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Developer Services

The following provides additional information on the conditions under which water and sewer facilities are available to new customers.  Some requirements are relevant to all developments whereas, other information is more specific to subdivisions and commercial, industrial or manufacturing developments.

This information is also available in the Development and Design Assessment brochure.

Other Useful Information for All Developments  

Servicing strategies

To make sure we can keep up with demands, both now and in the future, we have prepared a number of development servicing strategies. These strategies show what we believe will happen and why we focus on some areas and activities.

This means that any work constructed, whether by us or by developers, must be consistent with the strategies, and major developments may require a servicing concept report to be prepared.

These reports are usually prepared by an accredited consultant, and identify the:

  • water supply and sewerage loadings
  • transportation options (including the need for additional works such as pump station boosters).

By using the strategies we can make sure that developers connect to the existing system in the most effective way.  It is developers responsibility to make sure their plans for connection fit with our strategies. This may mean you need to investigate your options, prepare the servicing concept report and obtain our agreement before any detailed design work is carried out.

To make sure your plans fit with our servicing strategies, it is best to contact our Account Executive Major Projects early in your project.

Constructing Minor Works

If you are only undertaking a small work, it may be possible for you to use a Minor Works Agreement. Click here for the Terms and Conditions.

This is used when your development requires only:

  • a small extension of water and/or sewer mains
  • sewermain protection work (if you are redeveloping a site).

If your development fits this scenario, the following conditions apply. You must:

  • engage an approved design consultant  to design the works (we will provide plans of the existing infrastructure and possible connection points)
  • lodge an application with us and pay a fee
  • receive approval from us to begin work
  • give our inspectors three days notice before you intend to start work
  • use a licensed plumber to complete works described in the agreement
  • complete works within 12 months from the date you submitted your application and paid the fees.

Constructing Major Works

More extensive projects will require detailed survey/design, which mean developers must use an approved consultant to design the works and engage a contractor approved by us to construct the works.

See approved contractors and approved design consultants for a list of suppliers that we accept.

Once your designs are approved by us, a Major Works Instrument of Agreement will be issued to you. Once this agreement is executed, and the fees covering the inspection and work-as-executed survey are paid, the works can commence.

Please note our inspectors require:

  • 3 days notice of intention to commence work
  • At least 5 days notice if a watermain shutdown is required.

 

Early Release of Section 50 certificate

Under some circumstances Hunter Water may choose to issue a section 50 Certificate before the work is totally finalised. This is at our discretion.

Generally, a section 50 certificate is only released early if:

  •  The developer lodges a reasonable security to cover all outstanding construction work costs
  • The developer complies with all other specified requirements
  • The certificate is for large scale works
  • The designs have been completed and accepted by us

A bond assessment and lodgement fee is payable on application.

 

Easements

In some cases Hunter Water may permit property owners to provide points of connection to new customers via easements. However, in these situations strict criteria will apply. Where an easement is to be created to provide water or sewer services, the following requirements apply:

  •  The easement must be shown on the final plan of subdivision a copy of that plan sent to us
  • The easement must be created under section 88B of the Conveyancing Act of 1919 and a copy of the instrument of dedication forwarded to us.

Build over sewer

If your development is to be constructed over Hunter Water’s sewermain, you will be required to protect the sewermain. This could involve replacement of rigid pipes with flexible uPVC sewer pipe or diversion of the sewer clear of the development. Click here for further information.

Previously laid water or sewermains

Where watermains and/or sewermains are already available to a proposed development, the mains may have been built and paid for by a previous developer.  If this is the case a payment towards the cost of the mains will be collected from the developer and refunded to the original developer.

 

Undrainable areas

It is the owner’s responsibility to determine whether it is practicable to discharge wastewater from all parts of the property to existing Hunter Water services.  There are various steps you may be required to take to ensure sewer connection, such as:

  •  place fill on the land, raising the floor level of any proposed building
  • install a privately owned pump-out system.

 

Alterations to roads or surface levels

In some developments, because new roads have been built or existing roads or footways altered, Hunter Water may require existing water or sewer mains to be changed. 

In addition, if nominated site surface levels are altered, it may be necessary to adjust new or existing sewermain access chambers.

The developer must contribute all associated costs should either of these situations arise.

 

Pump to sewer systems

If a pump to sewer system is proposed for the development, a positive covenant on the title of the lots with pump connections is required. These statements are also required on title deeds:

  • On the construction of a building on the land which requires connection to a sewer of the Hunter Water Corporation ('the Corporation') the proprietor must install a pressure sewage waste disposal system ("the system") of a type or design approved by the Corporation.
  • At the cost of the proprietor the system shall be maintained, operated & modified to the Corporation’s requirements.

Special conditions apply for the connection of these lots and future owners are advised they will have to make an application at one of Hunter Water’s Customer Centres to connect any house drain to the system.

 

Water pressure

Hunter Water’s Operating Licence requires the supply of water to a minimum head of 20 metres at street level.  This is the reason why developers are required to provide water facilities to this minimum standard.  However, land and buildings which are elevated relative to the watermain could suffer reduced pressure during periods of high demand.  Landowners should make some assessment of these factors and where necessary install pressure booster systems at their expense.

 

Other Useful Information for Subdivisions

Future subdivision of development

If you are lodging an application for a development, such as a duplex, which is to be subdivided at a later date, we require separate water and sewer connections for each parcel of land.

We understand that it can be more cost effective for the developer to do this work at the original building stage – so it may also be possible to combine the building and subdivision proposals in one application.

If you would like to consider this option (ie lodging one application for building and subdivision), we recommend you contact  Development Services early in the project to discuss your plans.

 

Public Health

The Department of Health requires sewerage facilities be provided to subdivisions with lots less than 1 hectare in size; serviced by water facilities or less than 2 kilometers from a sewermain, unless exceptional circumstances exist.  The Council responsible for approving the subdivision will determine if exceptional circumstances apply.

 

Community Title Subdivisions

Subdivisions carried out under the Community Land Development Act 1989 can be serviced by either of the following arrangements:

  • Internal Hunter Water mains
Each lot within the subdivision is provided with its own sewer and water connection.  Hunter Water serves accounts on each lot owner as an individual customer.
The acceptance of this servicing arrangement requires internal road/access designs to meet Hunter Water’s standards.  Formed grassed footways, kerb and gutter, building setbacks etc, need to comply with the acceptance criteria.
The water and sewer mains will be protected by line easements. Hunter Water’s Dealing No E476715, which has been specifically registered to deal with Community Title subdivisions, covers these easements, and must be listed in the Management Statement for the development.
  • Internal community association mains
The design of some developments may not be compatible with Hunter Water’s requirements.  For example, the desired layout of buildings and driveways may not leave sufficient open space to provide access under Dealing No E476715.
In these cases, the Developer has the option of providing only 1 water and 1 sewer point of connection to the lot owned by the Community Association.  The Community Association is Hunter Water’s customer in this situation and, as the owner of the internal water and sewer services, is responsible for the provision and maintenance of water and sewer services to each of the individually owned lots in the subdivision.

 

Points of connections

Hunter Water requires that each newly created lot be provided with separate water and sewer points of connection.  If a subdivision results in the need to relocate existing water services and/ or sewer house drains to the new points of connection it is the owner’s responsibility to ensure that this is done.

 

Rating system

When Hunter Water is advised that a subdivision has been registered, each lot in that subdivision will attract a separate charge in Hunter Water’s rating system.

 

Other Useful Information for Commercial, Industrial or Manufacturing

Requirements for Building Hydraulic Services, 32mm services or larger

Water services must be sized in accordance with the Plumbing Code standards. Where a water service of 32mm or greater is required, a hydraulic design and a large meter request must be submitted to Hunter Water. This will enable early assessment of metering, trade waste and other technical requirements (such as detector check for metering and backflow prevention) and thus avoid possible delays in processing your application.

We consider the impact on our assets and the environment when deciding whether to approve hydraulic designs.

The plumbing design is the responsibility of the hydraulic consultant. Hunter Water does not accept responsibility for the design, operation, performance, and adequacy of flow or failure of any installation.

The charge will apply from the date the plan is registered. In addition, any outstanding rates and charges (excluding the charges related to a Section 50 application) will be allocated to one of the lots created by the subdivision.