Building plan approval

If you're planning to build or excavate, you need us to approve your project before work starts.

On this page

Projects that need our approval

What you need to do

How we assess your application

Technical guidelines

Projects that need our approval

You need to get our approval if your project involves building works, including:

  • houses, granny flats and commercial buildings
  • pools, sheds, decks and fences
  • driveways, landscaping and retaining walls
  • excavation, demolition or ground changes.

This is because our building work may be near our pipes and other infrastructure. If you start work without our approval and damage our assets, you may face fines and repair costs.

Before you apply, read the building plan approval terms and conditions.

What you need to do

Locate Sydney Water assets

Check where our pipes, structures and easements are located on your site:

Valuable reading
Guide to reading Sydney Water Before You Dig plans
Important information about Before You Dig
Avoid damaging our pipes

Get your plans approved

We need to approve your building plans. Your council or local authority may also need to approve your plans.

Be aware there may be extra costs

You may need to pay for plan checks, inspections, service connections, discharging trade wastewater or infrastructure contributions.

How we assess your application

Go to Tap in to start your application and track progress at every stage. We'll ask you to show us where your proposed building will sit on your property to check if it may affect our assets.

  • If your plans don't affect our assets
    You'll get immediate on-screen approval in Tap in. We'll email an approval letter and you'll be charged a building plan approval fee.
  • If your plans affect our assets
    We'll refer you to a water servicing coordinator to assess and approve your plans. The coordinator will tell you how long this will take.
  • If your plans need a detailed review
    The coordinator may submit an 'out of scope' application to us. We generally send our conditions for approval within 42 days. This process takes a bit longer, as the plans need to be reviewed by one of our specialised engineers.

Once we've approved your plans
You can give your approved plans to your consent authority or certifier.

More details if you need them

Water servicing coordinators are private individuals or companies registered as Sydney Water listed providers, who you engage to act on your behalf in all dealings with us. You have to pay them for their services, just like any other provider, so we recommend that you shop around to find the one most appropriate for you. 

Our list of water servicing coordinators shows the companies we have approved as having the capabilities, qualifications and experience to assess particular applications. 

Your coordinator can usually assess and approve building plans (with any requirements) without referring them to us. They'll:

  • review your building plans and discuss options and requirements with you
  • advise what documents you need for your application
  • specify asset protection requirements or alternative options
  • manage applications for Section 73 Compliance Certificates if necessary
  • arrange supervision of concrete encasement and piering works if they're required.

If your plans need a more detailed review, your coordinator will refer your application to us for an 'out of scope' application.

Your water servicing coordinator may need to refer your building plans to us for a specialised review. This is known as an 'out of scope' application. If this happens, you'll need to pay for the review. Your coordinator will let you know how much it will be.

Our detailed review ensures:

  • our assets won't be damaged during or because of the construction
  • we can access assets for operation and maintenance
  • your building will be protected if we need to work on assets in the future.

Water servicing coordinators must refer building plans to us if the building affects:

  • wastewater pipes larger than 300 millimetres
  • pressure wastewater pipes
  • water or recycled water pipes
  • a Sydney Water property or property with a Sydney Water easement within its boundaries
  • a property that has stormwater infrastructure owned by Sydney Water within 10 metres of the property boundary.

They must also refer building plans to us if you want to:

  • excavate a basement or building over or adjacent to one of our assets
  • remove water from solid material or soil (dewatering).

Once we've reviewed your plans and the charges have been paid, we'll send our requirements to your coordinator. Your coordinator will help you to meet our requirements, and then they can approve your plans.

Technical guidelines

These guides will help you to design your project:

For an 'out of scope' approval, the work must be designed and verified according to our Engineering competency standard.

Useful links

Sydney Water Tap in
Land development
Certificates, documents and diagrams
Connection requirements
Listed providers