Please make sure the area around the meter is clear and accessible so we can read, repair or replace it. If you have a second purple meter, you're getting recycled water. Learn more about your meter.
Be clear on who's responsible for maintaining pipes and equipment for your water services, and who pays for repairs.
For your rights and obligations, see Your responsibilities when connected to our services policy.
What you're responsible for
If it's on your property, or a pipe that only serves your property, it's usually your responsibility (even if it extends into public land). You're also responsible for pipes and fittings from your building to the point where they connect to our systems.
These include:
- private water and wastewater pipes and fixtures
- backflow prevention devices
- pumps used to boost water pressure in private water pipes
- flow restriction devices on low pressure water services
- wastewater pumps, tanks and other equipment (unless we have an additional services agreement with you that says we'll maintain it)
- commercial trade wastewater or industrial trade wastewater treatment equipment
- fire services
- private water mains and extended private services that connect to our main with a long private pipe because the property doesn't have direct access to our water main
- private pipes that serve more than one customer and are laid in another customer's land without an easement.
We're responsible for the water main and the water meter. Property owners are responsible for the other pipes.
See typical system connections for detailed diagrams and descriptions of where your responsibility begins and ends.
What we're responsible for
As your water service provider, we're responsible for all the pipes, channels and structures that provide services to you and the water meter on your property. There may also be pipes and other assets on your property that we have to maintain.
As a courtesy, we may fix the section of your water pipes between our water main and your meter for free. However, we'll only fix pipes that are less than one metre inside the property boundary.
We won't do free repairs on unauthorised connections, fire services, inaccessible services or services if damage was deliberate or negligent.
Responsibility for repairs like removing wastewater blockages and repairing pipes depends on where our pipes connect to the affected property. If we authorise your investigations or repairs in our pipes, you or your plumber may be eligible to claim for reimbursement.
We won't maintain any other part of your wastewater pipes unless it's stated in an additional services agreement we have with you.
Pipes and other assets on your property
You may see pipes and other assets shown in an easement on your land title deeds. These are our responsibility. However, we need your help to protect them from damage. If we hold an easement on your land, you must keep our assets clear and let us onto your property if we need to maintain, repair or replace them.
If you damage any of our pipes or fittings, we may charge you to repair or replace them.
Sometimes our pipes run under private property. If you're doing any building, excavating or landscaping work on your property, make sure you know where our pipes and other services are. Find out before you dig with Before You Dig Australia (BYDA). BYDA responds to online enquiries with free plans of our assets. If you're building over or next to our assets, we need to approve your building plans. Learn more about building plan approval.
Most properties are connected to a gravity wastewater system. However, in some parts of Greater Sydney properties need to be serviced using a vacuum or pressure sewerage system. In these cases, we may need to maintain or repair our pumps and associated equipment on your property. Find out more about different types of wastewater systems.
Hydrants allow us to access the water mains. They're usually covered by a metal or concrete plate and are on the footpath or roadway. Please don't build your driveway over a hydrant or bury a hydrant on the nature strip. Don't remove or obscure the small signs with 'HP' or 'HR' in red these show the Fire & Rescue and Rural Fire Services where to locate the hydrants in case of fire, and finding the hydrant quickly can be critical during an emergency.
Maintenance holes may be on or near your property, usually near the boundary. They allow us to access our wastewater and stormwater systems to clear blockages. If we can't clear blockages, wastewater or stormwater can back up in the pipe and flow out of pipe grates or openings. They can flood the street, your yard, or possibly your home.
Ventilation shafts allow air to enter and exit the wastewater system. This helps prevent the pipes from corroding.
If we need to enter your property
Under the Sydney Water Act 1994, you must allow us to enter your property to maintain or repair our water, wastewater or stormwater system when we need to. We'll need to access our equipment for repairs and maintenance either on the street or on your property.
We'll try to contact you to arrange a time. You probably needn't be at home as long as we have clear access and your pets have been secured.
Responsibility for non-standard services
Connections to non-standard services are the property owner's responsibility.
Non-standard services are more common in commercial and industrial properties. Joint services in particular are more common in old parts of Sydney, such as terrace housing developments or very old industrial areas.
Questions about disconnections or reconnections? Email connections@sydneywater.com.au.
You have a joint service if your water or wastewater pipe also serves other properties. Each owner who shares a joint private service is responsible for it.
If you think your property has a joint service, talk to your neighbours about engaging a private plumber so you understand which properties share your service. You'll need to discuss:
- maintenance arrangements for the shared service, including access to private property
- how you'll share maintenance and repair costs.
If you wish to disconnect
To disconnect your property from the shared service, contact a licensed plumber. They'll arrange:
- disconnection from the shared service
- new connection to our network.
To disconnect the shared service from our water supply entirely, you'll need agreement in writing from all properties connected to the service.
There's more information about connecting to or disconnecting from our systems in our Connecting to our systems policy.
You have an encroaching service if your private pipe crosses another property to connect to our mains. Customers who benefit from encroaching private services are responsible for maintaining and repairing them. This includes the cost of any repair work – even when the pipe is on another person's property.
If you have an encroaching service, talk to your neighbours to:
- understand which properties your service crosses
- negotiate reasonable access to their property to maintain and repair the service.
If you own a property that has someone else's private service pipes on it, talk to your neighbour. Make sure you both agree on reasonable access to maintain or repair pipes.
Extended private services are more common in rural and bushland areas. You might have an extended private service if:
- your water meter is a long way from your property
- access to your property is from a minor lane or road that doesn't have a water main along it
- there are no hydrants along your road (indicating there may be no water main).
An extended private service may serve a single property or multiple properties. If you have an extended private service, you and those who share the service are responsible for the costs of maintaining it. If the pipe or meter is on public land, contact your council to find out if you need any permits before you start work to install, maintain or replace your extended private service.
If there's a leak in a non-standard service
Leaking services pose a threat to our network.
- If there's a leak in a joint or encroaching water service, the responsible owners must repair it as soon as possible. If the leak isn't fixed in a reasonable time, we'll disconnect your supply.
- If there's a leak from an encroaching wastewater service on your property, contact the owner and ask them to fix it immediately. You may have to give them or their contractors access to your property to fix the problem.
Your local council may take action under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 if leaking wastewater isn't stopped as soon as possible.
If there's a dispute about a non-standard service
Try to negotiate a solution to land access and cost-sharing issues with your neighbour. If negotiation doesn't work, ServiceNSW provides information on services to help people reach an agreement. If you still can't reach an agreement, you may need an order from your Local Court under the Access to Neighbouring Land Act 2000. We suggest you get your own legal advice.
When to hire a plumber
You can do minor plumbing work – like changing a tap washer – yourself. For bigger problems, renovations, or replacing toilets or hot water systems, you must use a licensed plumber.
Ask your plumber to give you a Certificate of Compliance after they've finished the work. This certifies that the plumbing work meets the Plumbing Code of Australia.
Building Commission NSW is the regulator of the building industry in NSW. You can verify a plumber's licence, learn more about plumbing and drainage inspections and regulations, notices of work, certificates of compliance, sewerage service diagrams, and audit inspection fees.
If you see a leak
If the leak is in your private water pipes, call a licensed plumber. If you think the leak is in our pipes, report a fault.