How to connect to Sydney Water services and what to do once you are

Transcription

1 How to connect to Sydney Water services and what to do once you are

2 Contents 1 Services Sydney Water offers 2 2 How do I connect to Sydney Water s services? 5 3 Who can connect my services? 21 4 Applications that don t use Quick Check 23 5 Contracts and agreements 25 6 Water service connections 27 7 The water meter 31 8 Backflow containment 34 9 Fire service connections Using water efficiently Wastewater Trade wastewater Maintaining water and wastewater services Disconnecting Developing, building and Sydney Water service connections Buying and selling properties connected to Sydney Water services Charges What are my obligations? What will Sydney Water do if I don t do the right thing? Connection diagrams 76 Contact us 80 Glossary 81 Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12

3 Getting connected and disconnected If you are building a home, developing or subdividing land or even buying a commercial or industrial property you need to know how to connect to or disconnect from Sydney Water services including drinking water, recycled water, wastewater and stormwater. If you need a new connection, you must first apply to us for written permission. The steps below show the basic steps to connect and disconnect. If you are moving into an established house, your water and waste water services will generally be connected and ready for you to use. This guide will help you find out if there is anything important you need to know about your connection. How do I apply to connect and disconnect? Step 1 Are you developing? Apply to the relevant consent authority for development approval if you need it. Step 2 Apply for a Section 73 compliance certificate if Sydney Water needs it for this kind of development. You will need a Water Servicing Coordinator Step 3 Have us check your building plans to make sure they won t affect our assets Apply through Quick Check Step 4 Plan your connection For anything more than a stand-alone house, engage a hydraulic consultant Step 5 Apply for connection or disconnection Apply through Quick Check for most applications Step 6 Make the connection You can choose Sydney Water or a listed provider (see our website) Step 7 Have your plumbing inspected Call NSW Fair Trading on Connections process summary Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 1

4 1 Services Sydney Water offers 1.1 What services can Sydney Water offer me? Sydney Water gives customers in its area of operations access to: drinking water recycled water wastewater services stormwater services. We offer these services to businesses, residents and development sites. Sydney Water s area of operations Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 2

5 The quality of services you receive from Sydney Water is outlined in our Customer Contract. It says you will receive: drinking water quality that complies with the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines recycled water quality that complies with the Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling 2006 water supply pressure of at least 15 metres head wastewater services that meet reasonable residential needs. If you need to discharge trade wastewater you must apply for a separate trade waste agreement transport of stormwater through any stormwater pipes or channels we own. Sydney Water will enter into an additional services agreement with you if we give you permission to connect to our services, but: we can t meet the Customer Contract standards of service you want a different level of service to the Customer Contract there are special requirements you must meet for your service to work properly. An additional services agreement will outline what services we will offer you, and any obligations you have when using your services or installing, operating or maintaining equipment. Sydney Water may also offer customers access to: trade wastewater services for businesses and multi-unit dwellings our stormwater for stormwater harvesting our wastewater for sewer mining. Conditions of access to these services will also be covered in an additional services agreement. 1.2 How do I find out what services are available to my property? To find out what services are available for your property before you develop or apply to connect, use one of the following methods. Not all services are available to all properties Service location diagrams This diagram shows where water, wastewater and stormwater services are located in relation to a property s boundary. Specifically it shows: available property connection points on our wastewater pipes what kind of wastewater service is available to you (gravity, low pressure or vacuum) if you are in a sewer surcharge area or a gully trap area the size of our water mains and the material they are made from any Sydney Water stormwater assets. You can purchase a service location diagram from Quick Check agents or Property Link brokers Property sewerage diagrams Property sewerage diagrams show the location of any wastewater plumbing on a specific property, including pipes, tanks, pumps and wastewater treatment equipment. You can buy property sewerage diagrams from Quick Check agencies or Property Link brokers. If you own your property, you might find this diagram is already attached to your property sale contract. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 3

6 1.2.3 Ask Sydney Water If you are already connected to Sydney Water services, you can find out what services are available at your property by: looking at your Sydney Water bill. It will list the services you are connected to and if you are in a Sydney Water stormwater catchment asking Sydney Water s Contact Centre, by calling or using our online enquiry form at sydneywater.com.au If you have purchased a new industrial or commercial property, a Business Customer Representative can let you know what kind of trade waste agreements applied to the property previously, and what kind of wastewater treatment equipment is already installed Dial Before You Dig If you are doing any development work on your property, you need to know where our services are, so they aren t damaged by your excavation or construction. You can check the location of Sydney Water services for free, through the Dial Before You Dig service at 1100.com.au They will you a plan of Sydney Water services that are on or near your property, within several days of your request Finding your water service Diagrams don t usually show the location of water pipes. Your house water service normally runs in a straight line from your meter to your front garden tap Map of stormwater catchments You are a stormwater customer if your property is in one of Sydney Water s declared stormwater areas or the Rouse Hill Development Area. In most cases, your property s stormwater flows into council-owned stormwater gutters and pipes and is carried to Sydney Water s stormwater structures in the lower part of the catchment. Some customers have direct connections to our stormwater pipes, channels or canals. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 4

7 2 How do I connect to Sydney Water s services? You must apply to connect to or disconnect from Sydney Water s services. This includes water, wastewater and stormwater connections. You must receive our written permission in reply, before you connect or disconnect from our services. You can apply for most connections and disconnections through our network of Quick Check agents, or you can have an agent or third party apply for you. You must not apply on behalf of someone else, without their permission. If an agent applies for the property owner, we will send copies of all written approvals to both the property owner and applicant. If you want to connect any development more complicated than a stand-alone house, it is a good idea to use a hydraulic consultant to ensure your water and wastewater connections are the right size for your needs. These consultants can also plan any tanks and pumps your property may need and coordinate your application and approvals. If you are developing property, you may need to apply to us for a Section 73 Compliance Certificate, before you can apply to connect to our services. To do this, you will need help from a Water Servicing Coordinator (WSC). When you engage your WSC, ask them if they have the knowledge and experience to help you through Sydney Water s connection process. 2.1 How do I use Quick Check? All Quick Check agents have a service counter open for members of the public to apply to connect or disconnect. All agents use Sydney Water s electronic applications system and can accept applications electronically. Talk to your preferred agent to check how to send information and fill out forms electronically, and how they bill customers who make electronic applications. You must pay for some applications to cover the time our staff take to assess them and issue approvals. 2.2 What information do I need to apply to connect? For all applications at Quick Check, you must provide: the address of the property to be connected or disconnected the name and address, phone number and address of the applicant and the property owner. If you are a licensed plumber, bring proof of your plumber s licence number and ABN. 2.3 Why do I need to apply to connect? We must assess new connections to make sure new customers receive the services they need, without affecting the quality and quantity of services we supply to existing customers. We must also make sure that new connections to our pipes are done correctly, so that our systems aren t damaged, our water quality isn t harmed, and we can keep operating our systems properly. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 5

8 2.4 Applications at Quick Check The table shows the types of applications that can be made at Quick Check. Type of application Description How long will Sydney Water take to assess it? What information you need to bring Who can make the connection? Charge? Water services Water main connection standard (20 mm) Application for a 20 mm connection to Sydney Water s water main. All connections must be metered with a billing meter issued by Sydney Water. 20 mm connections are metered by 20 mm meters. Applicants must observe all conditions of connection Sydney Water makes. Only one 20 mm water connection will be approved for each property. On the spot approval if: - there are no existing water main connections at your property - your property has access to a connectable water main within 2 m of any property boundary You must provide your property address or Sydney Water property number. A listed driller or Sydney Water. No - you are not in a low water pressure area. Recycled water main connection (20 mm) Application for a 20 mm connection to a Sydney Water recycled water main. On the spot approval if: - there are no existing recycled water main connections at your property You must provide your property address or Sydney Water property number. A listed driller or Sydney Water. No - your property has access to a connectable recycled water main within 2 m of any property boundary - you are not in a low water pressure area. Sydney Water - Commercial in Confidence Page 6

9 Type of application Description How long will Sydney Water take to assess it? What information you need to bring Who can make the connection? Charge? Extended private services An extended private service is a line of privately owned pipe to a property that s more than 2 m from one of our water mains. Extended private services can only have 20 mm connections to our water mains. All connections must be metered with a billing meter issued by Sydney Water. The meter must be as close as possible to our water main. Your application will be assessed by Sydney Water staff. If your connection is approved by Sydney Water you may still need local council approval to lay pipes in public land. 21 days You must provide a plan showing: - the proposed location of your extended private service - nearby properties and roads - where it enters your property - the location of your meter. When your connection is made you must give us this completed plan before we will issue your additional services agreement. A listed driller or Sydney Water. A licensed plumber or someone under their direct supervision can lay the pipe. No Large water main connection (25 mm, or 2 x 25 mm) Application for a larger connection to Sydney Water s water main, if customers need a greater supply of water. Connections can be: - 25 mm connection (with 25, 32 or 40 mm meter) - 2 x 25 mm connections, bridged and metered with 40 mm, 50 mm or 65 mm meters) Applications for large water connections will be assessed by Sydney Water if: - they require a hose reel - are for commercial and industrial - are for residential dwellings with more than 17 units. On-the-spot approval of 25 mm connections, for developments of up to 17 units with no hose reels. 21 days for all other applications, as these must be assessed by Sydney Water. You must provide a copy of your site plan showing: - the location of the building - the proposed point of connection to our main - the location of the meter (following the Plumbing Meter Installation Guidelines). You must also provide evidence that you have applied for your Section 73 Certificate and had your building plans approved, unless the large water connection is for a fire service only. A listed driller or Sydney Water. Yes Connection to a drinking water main must be made by a listed driller or Sydney Water - Commercial in Confidence Page 7

10 Type of application Description How long will Sydney Water take to assess it? What information you need to bring Who can make the connection? Charge? Sydney Water. This connection may be suitable for fire services. Applicants must observe Sydney water s conditions of connection. All connections must be metered. A Sydney Water billing meter must be used to measure all non-fire water used. Large water main recycled water connection (25 mm or 2x25 mm) Application for a larger connection to Sydney Water s recycled water main, if customers need a larger supply of water. Fire services must be connected to the recycled water connection, if the system has been designed for fire flows. On-the-spot approval of 25 mm connections, for developments of up to 17 units, with no hose reels. 21 days for all other applications as they need to be assessed by Sydney Water. You must provide a copy of a site plan that shows: - the location of the building - the proposed point of connection to our main - the location of the meter (following the Plumbing Meter Installation Guidelines). You must also provide evidence that you have applied for your Section 73 Compliance Certificate and had your building plans approved, unless the large water connection is for a fire service only. A listed driller or Sydney Water. Yes Large water main connection (80 mm tee and valve). Large recycled water main connection (80 mm tee and Application for 80 mm connections to Sydney Water s water main by fitting a tee and valve. 80 mm connections can be metered by 80, 100 and larger meters. Sydney Water assesses applications. This connection may be suitable for fire services. Applicants must observe Sydney 21 days You must have a Sydney Water pressure enquiry less than 12 months old. You must provide a copy of a site plan that shows: - the location of the building - the proposed point of connection to our main Only Sydney Water can make the connection. Apply to Sydney Water s Civil Delivery unit for a quote. A quote will generally be issued within two working days. Yes Sydney Water - Commercial in Confidence Page 8

11 Type of application Description How long will Sydney Water take to assess it? What information you need to bring Who can make the connection? Charge? valve) Water s conditions of connection. All connections must be metered. A Sydney Water billing meter must be used to measure all non-fire water used. - the location of the meter (following the Plumbing Meter Installation Guidelines). You must also provide evidence that you have applied for your Section 73 Compliance Certificate and had your building plans approved, unless the large water connection is for a fire service only. Pump application (water) Application to pump water from your water connection to boost pressure of supply if you are in a low pressure area, or to serve fire services or header tanks for multi-storey buildings. You do not need Sydney Water s approval for a pump, if there is a tank between your water main connection and the pump. Sydney Water will assess your application. Your additional services agreement will include any requirements. 21 days You must provide a valid statement of pressure and flow with your pump water application. You can include pump details and a pump curve showing duty points (information may be supplied by pump supplier) with your application, or Sydney Water s approval may include performance requirements your pump must meet, including maximum flow rate and hours of operation. A licensed plumber must install all pumps. Yes Statement of available pressure and flow A statement of pressure and flow will show you how much water is available in our mains at a given point. You need this if you plan to apply for a large water connection. You may apply for a statement of pressure and flow at the same time as you apply for your large water main connection. 14 days The location of the main or mains you want information about, and the property you propose to connect. Only Sydney Water can provide valid statements. Yes Sydney Water - Commercial in Confidence Page 9

12 Type of application Description How long will Sydney Water take to assess it? What information you need to bring Who can make the connection? Charge? Your statement will be valid for 12 months. Meter fit request You can ask Sydney Water to fit a meter through Quick Check or by calling us on Request is processed immediately. We will fit your meter within three days. You must provide your property address or Sydney Water property number. Sydney Water will supply and fit meters up to 50 mm (light duty) for free. We will supply larger meters, and you must engage a plumber to fit them. No Wastewater services Connect to wastewater Application to connect wastewater pipes to a connection point and begin discharging domestic-quality wastewater to Sydney Water s wastewater system. Sydney Water will assess applications to ensure connection requirements for different wastewater systems are met. 21 days You must provide your property address or Sydney Water property number. A licensed plumber or accredited supplier can make the connection to the existing connection point (sewer junction). No Wastewater connection point Application to insert a new property wastewater connection point (sewer junction) in a Sydney Water wastewater pipe. 21 days If you need more than one connection point to our wastewater system, you must provide a site plan and a ground floor plan, showing the proposed connection points to our system. A listed supplier or Sydney Water must install the connection point. Apply to Sydney Water s Civil Delivery unit for a quote. Yes Sewer sideline (up to 12 m long) Application to construct a short extension of private wastewater pipes, so that a property owner can connect to Sydney Water s system. 21 days You must provide a plan of the property and the existing wastewater main. A listed minor works constructor or Sydney Water can construct the sideline. Apply to Sydney Water s Civil Delivery unit for a quote. Yes Sydney Water - Commercial in Confidence Page 10

13 Type of application Description How long will Sydney Water take to assess it? What information you need to bring Who can make the connection? Charge? Pump to wastewater Application to pump to either a: - gravity sewerage system, if your property wastewater cannot drain to our service or - pressure sewer, if you are not part of the Priority Sewerage Program. Your additional services agreement will include any requirements. If your pump is for less than 2 L/second we can approve it in 21 days or less. You must provide details of the maximum and average daily discharge from your property. Sydney Water may include performance requirements your pump must meet, including maximum flow rate and hours of operation. We will only approve a pump to sewer connection for a gravity sewer, if a gravity connection would cost too much. You must demonstrate this by giving us two quotes from plumbers for a standard connection. We will compare these to connection costs for a standard lot. A licensed plumber must install all pumps. Yes Trade wastewater Application to discharge wastewater polluted by business operations to Sydney Water s wastewater service. Application can also be made online or via a Business Customer Representative. Your additional services agreement will include any requirements. Five days for standard (commercial permit). 20 days for more complex permits (industrial permits). You must provide details of: - the property owner, trading name of the business and contact person at the property where trade waste discharges will occur - all the business activities and processes that will be producing wastewater A licensed plumber must install all authorised or approved trade waste pretreatment devices and make any modifications to internal plumbing that are needed. No - how much wastewater you expect to discharge (maximum and daily average discharge, as well as the maximum instantaneous discharge) - when you expect to begin discharging trade Sydney Water - Commercial in Confidence Page 11

14 Type of application Description How long will Sydney Water take to assess it? What information you need to bring Who can make the connection? Charge? wastewater - any pre-treatment you plan to install - a site plan which shows the property water and wastewater services, the property connection point you want to discharge trade wastewater to, and the location of your boundary trap - whether you plan to pump trade wastewater directly to sewer - any discharge meter you will be installing. You must also provide evidence that you have applied for a Section 73 certificate, if your trade waste application is for a new development. Stormwater services Connection to stormwater (stand-alone houses only) Application to connect to a Sydney Water stormwater pipe or canal and discharge stormwater. If you are discharging your stormwater to a council-owned gutter or pipe, you do not need to apply to Sydney Water, even if you are in a Sydney Water catchment. Sydney Water will assess your application. Your additional services agreement will include any requirements. 21 days for approvals for connections to standalone houses. Stormwater connections requirements for other developments will be determined during developer process. You must provide a site plan showing proposed point of connection. If your connection is for anything more than a standalone house, you must show your total site area, and what percentage of your site area is impervious. This will help us determine whether you need to install on-site detention. Connections can be made by a licensed plumber with confined space training. No Sydney Water - Commercial in Confidence Page 12

15 Type of application Description How long will Sydney Water take to assess it? What information you need to bring Who can make the connection? Charge? Disconnections Disconnection of water Application to disconnect private water service from Sydney Water s main. Water service must be capped at the main tap. On-the-spot approval of residential 20 and 25mm water service disconnections. 21 days for other disconnections You must provide your property address or Sydney Water property number. Disconnections must be made by a licensed plumber or Sydney Water. The licensed plumber or the property owner must send a copy of the Certificate of Compliance to show that the disconnection has been done properly. Sydney Water must do disconnections or repairs of tee and valves. Apply to Sydney Water s Civil Delivery unit for a quote. No Disconnection of wastewater Application form to disconnect private wastewater service from Sydney Water s main. Wastewater service must be capped at the point of connection and inspected by NSW Fair Trading. 21 days You must provide your property address or Sydney Water property number. Disconnection must be made by a licensed plumber or Sydney Water. No Sydney Water - Commercial in Confidence Page 13

16 2.5 Are there any pre-requisites for connection? If you need a connection to service a new development you must have: had us check your building plans applied for a Section 73 Compliance Certificate, if we require it for your type of development Building plans Before you apply for connections for a new development, you must take your building plans to Quick Check and get them examined. Your building plans must be approved to make sure your development will not damage our infrastructure or prevent us working on it. We must also make sure your building will be protected, if we need to work on our infrastructure in the future Section 73 Compliance Certificate You must apply for a Section 73 Compliance Certificate for most developments to ensure that we can supply water and wastewater to your development. You can t apply for your connection before you have applied for your Section 73 Compliance Certificate, because our connection staff may not know about your development or if the assets can service it. You may end up connecting to the wrong main or not getting the service you want for your development. 2.6 Who pays for the connection? The property owner is responsible for all costs of applying and connecting to our water main. Sydney Water will provide the meter for free. We will also install the meter for free, unless you choose to get a private plumber to install it. 2.7 What is an integrated application form? Sydney Water has consolidated many Quick Check connection application forms to make it easier and quicker for customers to apply to connect. Customers can now apply to connect to wastewater and discharge trade wastewater when they apply for water main connections. Customers can also apply for stormwater connections for single residential houses at Quick Check. Disconnection forms are also included. 2.8 When do I need another property owner s permission? You can apply on behalf of a property owner if you have their permission. We will send our approval letters to the property owner. We will not approve any disconnections that may adversely affect another property owner without the written their approval or evidence from a plumber that disconnection will not affect another connected customer. This applies to connections such as joint or encroaching private services. 2.9 How can I calculate my building s water and wastewater demand? When you apply for a large water main connection, you must work out the calculated maximum simultaneous water demand for your development. This shows how much water your building might need at any one time. We use this information to verify that your connection and meter are the right size. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 14

17 You must also provide your expected wastewater discharges when you apply to connect to a pressure wastewater system or to discharge trade wastewater. The most accurate way is to engage a hydraulic consultant to calculate your water and wastewater demand. If you don t have calculations from a hydraulic consultant, you can use the Quick Check application form to detail your development s water using fixtures and equipment. It is important to include any equipment that uses large amounts of water, such as cooling towers, boilers or irrigation systems, so that your connection and meter are properly sized ing supporting information You can supporting information such as plans and hydraulic calculations directly to connections@sydneywater.com.au after you make your Quick Check application. Include your Quick Check lodgement number, name and property address in your subject line. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 15

18 Example of a sketch showing connection point to our main Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 16

19 Example of a large water main connection layout sketch Example of an extended private service diagram sketch Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 17

20 Example of trade wastewater application diagram 2.10 How do I know when Sydney Water has approved my connection? We will let you know in writing when we approve your connection. This may be a letter issued by: your Quick Check agent for connections or disconnections that they can approve on-the-spot a Sydney Water staff member when your application needs us to assess it. We will send both the applicant and the property owner a copy of the approval letter. We will also send you a letter if we refuse permission for connection. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 18

21 2.11 What happens after I get my approval? Your approval letter will include conditions that you must observe when connecting to our services. Your letter will also tell you who is authorised to connect for you. In many cases, your connection can be made by a listed service provider. If your letter tells you that the connection must be made by Sydney Water, you must contact our Civil Delivery team for a quote. Their contact details will be in the letter we send you. The Civil Delivery team will generally get back to you within two days. If we approve a water main connection, your letter of approval will also specify your obligations to fit meters to all non-fire water uses install backflow containment on all connections to our water mains. If you do not observe all your conditions, we will consider your connection as unauthorised. It is the property owner s responsibility to make sure all conditions of connection are followed What happens if Sydney Water rejects my application? We may not approve your application to connect if: your property is not in our area of operations your property is not close enough to a connectable main you cannot connect to our mains without your pipes crossing another property and you have not given us any details about easements to allow access to the pipes you cannot connect to our mains without disadvantaging another customer or damaging our assets there are too many extended private services from the end of a main. (We generally won t allow more than six extended private services in one spot) you cannot fulfil requirements we have given you through our developer process. If we do not approve your application, we will let you know in writing What is a non-standard connection? A standard connection is one that gives you the level of service outlined in our Customer Contract. If we can t approve a standard connection, we will see if we can approve a non-standard connection. This will give you access to our services, but they won t be to the standard outlined in the Customer Contract. The level of service we give you, and your responsibilities to maintain any equipment will be listed in a separate additional services agreement. If a non-standard connection is not feasible, you may need to rely on decentralised water or wastewater services. We may also refer you to our developer process to extend or enlarge mains to make services available to your property What happens if I don t complete the form properly? If your application form isn t complete your Quick Check agent or Sydney Water staff may contact you and ask you to provide missing information. If it is missing a lot of important information they will return the form to you and ask you to resubmit it. We will start the clock on assessing your application when we receive all the information we need. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 19

22 2.15 What happens if I connect before I receive permission? If you connect to our services without waiting for your written approval from Sydney Water, we will consider it an unauthorised connection. If we believe there is an unauthorised connection at your property, we will send you a letter asking you to fix the unauthorised connection or repair any damage to Sydney Water assets. If you do not comply with the instructions in our letter within the set time, we may restrict your water supply or disconnect the unauthorised connection What happens if I connect to the wrong pipe? If you connect to the wrong pipe, we consider it an unauthorised connection because you have not observed all your conditions of connection. If your property is connected to the wrong water pipe, you may not receive water at the expected pressure and if you operate pumps it may disadvantage existing customers. We may investigate the listed driller who made the incorrect drilling and review their listing with us What is an unauthorised connection? Sydney Water considers you to have an unauthorised connection if you: connect to our systems without approval do not comply with all the conditions of connection we have set do not install a meter on a new water main connection do not install backflow containment appropriate for the hazard rating of the property, test it, send the results to us and fix any defects discharge wastewater without permission How do I find out what main I m already connected to? If you are already connected to our services and you are planning to rebuild or redevelop, you might want to find out what main you are connected to. You may already have this information in your building plans or plans of your water service connection. Our connection team has electronic records of all connection approvals granted since We may be able to provide you with details of approved connections. We will need to know your address and property number to search our database. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 20

23 3 Who can connect my services? 3.1 Who can connect my water service? You must use a listed driller or the Sydney Water Civil Delivery Team to connect to our water mains. They will tap into the main and provide a pipe, so the meter can be immediately connected. Work must comply with the instructions in Sydney Water s Instructions and technical requirements for drillers. It must also comply with the Plumbing Code of Australia and the WSA Water Supply Code of Australia (Sydney Water edition). Listed drillers can connect to pipes up to 200 mm made of PVC, ductile iron concrete lined (DICL) and cast iron concrete lined (CICL) for water services up to 50 mm (2 x 25 mm drillings). We must do connections if they are: to water main pipes larger than 200mm large connections (greater than 50 mm) to pipes made of material other than PVC, DICL or CICL to pipes laid before Our connection team can help you decide who can make the drilling. You can also find out the type of material your water main is made of by looking at the service location diagram. Drillers must send a construction commencement notice to us two days before they start work. This tells us that work is occurring on our mains and that a meter must be installed on a new water main connection. It also enables us to plan audits of new water main connections. Drilling a connection Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 21

24 3.2 Who can make my wastewater service connection? We will approve at least one wastewater connection for each property, if you are in an area served by Sydney Water s wastewater system and have access to a connectable main. Only Sydney Water or a listed constructor can insert wastewater connection points (junctions) into existing wastewater pipes. A licensed plumber (or someone under their direct supervision) must do any plumbing work on your property, and connect to the wastewater connection point. Plumbing work is regulated by NSW Fair Trading. The wastewater service in your area may be provided by a gravity sewer, a pressure sewer or a vacuum sewer. Your connection approval will tell you what kind of wastewater system you will be connecting to, and any special conditions of connection. If you need to construct a short extension from your property boundary to our wastewater pipe, it must be done by a listed provider. If the extension is longer than 12 metres, you must to go through our developer process and engage a Water Servicing Coordinator to coordinate your work and liaise with Sydney Water. You can find standard drawings for wastewater connections in the Sewerage Code of Australia (Sydney Water edition). 3.3 Who can make my stormwater connection? Stormwater connections must be made by a licensed plumber with relevant training for working in confined spaces. If your connection is for a stand-alone house, connections must follow standard designs, which we give you when we approve your connection. If you are only connecting a stand-alone house, we won t ask you to install on-site detention. If you are developing anything more than a single stand-alone house you must go through our developer process. When you apply for your section 73 compliance certificate you must tell us if you want to make a stormwater connection to our assets. You must tell us the total size of your property, the amount of impervious area on your site before the current development and the amount of impervious area that will be on your site after the development takes place. We will give you our stormwater requirements in our notice of requirements. This will include our on-site detention requirements and permissible site discharge. We will also let you know of an approved connection point to our system. You must ensure all structures, detention systems and silt arrestors for your stormwater discharges are properly maintained and operated. 3.4 Who can make my disconnection? You must engage a licensed plumber to make an approved disconnection from Sydney Water s water or wastewater system. You should ensure they are qualified and experienced to work on the type of water or wastewater pipes that service your property. 3.5 How can I ask Sydney Water to do my connection? We can do all water connections to our mains. To ask us to quote for your connection, apply at Quick Check when you apply to connect. When you get your connection approval from Sydney Water, ring the number shown on the letter and ask the staff in the Civil Delivery depot to prepare your quote. They will generally respond within two working days. If you decide to accept the quote, ring the issuing depot and organise a time that suits you both to complete the job. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 22

25 4 Applications that don t use Quick Check 4.1 Land under development process new residential subdivisions If you are subdividing land for residential houses you will need to provide new water connections and wastewater connection points for each proposed lot. This will be listed in your notice of requirements. Developers must organise for a listed driller to make the water connection and install the pipe from the connection point to where the meter will be installed. The developer must also organise for a listed constructor to provide the wastewater connection point. The notice of requirements is your authorisation for a listed driller to make a connection to our water services. If you don t want water to be available until the house is built you must install a locked and tagged property water service where the meter would normally be located. Once we install a valid Sydney Water meter on the connection, you can use the water and wastewater connections. Work must comply with the instructions in Sydney Water s Instructions and technical requirements for drillers and any instructions in your notice of requirements. Your Water Servicing Coordinator will ensure that all connections and locked and tagged services are completed to Sydney Water s standards. 4.2 Getting a meter for locked and tagged services If you have a property with a locked and tagged water service, you must use our online form and ask us to unlock the service and install a meter, before anyone can use the water service. Houses with locked and tagged services that are in our wastewater network area are already connected to the wastewater system, so you do not need to apply to use our wastewater services. 4.3 Priority Sewerage Program initial timeframe Sydney Water provides new wastewater services to previously unsewered areas through our Priority Sewerage Programs (PSP). We will let property owners know if they are in a PSP area and eligible to connect through the program. If you choose to connect your property within the set time of a PSP service being available (generally 12 months), you can coordinate your connection directly with Sydney Water s PSP Community Relations team. They will let you know: what equipment we will provide or install when you need to engage a private plumber to do any work on your property what plumbing inspections you need to organise. You must connect to a PSP service if your council or another regulator orders you to. Your plumber must properly decommission any existing on-site treatment systems, such as septic tanks or pump-out systems. If you connect to a PSP after the initial timeframe, you must apply at Quick Check for a wastewater connection. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 23

26 4.4 Getting a metered stand-pipe We may give permission to use a metered standpipe to gain temporary access to water through our hydrants when a normal connection isn't available. Before you buy a standpipe, you must apply for a permit. To apply, simply fill out the application form, and read our terms and conditions. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 24

27 5 Contracts and agreements 5.1 What is Sydney Water s Customer Contract? If you have an approved connection to our systems, or are a customer who uses our services, you are covered by our Customer Contract. This outlines your rights and obligations as a customer and sets out our minimum standards of service. It is a legally binding document. 5.2 What is an additional services agreement? An additional services agreement deals with any service not covered by the Customer Contract. It will list any non-standard products and services you may receive from us, including: discharging trade wastewater extended private services pumping to a gravity sewer connecting to our wastewater systems through the Priority Sewerage Program pumping water directly from our water mains (unless there is a tank between the connection and the pump) connecting in designated low pressure water areas with restricted water services connecting multi-unit and non-residential properties to our stormwater systems connecting alternative water supplies (sewer mining, stormwater harvesting, or on-site wastewater reuse) installing water meters in non-standard locations and with limited access. It will also list your responsibilities to maintain the service. These may include: any monitoring and sampling you may have to do your obligations to manage any activity on-site, which might affect your connection to Sydney Water s system any restrictions on the quality or quantity of wastewater we will accept any specialised equipment required for your connection (including metering equipment, backflow prevention devices, or wastewater treatment equipment when you must allow Sydney Water staff onto your site. The Customer Contract covers you for any service not mentioned in your own additional services agreement What if I have questions about my additional services agreement? If you have questions about any of the requirements of your additional services agreement, contact the Sydney Water representative noted in your agreement. The agreement also lists contact details of the people you must notify if something goes wrong, or if something threatens the quality of our water or wastewater How do I vary my additional services agreement? Contact the Sydney Water representative or business unit listed in your additional services agreement, to discuss altering your agreement. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 25

28 Some parts of your additional services agreement will be integral to your connection and cannot be easily changed. For example, if you live in a low water pressure area and have a water main connection, you must maintain your restricted service and tank for as long as water pressure is limited in your supply area. Or, if you have a connection to a pressure sewer, your collection tank, pump and alarm are essential parts of your connection to our service, so you must use them for as long as you are connected to our service. If you discharge trade wastewater, you might need to vary your additional services agreement if your business activities change and this changes the nature of the wastewater you produce. We will negotiate a new trade waste approval, which will go into your additional services agreement What happens if I don t meet the conditions of my additional services agreement? Your additional services agreement is a legally binding document. You must observe all the conditions in your agreement. If you don t meet the conditions of your additional services agreement, we may consider you to have an unauthorised connection How do I get a copy of my additional services agreement? Call us on or us if you: want a copy of your additional services agreement don t have an additional services agreement, but think your non-standard connection should be covered by one. If you are a business customer you can contact your Business Customer Representative to get a copy of your additional services agreement or discuss it. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 26

29 6 Water service connections We will supply drinking water and recycled water to your connection point with our main, at the quality and pressure set out our Customer Contract, unless you have an additional services agreement that says otherwise. If we cannot approve a water main connection because water mains aren t available or there is insufficient pressure or flow, we may refer you to our developer process. If you cannot fulfil the requirements that we give you through our developer process, we will not approve a connection. If you want to connect to Sydney Water s drinking water supplies and another provider s recycled water supplies we can only approve the drinking water connection, unless we have an existing agreement with the recycled water provider. 6.1 Low pressure water areas Not all areas in Sydney Water s area of operations can receive water at the pressure specified in our Customer Contract. This may be because they are on the top of a hill or in a rural area with mains that don t carry much water. It may also be because customers connect to a small water main that already has high demand from other connected properties. Your service location diagram will show if your property is in a designated low pressure area. Your Quick Check agent will be able to identify low pressure water areas when you apply to connect to a water main. They will also be shown on service location prints. Sydney Water staff must assess all applications for water connection in low pressure areas. We can t guarantee connection in a low pressure water area. We may allow you to connect to our water service, but it will generally be a restricted service of three litres a minute to feed a storage tank. Your domestic supply will then be fed by water pumped from the storage tank, ensuring you can still get normal water service for fixtures and appliances. If our water supply system is too limited, we won t be able to approve any connection. You may be referred to our developer processes. If it is too expensive to upgrade our systems to enable a connection you may need a decentralised water service. 6.2 Extended private services An extended private service is a line of privately owned pipe to a property that s more than two metres from one of our water mains. Extended private services can generally only have 20 mm connections to our water mains. We may occasionally allow a 25 mm connection, if the extended private service is going to be very long and more water pressure is required to maintain reasonable supply over that distance. If the length or elevation of your extended private service means that your water pressure at your property is low, you are responsible for installing any tanks or pumps needed to properly supply household water use. If your connection is approved by Sydney Water, you may still need approval from your council or other public authority to work on public land, lay pipes and install meters. You are responsible for the costs of installing and maintaining the extended private service. We won t approve any extended private services that cross private land, unless you have a valid easement. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 27

30 We generally won t approve more than six extended private services from the end of a pipe, or from the same point in a water main. All extended private services must have a meter and backflow protection. 6.3 Water supply pumps If your connection will pump directly from our water mains, you must tell us this when you apply to connect. We will put conditions on the size and flow of any pumps connected directly to our water mains. You must configure your booster pumps so that they do not disadvantage existing customers or harm our assets. If you have a tank between your connection and the pump, we do not need to approve the pump. 6.4 Connecting to different mains We may approve multiple connections for a single property to different mains in the same water supply zone: if it is not feasible for all parts of the property to be served by a single connection if it is not cost effective to enlarge Sydney Water s water main so that one connection can provide sufficient supply so that water-critical customers have access to alternative supplies when there are water supply disruptions. Water critical customers rely on continuous supplies of water to maintain their operations. They include hospitals, manufacturers, We will not approve multiple non-fire connections for a property to mains in different water supply zones. If your property is connected to more than one water main, there is a chance that water we supply from one main could backflow into another main if there are cross connections in your building. Potential contaminants could be introduced into multiple water supply zones, affecting more people or properties. It could also prevent us from shutting down mains properly when we need to maintain or replace them. 6.5 Can I use my connection on a property where a rainwater tank is also used If you use water pumped from a rainwater tank to supply amenities, such as toilets and washing machines, you have increased your backflow hazard your property might pose to our water supply pipes. Your plumbing inspection will ensure that there are no plumbing cross connections. You must engage an accredited backflow plumber to assess your property and install a separate backflow containment device. Refer to the Backflow : chapter for more information. 6.6 Who is responsible for the water service? The property owner is responsible for how water and wastewater services are used, and for paying any charges that we apply for access to and use of services. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 28

31 You should use your Sydney Water services lawfully. For example, you cannot use your water service in any way that would cause a nuisance to your neighbours, or breach any environmental protection laws. 6.7 What are Water Wise Rules? Water Wise Rules apply to all Sydney Water customers. These simple, common-sense rules help customers be water-efficient. Watering, including with sprinklers and irrigation systems, is allowed any day before 10 am and after 4 pm. All hand held hoses must have a trigger nozzle. Don t hose hard surfaces, such as paths and driveways. Only use fire hoses for fire fighting activities. Sydney Water may impose water restrictions if there are any significant risks to the quantity of our water supplies. We will give customers as much notice as we can before announcing restrictions. 6.8 Does Sydney Water guarantee a continuous supply? We can t guarantee an uninterrupted supply, but we aim to keep any interruptions to our supply to a minimum. The service we must provide is explained in our Customer Contract. If we know we will need to interrupt your supply to maintain our pipes or structures we will give you at least: two days notice if you are a residential customer seven days notice if you are a business customer. Sometimes our water supplies might be interrupted because of unexpected or unplanned faults or damage. We won t be able to notify you of these interruptions, but we aim to repair them as soon as we can. Sometimes your water supply might be interrupted or your water quality affected, because of unexpected faults in our equipment or maintenance work we need to do. We aim to meet standards of reliability outlined in our Customer Contract and will ensure we restore water services as soon as we can. We will treat water-critical customers, such as hospitals, as a high priority when repairing water services. The Customer Contract sets out compensation, rebates and what we will do when things go wrong. 6.9 Water contingency planning If an unbroken supply of water is essential to your business, you should plan for this. Water-critical customers include: hospitals nursing homes day care centres dialysis patients public swimming pools. Water contingency measures might include: Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 29

32 storage tanks for maintaining short-term supply for essential services or processes connections to different mains, if allowed by Sydney Water, to provide an alternative water supply if supply from one main is disrupted. developing an action plan for what to do, if your water supply is disrupted. This might include scaling back or shutting down operations, informing customers, considering how health and hygiene should be managed, and organising temporary alternative water supplies. Large business customers can contact their Business Customer Representative for help to identify processes at risk of water supply interruptions and develop a water contingency plan. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 30

33 7 The water meter All new water and recycled water connections must be metered with our meters. You must get your meter installed as soon as your property is connected to the water main. The only exemption is for connections that only service fire sprinklers, drenchers, and hydrants. If you own a property with an existing unmetered connection you must install a meter if we tell you to. 7.1 Who can fit the meter? Sydney Water will install meters from 20 mm to 50 mm (light duty) for free. If you prefer, you can engage a licensed plumber to install your meter as soon as you are connected to our pipes. Large meters must be installed by a licensed plumber. You are responsible for getting any plumbing work done that s necessary for the meter to be fitted. Who can fit the meter? Meter size (mm) Can Sydney Water install? Can a licensed plumber install? Does the meter include a backflow device? 20 Yes Yes Yes 25 Yes Yes Yes 32 Yes Yes No 40 Yes Yes No 50 (light duty) Yes Yes No 50 (heavy duty) No Yes No 65 No Yes No 80 No Yes No 100 No Yes No 150 No Yes No 200 No Yes No 250 No Yes No 300 No Yes No 500 No Yes No 600 No Yes No 7.2 How do I get Sydney Water to install my meter? If you want us to install your meter, contact us and let us know when you will be connecting to the main. You can use any of the methods listed Quick Check When you apply for your water main connection at Quick Check, check the box to request that Sydney Water install the meter, and give your agent an accurate estimation of when the drilling will take place. You can use a separate meter fit request application in Quick Check at any time to request a new meter for a connection. This application is free. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 31

34 7.2.2 Construction commencement notice Your driller must a construction commencement notice (CCN) to minordevelopmentworks@sydneywater.com.au two days before connecting to our water mains. We use this information to decide when we will install your meter request connections@sydneywater.com.au to request a meter for your connection Locked and tagged notification If you have a property with a locked and tagged water service, you must get Sydney Water to unlock the service and install a meter, before you can use it. You can use our online form at sydneywater.com.au or call us on to request a meter for a locked and tagged service. 7.3 How long will it take to get my new meter? Sydney Water will install a meter on a new connection within three working days of you requesting it. We start installing meters in newly subdivided areas once the fee for building plan approval is paid. We can only install meters, if we know that it won t affect other users of the service and the property plumbing will allow us to install the meter to our standards and the Water Supply Code of Australia (Sydney Water edition). 7.4 How do I get a private plumber to install my meter? A licensed plumber can also install your meter. The plumber must install the meter within two days of the driller connecting your property to Sydney Water s main. If a licensed plumber is going to install your meter, they must order the meter by either: applying at Quick Check contacting us on We will deliver the meter to the applicant, or their nominated delivery address at no charge. Plumbers can also collect the meter from our meter supply contractor. We will send the plumber a letter of authority which they must show when collecting the meter. If you choose to use a private licensed plumber to install the meter you must pay for it. 7.5 Where should the meter be installed? Technical information on how and where meters must be installed is our Water meter installation guide. 7.6 Can plumbers and developers still get construction meters? The term has changed. If you only need water for construction activities and there is no existing connection, apply for a 20 mm connection through Quick Check as normal. If the developer needs a large water connection for the finished development, they can apply at Quick Check to disconnect the 20 mm connection and make a large water connection. You must have adequate backflow protection on any connection used for construction. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 32

35 7.7 Who maintains the meter? We own the meter and will replace it periodically to keep it accurate. Property owners must maintain access to the meter so we can read it and replace it if necessary. You must leave a gap of 30cm around the meter. Don t cover it or obscure it with walls, fences or locked gates, landscaping or paving. You must ensure it isn t damaged or vandalised. Refer to our Water meters policy for more information on meter maintenance, testing and replacement. 7.8 Can I move the water meter? If you need to relocate the water meter to accommodate new development, such as a driveway or a fence, the meter must be located in one of the approved locations shown in our guidelines. You may retain your existing meter if your connection point does not change. Any plumbing work must be done by a licenced plumber. If moving your meter requires a new point of connection to our main, you must apply at Quick Check to disconnect the existing service, and apply for a new connection. When we approve the disconnection you must cap and seal the original connection according to the conditions in your disconnection approval and reconnect, according to the conditions in your approval. You must give us evidence that the connection has been capped at the main, return the old meter, and apply for a new meter. Some customers may want to install a smaller meter to reduce service charges and improve meter accuracy. You can engage a plumber or hydraulic consultant to calculate your property s water demand and optimum meter size. You then make a new water service application at Quick Check. You will need to return your existing meter and request a new one from Sydney Water. 7.9 Do I have to meter a connection to a private water main? Connections to privately-owned water mains that use Sydney Water s water supply must use our meters, unless there is a master meter. If a community association makes a new connection to a privately owned water main that does not have a master meter, they must apply for a meter through Quick Check. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 33

36 8 Backflow containment 8.1 What is backflow? Backflow is the unwanted reverse flow of potentially contaminated water back into the drinking water supply. Potentially contaminated water can enter the drinking water system through a temporary cross connection, such as a hose submerged in a bucket, tank or pool, or from faulty plumbing. Backflow can occur when there is a drop in pressure in the water main. For example, if a water main breaks, or is shut down for maintenance. It can also occur, if the pressure at the property is higher than in the main. For example, if a pump is operating on the site at a high pressure. Backflow events can seriously contaminate water supplies with pollutants including chemicals, bacteria, mud and debris. All connections to our water supply must be protected with a backflow containment device to keep our water supplies safe. 8.2 What are backflow prevention devices? When properly installed and maintained, backflow prevention devices prevent the backflow of potentially contaminated water into water supply pipes. These devices either have a valve that only lets water go in one direction or they might incorporate an air gap or break tank that stops water flowing backwards into the water pipes. All properties with a drinking water or recycled water connection to Sydney Water s pipes must have appropriate backflow prevention containment devices installed. The devices must be appropriate for the risk rating of the activities that are likely to take place on the property. This is a condition of all connections, including fire service connections. Devices that Sydney Water requires you to install are often referred to as backflow prevention containment devices because they contain the potentially polluted backflow water to the property. 8.3 What kind of device do I need? Most residential houses use one of Sydney Water s 20 mm or 25 mm meters. These incorporate a dual check valve that satisfies backflow prevention requirements for low hazard properties. You need to get a separate backflow containment device installed if your property: has a medium or high hazard rating has a low hazard rating and uses a meter larger than 25mm is unmetered. If more than one process occurs on a site, the hazard rating must be based on the process with the highest rating. For example, if two medium risk processes and one high risk process occur on-site, the rating for the site is high. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 34

37 High hazard properties Owners of properties with high hazard ratings must install a registered break tank, reduced pressure zone device or registered air gap. Medium hazard properties Owners of properties with a medium hazard rating must install a testable double check valve assembly as a minimum Low hazard properties Owners of properties with a low hazard rating must install a non-testable backflow prevention containment device, as a minimum. Metered standpipes Metered standpipes connected to Sydney Water s water supplies must have a testable double check valve incorporated in the standpipe s design. Hydrant and sprinkler services Owners of properties with separate hydrant and sprinkler fire services must install a testable double check detector assembly. The device must be installed near where the water service crosses the property boundary, upstream of any booster assembly on, or off-take from, the fire service. Window and wall drencher sprinklers Owners of properties with window or wall drencher sprinkler systems must install a low hazard non-testable device. Construction sites Owners of properties where development of anything more than a single stand-alone house is occurring must install a backflow device suitable for a high hazard site. Properties that have both drinking and recycled water supplies must have an appropriate level of backflow prevention containment installed on each connection. Drinking and non-drinking services must not be interconnected. The device installed must be the same type on both the drinking and non-drinking services. Properties which may have drinking and non-drinking services include mixed developments and those which have onsite private wastewater treatment systems. 8.4 How do I find out my site s hazard rating? Commercial and industrial customers must get an accredited backflow plumber to assess the hazard rating of their property and install an appropriate backflow prevention device. Sydney Water may also inspect your property and direct you to install whatever backflow containment device is necessary to protect our water supply from potential hazards on your property. Examples of hazard ratings are shown in AS/NZS In addition, Sydney Water rates construction of anything more than a stand-alone house on a single lot as a high hazard activity. For example, if a developer is constructing a multi-level building or several individual houses and the water connection supplies water for activities such as bricklaying, concrete mixing, concrete cutting, and servicing and cleaning site toilets, the developer must install a high hazard backflow containment device. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 35

38 If you don t know how hazardous your site backflow risk is, or your plumber can t assess it, we assume the hazard rating is high. You must install, test and maintain a backflow prevention device that s suitable for a high hazard site. 8.5 How should backflow prevention devices be installed? Who can install them? Backflow prevention containment devices must be installed following AS/NZ No connection may bypass a property s backflow prevention containment device. All backflow prevention containment devices must be installed by a licensed plumber. A licensed plumber must also install and certify registered break tanks, and registered air gaps. The device must be installed near your property boundary on the property side of your master water meter. If you don t have a water meter, your backflow prevention device must be installed on your private water service at the property boundary. For any medium or high hazard rated property, a licensed plumber must submit the Certificate of Compliance for the containment device installation. These devices must then be commissioned and tested by a licensed plumber with backflow prevention accreditation. These accredited plumbers must submit an Inspection Test and Maintenance Report to Sydney Water within two days of completing the work. The property owner must ensure that this occurs. The plumber does not need to register the Certificate of Compliance with us for low hazard properties. 8.6 Who is responsible for backflow prevention? Property owners are responsible for ensuring they have adequate backflow protection that meets the hazard rating of the property, and any other backflow containment requirements Sydney Water makes. You must get a licenced, backflow accredited plumber to assess the risk of your property, and install and test your backflow device. The device must be tested again every year and test results sent to Sydney Water. 8.7 Connections to different mains and backflow containment If your property is connected to more than one water main, it s possible that water from one main could backflow into another main, if there are cross connections in your building. Potential contaminants may be introduced into multiple water supply zones, affecting more people or properties. It could also prevent us from shutting down mains properly when we need to maintain or replace them. If you have connections to multiple water mains in your property, you must make sure your plumber knows this, when he or she is assessing your backflow hazard rating. 8.8 How often do I need to test my backflow device? Property owners must engage a backflow accredited plumber to test testable devices every year. Some devices cannot be tested, such as those in standard 20 and 25 mm meters. Most standalone houses have these non-testable meters. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 36

39 8.9 My site activities have changed. Do I need a new backflow device? If the processes at your property have changed, you must have an accredited backflow prevention plumber certify the change in hazard rating and inform Sydney Water. If the plumber identifies that your hazard rating has increased, they must replace the existing backflow prevention containment device with one suitable for the new hazard rating, test it and notify Sydney Water. We may conduct a site audit to verify the new hazard rating. If your site processes and hazard rating have changed, it may also affect any agreements you have with us to discharge trade wastewater. If you believe you no longer require a backflow prevention device on your property, you must have an accredited backflow prevention plumber inspect the site and send written notification to Sydney Water Can backflow prevention devices be reused? Testable backflow prevention devices may be reused on a different site, if they are working properly and satisfy yearly test requirements. If your plumber removes a backflow prevention device from your site, they must send us a certificate of compliance. They must send us a new certificate of compliance and lodge a test report when the device is installed on another site What are Sydney Water s responsibilities? Sydney Water keeps a register of installed testable containment devices and yearly test reports. We will remind you every year when it is time for you to test your device. We audit a sample of installations to ensure they comply with AS/NZS If we issue a notice that your backflow prevention containment device does not comply with AS/NZS , you must repair, maintain, test, replace or install the backflow prevention containment device in the set time we tell you to. If you do not comply with our notice, we may disconnect you or restrict your water supply How long does my plumber have to send in a backflow report? Your plumber must send us a certificate of compliance, test and maintenance report within 48 hours of installing and testing a new device. If your plumber is testing an existing device, they must send us the test and maintenance report within 48 hours of testing What will Sydney Water do if I don t install a backflow device? If you do not have a backflow prevention device installed, we will ask you to have a qualified plumber install and test an appropriate device. If you have a non-residential property and you don t do this in the set time, we may disconnect your water service. If you own a residential property or mixed development we may restrict your water supply system until you install an adequate backflow device. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 37

40 8.14 What happens if the yearly test shows my backflow prevention device is not working? If the yearly test shows your backflow prevention device isn t working, you must repair or replace it immediately. It is a condition of connection to our services that you have a working backflow containment device I don t have a meter. Do I still need backflow containment? Property owners must fit a backflow prevention containment device to all Sydney Water drinking water and recycled water supplies entering the property, whether you have a meter or not and regardless of the size of your connection. If you have an unmetered supply or an unmetered fire service connection, you must still install a backflow prevention containment device appropriate for the hazard rating of your property. You may ask Sydney Water to install a water meter on your drinking water and recycled water supply. You may need to engage a licensed plumber to install the correct pipework to suit the water meter size. Sydney Water will install the water meter once the correct pipework is in place Do I need a backflow device on fire services? You must install a backflow prevention containment device on fire service connections. If you are moving an old fire service without a device, you must engage an accredited backflow plumber to assess the site s backflow hazard rating, and fit an appropriate backflow prevention containment device Is my house always considered a low hazard property? Most houses present a low hazard to our water supply. Our 20 or 25mm meter normally provides enough backflow protection. Your house has a higher hazard rating if: you have a rainwater tank with a pump connected to your house plumbing, or you have an underground rainwater tank connected to your house plumbing Is contamination of water supplies very likely? A contamination event of the water supply may occur anytime there is a cross connection between a water supply and a contaminated water source, and reduced pressure in the main. Cross connections are more likely to occur if plumbing work isn t done to standard. They also often occur when people place hoses in containers, pool, spas, buckets or wastewater devices. Backflow can affect other customers when: cross connection occurs water pressure is reduced in the water main causing water to flow backwards into the main contaminants enter the water supply. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 38

41 How a backflow event can occur 8.19 What is zone backflow? Zone backflow prevention refers to backflow devices installed within one property if multiple businesses or processes could pose a backflow hazard to each other. For example, if a mechanic is located next to a cafeteria in an industrial park, backflow from the mechanic could contaminate the water in the cafeteria. Zone backflow on the mechanic s premises will prevent backflow contaminating the water supply within the property. Zone backflow protection must be installed following AS/NZ and the Plumbing Code of Australia. Zone backflow protection is regulated by the NSW Fair Trading. Sydney Water s requirements for backflow containment at the property boundary or directly after the master water meter always apply, even if there is zone backflow containment within a property. This is because we can t guarantee the performance of zone and individual containment devices and don t have the authority to require property owners to install and test it. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 39

42 9 Fire service connections Commercial, industrial and multi-unit dwellings must install essential fire safety measures to help prevent the spread of fire, save lives and protect property. Types of fire services needed for your building are outlined in the Construction Code of Australia. Fire services include water-using systems such as fire hydrant systems, hose reels systems, wall and window wetting sprinkler and drencher systems. If your building needs one of these fire services, you must apply for a large water main connection, or include it as part of your integrated connection application. You may engage a hydraulic consultant to design your fire service, and ensure that your connection and pumps are the right size. We will permit fire service connections if emergency flows do not damage our pipes or cause us to breach our Operating Licence or our obligations to other customers. 9.1 What main can I connect my fire service to? If you are in a mandated recycled water area, you must connect your fire service to the recycled water service, if it is available and has been designed for fire flows. Mandated recycled water area Rouse Hill Hoxton Park Designed for fire flows? Yes No 9.2 Can I use the same connection for both fire and domestic water? If only drinking water is available, Sydney Water may approve up to three services from the one connection, such as combined domestic, sprinkler and hose reel service. The domestic, or non-fire service and fire hose reels must be supplied from the metered service. 9.3 What pre-requisites are there for fire service connections? We won t ask you to go through our developer process or get your building plans checked before getting a fire service connection if: the fire safety service is to satisfy a requirement of your council or the NSW Fire Brigades and your water supply is not going to service any other new development on your site you only want to install window drenchers on an existing residential building. Most stand-alone residential houses don t have to install fire safety measures. If you are building in a bushfire prone area, we may approve a water main connection larger than 25 mm to supply a window or wall drencher service. We will only do this if you provide evidence that your council or the Rural Fire Service demands this. 9.4 Will you charge me for fire service water? Sydney Water will not charge for fire service water, except for hose reels. Hose reels must be connected to the metered supply. Water from fire service connections may only be used for fire fighting and system servicing. Unmetered water from fire services must not be connected to any other domestic or commercial water-using fixture. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 40

43 9.5 Do I need backflow prevention on my fire service? You must install a check meter and a testable double check valve (double check detector assembly) for backflow prevention on your fire service supply. Your hydraulic consultant must consider this when calculating the water pressure needed for your fire service. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 41

44 10 Using water efficiently We encourage customers to use water efficiently. If you manage water better and become more water efficient you can: cut your water and wastewater bills reduce your costs of heating, cooling, treating and pumping water cut the size of expensive equipment you need to install, such as pumps. It s generally cheaper and easier to put in water efficient equipment when you re developing, rather than retrofitting later on. We ve developed programs and information to help households and businesses use water more efficiently. These include the Water Fix program for households, best practice guidelines and water use benchmarks for businesses. If you are a business, a Business Customer Representative can help you improve your water efficiency. Call or businesscustomers@sydneywater.com.au Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 42

45 11 Wastewater 11.1 What can I discharge into the waste water system? If you have a standard connection to our wastewater system you can discharge a reasonable quantity of domestic quality wastewater. This includes human waste and wastewater from home kitchens, laundries, showers and basins. If you want to discharge wastewater contaminated by business activities, you must apply for permission to discharge trade wastewater. You must not discharge stormwater or groundwater to the wastewater system, or connect pipes carrying stormwater and groundwater to the wastewater system. The wastewater in your area may go to a conventional gravity sewer, a low pressure sewer or a vacuum sewer What is a boundary trap and when do I need one? Boundary traps are inspection points to the wastewater system. They must be located where a private wastewater service connects to our system. We will ask you to install a boundary trap before you discharge trade wastewater to our wastewater system. The only exception is if you have commercial premises and can t install the trap due to existing site constraints. In this case, you must install a self-cleaning gully on the outlet pipe of all your trade wastewater pre-treatment systems. You also need a boundary trap if you are in a boundary trap area. This might be because you are in an industrial area, or near wastewater pump stations or treatment plants. You can find out if you are in a boundary trap area by checking your property sewerage diagrams or referring to a service location diagram What is my SUDF and how is it calculated? We apply a sewerage usage discharge factor (SUDF) to non-residential properties to calculate how much wastewater a property has discharged into our wastewater system. This will determine if you should be paying wastewater usage charges and how much they should be. An SUDF is expressed as percentage of the water you use. We apply a standard SUDF of 78% to most new non-residential properties. This means we calculate that 78% of the water you use from our water mains is discharged to our wastewater system. If you have a SUDF we will print it on every bill we send you Can my SUDF be changed? We might alter your SUDF to reflect: an industry standard a site specific calculation that includes any processes and equipment on your site, water efficiency measures and on-site reuse, and any other water sources you use, such as groundwater, stormwater or rainwater. We will let you know of any changes we make to your SUDF calculation in writing. If we vary an industry-standard SUDF by 10% or more, we will give you at least three months notice before we change your charges. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 43

46 If you don t agree with our calculation of your SUDF after we have assessed your site, you should let us know in writing. You can ask us to review your SUDF once a year or less. You will need to provide us with supporting evidence if you want to vary your SUDF. If you think the SUDF calculation for your site isn t reliable you have the option of installing check water meters in your business to accurately calculate how much water you use is going discharged to our wastewater system. Contact a Business Customer Representative to discuss your plans. After 12 months of readings from you check meter we will be able to calculate an accurate SUDF Can I meter my wastewater instead? We will ask you to install a verifiable discharge flow meter if you are discharging or proposing to discharge more than five kilolitres of trade wastewater a day. We also might ask you to install a verifiable discharge flow meter if you: use non-sydney Water sources of water on-site, such as groundwater, stormwater or rainwater. (This may mean that you discharge more water to the sewer, than you use from our water mains) treat and reuse wastewater on-site What is a sewer surcharge area? Some areas of our wastewater network have been identified as sewer surcharge areas, because wastewater is more likely to overflow from our pipes and into fixtures in buildings or property boundary traps. Sewer surcharge areas are shown in service location prints. A Quick Check agent can identify them for you. Areas might be sewer surcharge areas because: they are flat or have very low elevation the wastewater system hasn t been designed for the amount of wastewater it is now transporting stormwater or rainwater is infiltrating into the wastewater system during wet weather, overloading it and causing overflows. If you connect to our wastewater system in a sewer surcharge area, you must install a reflux valve to prevent wastewater overflowing into your house. The valve, sometimes known as a backwater valve, only allows water to flow in one direction What is a gravity wastewater connection? In a gravity wastewater system, wastewater flows by gravity from properties and through our mains to wastewater treatment plants. Most of Sydney Water s wastewater system is gravity fed. Some new residential development areas now have leak tight and low infiltration gravity sewers installed. If you are connecting in these areas, make sure you plumber or listed constructor is familiar with our standards and is experienced working on these systems What is a pump to wastewater connection? Some properties have a gravity wastewater pipe nearby, but are lower than the main. This means the property owner must pump wastewater up to the main, so it can then flow by gravity to the treatment plant. This requires a pump and a collection tank on the property. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 44

47 If you need a new pump wastewater connection to a gravity wastewater system, you must apply at Quick Check. We will only approve the connection if you can demonstrate that it is too expensive to extend our wastewater system to make the connection another way. You can demonstrate this by showing us two quotes from plumbers. We will specify the required performance of your pump and capacity of your tank in your conditions of connection. We will give you an additional services agreement when you make a new pump to sewer connection. You are responsible for the costs of installing your tank and pump. You must ensure you maintain your pump and storage tank as required in this agreement What is a pressure sewer system? Pressure sewer systems use pressure created by pumps on properties, instead of gravity, to transport wastewater to Sydney Water s wastewater treatment plants. Pressure sewer diagram If you have a pressure sewer connection, you will have a collection tank, a pump, an alarm control panel and a boundary kit (connection point) on your property. We will give you an additional services agreement when you make a new pressure sewer connection. You must ensure you maintain your pump and storage tank as set out in this agreement How can I connect to a pressure sewer? Many pressure sewer systems have been installed through our Priority Sewerage Program (PSP). When the schemes are being constructed, our PSP Community Relations team provides instructions on how to connect. If you want to connect after the construction is finished, you can to apply to connect at Quick Check, as long as a boundary kit and connection point are available on your property. If there is no boundary kit available, you must engage a Water Servicing Coordinator (WSC) to apply to insert one. You must then engage a listed constructor with pressure sewer capabilities to Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 45

48 insert the kit following the instructions in our approval. The WSC will supply the as constructed plan information to Sydney Water. If you need to build an extension longer than 12 metres, or do some other work to access our pressure sewer service, you must engage a WSC and enter into an agreement with Sydney Water. This agreement will also detail if we are able to share any costs with you for the extension. If you are connecting after a PSP scheme has been constructed, you will generally have to pay for your on-property equipment and its installation. For more information, contact the Community Relations team on How do I know if I am in a pressure sewer area? If your property was connected to our wastewater system through a Priority Sewerage Program, your wastewater charges will show up as priority sewerage program on your bill. If you are connected to a pressure sewer system, you will have a boundary kit. You can also look at a service location diagram What is a vacuum sewer system? A vacuum sewer uses a partial vacuum in wastewater pipes to transport wastewater from homes and businesses to a central treatment point. Sydney Water has installed vacuum sewers in Kurnell, Bundeena, Maianbar and Palm Beach. If we give you permission to connect to a vacuum sewer, we will give you an additional services agreement. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 46

49 12 Trade wastewater 12.1 What is trade wastewater? Trade wastewater is wastewater contaminated by business or non-household activities. For businesses, trade wastewater includes greasy wastewater from commercial cooking, contaminated wastewater from mechanical workshops and discharges from industrial processes. For residential properties, it includes wastewater from decentralised wastewater treatment systems, car wash bays and communal kitchens in nursing homes. If you need to discharge trade wastewater you must apply for permission at any Quick Check agent or use our online form. You must receive our written permission and an additional services agreement before you discharge any trade wastewater Why do I need permission to discharge trade wastewater? Trade wastewater can be contaminated with substances that can harm people's health, pollute the environment, damage wastewater pipes, create odours or affect our wastewater treatment plants and our staff. To avoid these problems, we manage the quality and quantity of trade wastewater discharged into our systems by customers What will my trade waste agreement include? The trade waste component of your additional services agreement will specify: the business processes covered by the agreement any wastewater treatment equipment (pre-treatment) you must install wastewater quality standards you must meet (acceptance standards) pollutants in your wastewater you must manage if you need to monitor your wastewater quality and quantity the maximum volume of trade wastewater you can discharge how often you must sample, and how often we will sample your wastewater quality where and when you can discharge trade wastewater into our systems if you need to meter your trade wastewater discharges. You must comply with these conditions. We impose more requirements on you to treat and monitor your trade wastewater if your wastewater poses more risks to our systems and staff. The property owner is ultimately responsible for the trade waste additional services agreement with us. If a tenant has applied for permission to discharge trade wastewater, we send a copy of the additional services agreement to both the property owner (or the managing agent) and the tenant. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 47

50 12.4 What are trade waste acceptance standards Acceptance standards define the quality of trade wastewater that Sydney Water will accept into our wastewater system. Commercial customers can meet our acceptance standards by installing authorised pre-treatment equipment. If you are an industrial customer, you must demonstrate that you meet our acceptance standards, by monitoring your wastewater quality. We publish acceptance standards and charging rates for industrial trade wastewater customers Will I be charged for trade wastewater? We charge customers for discharging trade wastewater into our systems. Charges are based on the type of substance you discharge and the concentration of it in our wastewater. Trade wastewater charges are in addition to any wastewater usage charges you may have to pay What is trade waste pre-treatment equipment? Why do I need it? Most trade wastewater customers must install treatment equipment to improve the quality of wastewater and reduce its impact on our systems and the environment. You can only install authorised wastewater equipment, or you must show that your wastewater meets the quality standards outlined in your additional services agreement. If you have common business processes, such as food preparation and mechanical repairs you can use authorised off-the-shelf treatment equipment. The type of equipment you must install is listed in your commercial trade waste additional services agreement. Common equipment includes grease traps, oil and water separators, bucket traps and arrestor pits. If you have a more complex industrial process, you may need to install specialised pre-treatment equipment and show that you meet our discharge standards. If your business has a number of different processes that generate trade wastewater, each process must be assessed individually, and the wastewater from each process may need separate treatment. Businesses with multiple wastewater processes include shopping centres, universities and hospitals Who can install pre-treatment equipment? You must ensure that a licensed plumber, or someone under their direct supervision, installs trade waste pre-treatment equipment. Work must comply with the Plumbing Code of Australia, AS/NZ and the manufacturer s instructions. You must have our approval to discharge trade wastewater before you install any pre-treatment equipment. We will give you specific instructions on the type and size of equipment you must use and how often it must be cleaned out and maintained How much space will pre-treatment equipment take up? Pre-treatment equipment must be installed on your premises. It cannot be on public property. There must be enough space above grease traps and oil water separators to measure levels of oil, grease and solids and to pump out, clean or maintain the equipment. The space above the equipment trap must be at least the same as its depth. For example, a grease trap with a depth of two meters will need a minimum vertical clearance of at least two meters. The minimum size grease trap we will accept is 1,000 L. You must also ensure there is safe and unrestricted access to the pre-treatment equipment. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 48

51 If your equipment is to go above ground, you must leave space for bunding, access platforms and steps. These elements must all be manufactured and installed to Australian Standards. Pre-treatment equipment must not be installed in any confined space area under occupational health and safety laws I don t have space for pre-treatment equipment. What can I do? We won t give you permission to discharge trade wastewater from a new development if you can t install pre-treatment equipment. Make sure you plan ahead and leave enough room for trade waste pre-treatment equipment in your development. We may allow some businesses to install alternatives to standard equipment, if you can demonstrate that they will be as efficient at removing pollutants. If you are an existing business and we change our standards for pre-treatment equipment, we will give you at least a year s notice of our proposed changes. If you will have any difficulties meeting the new standard, because you don t have space on your premises, you must let us know. We may allow you to defer your upgrade, install alternative equipment or change your operating procedures to reduce the trade waste pollutants going into your wastewater. If you are an existing customer and your current grease trap is in a confined space, you must progressively improve access to it. Any deferrals or exemptions we grant you are cancelled if your business or property changes hands or if the trade waste agreement is modified Must trade waste pre-treatment equipment be tested or certified? All authorised pre-treatment equipment must display a compliance plate with the product authorisation number, plus the product and manufacturer s details. Pre-treatment equipment is authorised by the Water Services Association of Australia. A Plumbing and Drainage Inspector from the NSW Fair Trading must inspect the equipment when it is installed, to ensure that it meets the Plumbing Code of Australia and AS/NZ It must also be inspected by a Business Customer Representative from Sydney Water to verify that the wastewater pre-treatment equipment is authorised and meets our connection requirements What do I need to maintain? You own your wastewater pre-treatment equipment and are responsible for maintaining it. If you don t service or maintain your equipment as required, it will stop treating your wastewater efficiently. This may cause you to breach your trade waste permit (and we may possibly disconnect you), or we may charge you more to discharge. To help prevent this, set up a regular maintenance and equipment cleaning contract as soon as you install your pre-treatment equipment. You can get information on maintaining and cleaning your pre-treatment equipment from the manufacturer, your chosen clean out contractor, authorised service agent or your Sydney Water Business Customer Representative. For more information on trade waste treatment equipment, testing, and metering, visit the commercial and industrial trade wastewater pages sydneywater.com.au Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 49

52 12.7 How is my trade waste measured? If you discharge more than five kilolitres of trade wastewater a day we will ask you to install flow measurement equipment. It will give us information on how often, how much, and the rate at which you discharge trade wastewater. Metering your wastewater will also allow you to plan your sampling so you can sample trade wastewater quality at different flow rates and discharge patterns. We use the information we have from your sampling program and the metered trade waste volume to calculate what total mass of pollutants you discharge. This allows us to issue you with accurate trade waste charges. Information from discharge meters can help you understand and monitor changes to your businesses wastewater usage. By understanding the nature of your trade wastewater discharges, you may be able to identify opportunities to make your business processes more efficient. We may use information from customers discharge meters to ensure there is enough capacity in our wastewater network and assess the need to amplify or improve it. We may also use information from customers discharge meters to assess applications for sewer mining in different wastewater catchments. Your business customer representative will give you detailed specifications of the type of meter you must install, and tell you how often it must be verified or calibrated Can I get a water main connection without a trade wastewater agreement for a mixed use building, if I don t know who my tenants will be? You can apply for a water main connection to service both the residential and commercial parts of the building once you have applied for our section 73 Compliance Certificate and had your building plans checked. If you don t apply for permission to discharge trade waste when you apply for your water and wastewater connections, your initial additional services agreement will state that you cannot discharge trade wastewater. You must have your trade waste agreement before you or your tenants can discharge any trade wastewater. Apply for permission to discharge trade wastewater once you know what kinds of tenants will be leasing the commercial part of the building. If you are going to have commercial and industrial activities on the same site, you will need both a commercial and an industrial agreement. You can apply at any Quick Check agent or use our online form. We will require you to install specific wastewater pre-treatment equipment, before you can discharge trade wastewater. It might be expensive to do this if you haven t prepared for it What is Wastesafe? Wastesafe is Sydney Water s program for managing greasy trade wastewater. You must use Wastesafe if your business generates greasy wastewater from cooking and your trade waste agreement requires you to have a grease trap. Wastesafe will ensure your grease trap is cleaned out regularly by an approved, licensed contractor. Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 50

53 12.10 I want to change business processes. Do I need to vary my trade waste equipment? Yes. If your business processes change you must update your trade waste permit, before you change your trade wastewater discharge. When we renegotiate a new permit, we might require you to install new or upgraded pre-treatment equipment that s suitable for your new business process. You should leave enough time to negotiate a new agreement and purchase and install new equipment, before you intend to change your trade waste discharges How do I vary my trade waste agreement? If you need to vary your trade waste agreement, you can use Sydney Water s online trade waste form or apply at any Quick Check agent. You can also apply to cancel your trade waste agreement online at sydneywater.com.au Who can I talk to about trade waste? To find out more about trade waste requirements, including what information you need to apply, refer to sydneywater.com.au call or businesscustomers@sydneywater.com.au Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 51

54 13 Maintaining water and wastewater services 13.1 Who is responsible for my water and wastewater pipes? Property owners own and are responsible for their private water and wastewater services up to where they connect to our systems. This includes: private water and wastewater pipes maintaps and tees and valves backflow prevention devices (boundary and zone devices) booster pumps flow restriction devices for low pressure water services wastewater pumps and collection tanks trade wastewater pre-treatment devices indoor and outdoor fittings fire services extended private services joint, combined and encroaching services private water mains. The main exception to this is the meter. We own the meter. You must not damage our meter or remove it without our permission. If you have a large water connection with a tee and valve, you must maintain the tee and valve that s inserted into our system. But, you must get our permission before you do any work to maintain it or before you replace it. Who maintains the water service? Sydney Water publication SW75 09/12 Page 52