a residential property you should contact Hunter Water:

•  To ensure that your construction will not impact on our water or sewer assets
• If the lot is not currently connected to water or sewer and you wish Hunter Water to provide you with these services.

For buildings, renovations or extensions, your plans must be stamped by Hunter Water before they are submitted to Council.

Hunter Water’s Customer Services staff will determine whether you need to have your plans assessed further, which usually is needed if you are planning to build over our sewers.

Build over sewer issues

If it has been determined that your building will be placed over a Hunter Water sewer main or sewer junction you will be asked to fill in a Build-Over-Sewer assessment application form and pay a small fee. A letter will then be forwarded to you advising of Hunter Water’s build-over-sewer requirements. This letter may advise that you are required to relocate the junction and that you should approach Hunter Water’s Development Services group.

Once a Relocate Sewer Junction application is made you will be sent a Formal Notice of Requirements in which you will be advised to carry out works. This process is similar to the steps in the Section 50 development application process .

Once works are completed, the new location of the junction will be placed on Hunter Water’s system and it will be noted that works have been carried out in accordance with our requirements. You will then be required to reconnect your internal plumbing (house drains) to the new junction.

Click here  for further information on our guidelines and requirements.

Connecting water or sewer to an unserviced property

If you own an unserviced property and wish to connect to reticulated water or sewer, our Customer Services staff can assist with your enquiry. If you wish to proceed to service the lot, you will need to submit a Water/Sewermain Extension  application.

We will assess your application and send a Formal Notice of Requirements in which you will be advised to pay a developer charge and carry out works to extend water or sewer mains. This process is similar to the steps in the Section 50 development application process .

When you are erecting or modifying a residential building, the following information is required when you are lodging an application with Hunter Water:

• 1 copy of the site and floor plan.
• Application fee.
• Description of proposed development.
• Description of any existing development.