Listed provider standards and specifications

Listed providers for building and developing must use our standards and specifications to fulfil all work requirements. 

On this page

About our standards

Framework for engineering assurance

Hierarchy of standards

WSAA codes

Deemed to Comply (DTC) drawings

Acceptable products

Standards alerts

Standards newsletters

About our standards

To sustain and continuously improve the value to customers, we use engineering expertise and learnings from around the world to provide world class water services. With this knowledge, we create, maintain and update the engineering standards we use to build and maintain our assets.

Our standards focus on technical requirements that provide more clarity to the wider industry and Australian Standards. They promote the best value for money for both us and our customers.

Framework for engineering assurance

We have a framework of interrelated processes to assure high engineering standards for our assets. The framework is mandated by our accredited ISO 55001 Asset Management System.

Our standards provide planning, design, construction, operations and maintenance support to the asset planning and creation functions under the Asset Management Policy and Asset Creation Policy. They are a collection of guidelines, specifications, methodologies and requirements. They continually evolve through changing operational conditions, innovations, improvements or suggestions that come from real-world experience, and changes to performance expectations.

We rely on professional engineers to provide services to create, maintain and operate our assets. To optimise value to the public, engineers who provide engineering design services must also meet our competency standard. This ensures assets are designed to achieve planned outcomes and are fit for purpose.

These procedures apply to the design process.

These guidelines provide information and design guidelines for our infrastructure.

Hierarchy of standards

Sydney Water's civil, mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation and control specifications take precedence over any other standard and specification.

These specifications and standards must be used in conjunction with the above technical specifications, regardless of whether they are or are not referenced therein.

WSAA codes

The following supplements must be used in conjunction with the relevant Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) codes:

We maintain our own editions of and supplements to WSAA codes. You must use these instead of the standard WSAA codes. Purchase Sydney Water editions of the codes at WSAA Shop: Sydney Water Codes.

Deemed to Comply (DTC) drawings

Sydney Water's DTC drawings are intended to assist designers and constructors in building assets that meet our requirements. The use of DTCs are subject to very specific terms and conditions. Please read our DTC – deemed-to-comply drawings terms and conditions of use 519056 before using DTC drawings.

DTC drawings are approved design solutions that help to construct high-volume, repetitive assets. It is not mandatory to use these drawings.

1    Choose one of these folders or diagrams:

2    Get the drawing number from the list.

3    Download the drawing.

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Acceptable products

Standard products must conform and be certified to the relevant product specification that has been adopted by us and shown in the Specification – EPS 500 Engineering product specification for standard pipes and fittings for networks D0001613.

Non-standard products are deemed by us to be fit for purpose and/or provide equivalent functional performance to standard products. They're individually listed in the Specification – EPS 501 List of approved non-standard products for networks D0001614.

Only use conforming standard products and/or listed non-standard products for components that are critical for the long-term performance of our networks.

Standards alerts

We update our instructions, forms, and standards and specifications from time to time. Our Standards Alert helps you understand how new and updated versions may affect your work requirements.

Standards Alert issueWhat this Standards Alert covers

Standards Alert 40, Sep 2026

Updated Technical specification – permanent gas engine driven pump D0002174 (version 2)

Standards Alert 39, Aug 2026

Updated Technical specification – waste gas burner installations D0001871 (version 8)

Standards Alert 37, Aug 2026

New Technical guideline – fire safety systems D0002643 (version 1)

Standards Alert 34, Aug 2026

Updated Technical specification – asset commissioning and transition to operation D0001440 (version 3)

Standards Alert 33, Mar 2026

Updated Technical specification – permanent diesel engine driven pump D0002169 (version 2)

Standards Alert 32, Feb 2026

Updated Technical specification – electrical CPDMS0022 (version 14)

Standards Alert 31, Mar 2026

Updated Technical specification – dewatering equipment D0001932 (version 6)

Standards Alert 30, Apr 2026

Updated WSA 04 sewage pumping station code of Australia – Sydney Water edition

Standards Alert 29, Feb 2026

Updated Technical specification – mechanical BMIS0209 (version 13)

Standards Alert 28, Mar 2026

Updated Deemed to Comply (DTC) drawings for emergency relief structures

Standards Alert 24, Aug 2025

Updated Sewer lining specifications

Standards Alert 23, Aug 2025

New Technical specification – building design D0002084 (version 1)

Standards Alert 22, Sep 2025

New Concrete mix register

Standards Alert 21, Mar 2026

New Technical specification – fibre polymer composite D0002490 (version 1)

Standards Alert 20, Feb 2026

Updated Technical specification – Water Reservoir General Technical D0001963 (version 2)

Standards Alert 16, Sep 2025

Updated Technical specification – reticulation sewers in basements CPDMS0026 (version 3)

Standards Alert 15.1, Oct 2025

Updated Technical guidelines – building over and adjacent to pipe asset ACP0254 (version 6.1)

Standards Alert 15, Sep 2025

Updated Technical guidelines – building over and adjacent to pipe asset ACP0254 (version 6)

Standards Alert 14, May 2025

Updated Water and wastewater DTC drawings

Standards Alert 13, May 2025

Updated Technical specification – permanent diesel engine-driven generator D0002061 (version 3)

Standards Alert 12, Apr 2025

Updated Wet well sewage pumping stations – design checklist (civil, mechanical & structural) D0001217 (version 3)

Standards Alert 11, Apr 2025

Updated Technical specification – HV electrical cables DOC0009 (version 4)

Standards Alert 10, Mar 2025

Updated Technical specification – HV power factor correction DOC0011 (version 3)

Standards Alert 9, Mar 2025

New Technical guideline – high rate clarification D0002440

Standards Alert 8, Feb 2025

Updated and new Deemed to Comply (DTC) drawings for chemical dosing units (CDUs) and rechlorination plants (RCPs) – DTC-7002, DTC-7008, DTC-702

Standards Alert 7, Feb 2025

Updated Safety in Design procedure D0000653 (version 3)

Standards Alert 6, Feb 2025

Updated Technical specification – chemical dosing unit ACP0002 (version 6)

Standards Alert 5, Feb 2025

Updated Technical specification – batteries and chargers for HV installations DOC0008 (version 5)

Standards Alert 4, Feb 2025

Updated Technical specification – arc flash DOC002263 (version 2)

Standards Alert 2, Feb 2025

New Design guideline – minimising odour-causing turbulence in wastewater networks D0002356

Standards Alert 1, Feb 2025

Updated Deemed to comply (DTC) drawings for flowmeter installation

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Standards newsletters

Our quarterly Standards Newsletter provides the latest updates and news about our engineering standards.

Newsletter editionWhat's in this newsletter

Standards Newsletter Issue 6, September 2026

  • Sewage Pumping Station resilience and reliability
  • Standards, judgement and risk in practice
  • Innovation Spotlight
  • What's new and what's changed
  • How to access, apply and provide feedback on our standards

Standards Newsletter Issue 5, April 2026

  • Insights and innovations through deviation from standards 
  • Update on our standards improvement initiative 
  • Overview of Sydney Water DOOF facilities
  • Updates to key standards and new releases
  • How to access, apply and provide feedback on our standards

Standards Newsletter Issue 4, December 2025

  • Insights and innovations through deviation from standards 
  • Updates to key standards and new releases 
  • Experience from the ongoing Reservoir Renewal Program
  • Insights from our recent Standards Improvement Survey
  • How to access, apply and provide feedback on our standards

Standards Newsletter Issue 3, October 2025

  • Insights and innovations through deviation from standards 
  • Updates to key standards and new releases
  • Challenges on a recent SPS upgrade project
  • Update on our new Concrete Mix Register
  • How to access, apply and provide feedback on our standards

Standards Newsletter Issue 2, June 2025

  • Updates to key standards and new releases
  • Innovations in sustainable materials and asset design
  • Update on our human-centred design and governance approach to improving standards
  • How to access, apply and provide feedback on our standards

Standards Newsletter Issue 1, March 2025

  • Recent updates to key standards
  • Upcoming changes to look out for
  • Innovations in sustainable materials and asset design
  • Update on our human-centred design approach to improving standards
  • Where to find our standards and how to provide feedback
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