Development FAQs

Council approvals, such as plan sealing or plumbing approvals, require the Urban Utilities’ Water Approval Decision Notice and council-issued Decision Notice to reflect the same development details (such as exact gross floor area or total number and type of dwellings). Failure to request an Urban Utilities Water Approval Amended Decision Notice in the circumstances outlined below may prevent you from gaining council approvals.

Changes to a council-issued Decision Notice: Where the demand associated with the development changes (increases or decreases) and the council Development Approval is updated following issue of the Water Approval Decision Notice by Urban Utilities, a Water Approval Amended Decision Notice will be required. For example, in the situation where the dwelling changes from a two to a three-bedroom unit or there is an increase in the total gross floor area, we will re-assess and document the development’s impact on the network, and the value of the associated infrastructure charges.

Changes to infrastructure: Where the overall layout or architectural design of a development is changed, the water and/or wastewater infrastructure required to service the development and associated approval conditions may need to be altered. As we reference a point and format for connection in the Water Approval Decision Notice, substantial changes to the water and/or wastewater designs (e.g. point of connection to the network) may require an amended decision notice. If you are unsure, contact the assessing officer by emailing DCMTEnquiries@urbanutilities.com.au in the first instance and reference the Developer Customer Price List details. 

An administrative error is in the Decision Notice:  The content of a Water Approval Decision Notice must accurately reflect the applicant’s details, site address, water and wastewater services requested, and development demand. If required, we will reissue a Water Approval Decision Notice with administrative amendments.

How do I request an amended Water Approval Decision Notice?

Only the original applicant (or their representative, as assigned in the Urban Utilities Developer Applications Portal) is permitted to request a Water Approval Amended Decision Notice.

Download and submit a completed Amended Decision Notice and Extension of Currency request. If you have questions or require advice, please email DevelopmentEnquiries@urbanutilities.com.au. 

An amendment to a Water Approval Decision Notice incurs the standard base application fee (unless it is an administrative error made by Urban Utilities). This fee is charged as per the development’s requirements, will be re-assessed and a new Decision Notice with approval is also acknowledged in the Developer conditions issued. A new Infrastructure Charges Notice may also be required.

Further information can be found in SC2.7 Request to change a water approval condition of the Water Netserv Plan.

If there are site constraints that require a non-standard arrangement or approval, you will need to email a design variation request to DCMTenquiries@urbanutilities.com.au and upload the following in the form of a fully indexed consolidated PDF (with active index/directory) to the Developer Application Portal:

• RPEQ signed letter detailing the scope and reasons for the requested variation
• design information, including relevant drawings and calculations
• any other documents that will assist assessment of your request, including external agency referrals, consent from Queensland Government agencies etc.

To help us meet your expectations of a timely and consistent assessment, please ensure the above materials are provided with your request. 

Assessment of your design variation request will be undertaken following receipted payment of fees and charges. Please note that conditions/eligibility are detailed also in the Developer Customer Price List.

You can make an online application in the portal for the following services:

• Standard Connections
• Non-Standard Connections
• Services Advice Notice
• Approval to lower or raise a manhole (less than 3m. For G-type larger than 3m, or raising other types, apply for a Non-Standard Connection depending on scope of works)

Services lodged by email:

• Flow and Pressure Test (SAN lodgement process)
• Engineering searches
• Build over infrastructure referrals
• Water Supply and/or Wastewater Works requests
• Letter of Evidence requests

 

1. First you'll need to decide what service you require.
2. Then download our Check for Completeness Guideline to help prepare a complete and correct application. This useful resource helps you to save time and money by explaining how to lodge a properly made application with all the information necessary for the timely assessment of your application.
3. Gather the necessary forms and information for your application from the list of commonly required items below:

Common forms and information you may need (find the forms required during the initial application stage at Development forms) 

Property Owner/s Consent form	If you are not the land owner; or there is more than one owner of the property; or the property is owned in a Company/Trust.
Property Information form  (only for Non-standard Connections and Service Advice Notices)	For property details and calculation of infrastructure charges. You will also need tell us what you are proposing to do on your lot.
Preliminary design or building plans	To indicate the water and wastewater servicing strategy for the proposed development. Please show on the plans where the services will be connected/altered/relocated/disconnected. You many need to engage an engineer to prepare your plans depending on the type of development you are undertaking.
Service type (drinking water, non-drinking/recycled or wastewater/sewerage)	Please note, non-drinking (recycled) water is only available in specific areas. Check our connection area maps before making an application for this service.
Change type	Whether the application is for a connection, disconnection or alteration to each service you are applying for.

4. We will review your application within five (5) business days. If all the required information has been provided, and fees paid, you will be notified that your application has been ‘properly made’        and the formal assessment will commence. 

If any information is missing or incomplete, we will issue an Action Notice identifying what is needed. You must provide us this information within 10 business days, otherwise your application will be cancelled, and fees forfeited. When all the necessary information is provided to us and fees paid within the 10 business day time frame, you will be notified that your application has been ‘properly made’ and we will commence assessment.

Once properly made, we will begin assessing your application. If we require further details to help us complete the assessment, we will issue an Information Request by email and you will need to lodge the additional information via the Developer Application Portal within 20 business days. If you don’t supply the additional information within this time, we will continue assessing your application on the information provided and a decision will be made.

All applications are assessed against the criteria set out in our Water Netserv Plan (Part A) – Connections Policy. Once complete you will receive a Decision Notice confirming:

• approval or refusal of your request
• conditions that apply to your Water Approval (or reasons for its refusal)
• next steps in the connection process (if approval has been granted).

For time frames, refer to our service standards.

Our Developer Customer Service team is available to assist you between 8:30am – 4:30pm weekdays. Please call us on 07 3432 2200 or send an email to developmentenquiries@urbanutilities.com.au

Before calling, some things to check if you are having trouble connecting to the Portal:

1. It can only be accessed via your Developer Portal account, not your residential My Account (if you are also a residential customer of Urban Utilities).
2. For best results, open the Portal using either Chrome or Firefox as your browser.

A complete and well prepared As-Constructed Package will help when it comes to the timely issue of your Connection Certificate.

Keep your compliance assessment moving with fewer requests for information by following these helpful tips, in addition to meeting the requirements of the As-Constructed Package Certification form:

• all forms completed accurately including signature of certifying RPEQ where required
• documents are uploaded and titled as per the relevant name or description on the As-Constructed Package Certification form
• site inspection reports feature location, date and time, as well as detailed descriptions of the compliance or defect rectifications and photos to identify the site and key attributes 
• testing reports and receipts are appropriately sized and copied for easy reading
• receipts and dockets show delivery address
• back and front images of contractor accreditation
• designs and drawings feature all mandatory Urban Utilities title blocks.

Access detailed information about how to prepare a compliant As-Constructed Package submission.

 

A picture speaks a thousand words, and this is especially true for site inspection reports. Adding photos of installed components may enable our engineers and technical officers to conduct faster and more comprehensive compliance reviews, and can avoid the need for requests for information (RFIs). The following tips offer a helpful guide for using images effectively in your reports:

• Plan ahead wherever possible to ensure you take photos at critical milestones. Give instructions to Developers and Contractors in regards to capturing relevant images. 
• Record and include place, date and details of the works compliance or defect rectifications in your report.
• Provide a clear description on each photo, including location details to identify the site and context/key attributes.
• Ensure the photograph does not misrepresent the situation.

Lodging a water approval for a staged development follows the same stages as outlined in What information do I need to make an application? (above)

The main difference is that on the Property Information Form, you will be asked to provide further information such as:

• catchment plan
• staging plan incorporating development sequencing
• servicing strategy for the entire catchment in interim and ultimate
• identification of the infrastructure required and timeframe for delivery.

Navigating Staged Water Approvals can be confusing when using the Developer Applications Portal. To help you determine the best way to proceed based on your development, please refer to the following scenario that best describes your circumstances.

If you are unsure of how to proceed, please confirm development intentions with your client.

Scenario 1: You intend to plan seal the entire development at once.

Application process: Submit one Water Approval application for all stages of development via a Non-Standard Connection application.

Cost: You will receive one Decision Notice, including base application fees and associated Minor or Major Works charges.

Benefit: Management of only one application, one Decision Notice and related fees. However, you will not be able to plan seal progressively (e.g. seal an individual stage). All infrastructure charges must be paid, and all connection works must be completed for the entire development before an Urban Utilities Connection Certificate will be issued. A Connection Certificate is a requirement of council plan sealing.

Scenario 2: You intend to plan seal the development in stages.

Application process: Submit a Staged Water Approval application for the first stage(s) of the development. The first staged application must include a staging plan setting out the proposed stages of connection and a servicing strategy with a sufficient level of detail to identify the demand for each stage and proposed servicing solution and infrastructure required.

We will assess the entire development but issue a Decision Notice for the first stage(s) of development only.
You will then need to submit further Staged Water Approval applications for subsequent stages to suit the sequencing of your construction and plan sealing development assessment requirements. You will receive a separate Decision Notice for each approved stage.

Cost: You will incur application fees and associated Minor or Major Works charges for each stage of development.  

Benefit: The flexibility to pay infrastructure charges and complete works progressively to meet your development requirements

 

Most properties in our service area have an individual private sewer, which drains to a property connection and into the Urban Utilities sewer network. Each property has an individual property connection which is owned and maintained by Urban Utilities.

However, some properties (typically those in older, inner city suburbs) are instead serviced by ‘combined sanitary drains’.

A combined sanitary drain is a communal private sanitary drain that services two or more properties and drains to one common Urban Utilities’ connection point. A combined sanitary drain is not owned or operated by the local council or Urban Utilities.

Their maintenance, operation and installation falls under the Queensland plumbing legislation and as such, any queries relating to existing combined sanitary drains must be forwarded onto the local Council for that area. The pipes which make up combined drains typically have a smaller diameter (100 millimetres, or 4 inches) than a Urban Utilities reticulated sewer.

Download the Combined Sanitary Drains guideline (PDF)

SEQ Sewerage Code - Part 1 (Planning and Design), Clause 5.5.2
V1.2-2016

For servicing the whole of a multiple occupancy lot (strata title, community title, dual occupancy) a single point of connection shall be provided.

SEQ Water Supply Code - Part 1 (Planning and Design), Clause 5.11.12
V1.1-2015

Community title schemes shall be provided with a single service to the property boundary.

Refer to the Code

Note: SEQ Water Supply Code, Clause 5.11.12 refers to water services for domestic supply purposes only.

Property service requirements

Sewer - Single point of connection as per SEQ Sewerage Code. Exceptions can be granted if topographical constraints exist.
Water - As per the October 2015 Schedule of Amendments to the SEQ Water Supply Code, in certain circumstances additional property services are permitted for private fire fighting (refer to 8.8.12, 8.8.8).

Metering requirements

Refer to our Sub-metering Kit and Standard Meter Drawings for guidance on metering.

Lodge a Design Variation to request a variation to the Code or Urban Utilities guidelines.

If you are seeking approval from Council to realign a property boundary or undertake a volumetric subdivision, you may need to provide evidence from Urban Utilities that an existing water or sewerage connection services the lots.

First identify if you are seeking approval to:

a) realign a property boundary, or
b) undertake a volumetric subdivision.

If so, confirm with Council whether evidence is required to prove an existing water and sewerage connection services the lots.

If required, please proceed to request a letter of evidence from us. To help keep things simple, we have provided some simple instructions and criteria below.

Requesting a letter of evidence

To request an evidence of connection letter, please do so while completing our Engineering Search request form.

Step one: In the "Supporting Information" field, indicate you need an:
a) 'evidence of connection letter [property boundary re-alignment]' or
b) 'evidence of connection letter [volumetric subdivision]'.

Step 2: Email the completed Engineering Search form to developmentenquiries@urbanutilities.com.au with your development plans attached.

Once we receive the completed Engineering Search form with correct information, your request will be assessed and where successful, a letter of evidence will be provided to you within 10 business days.

SEQ Sewerage Code - Part 1 (Planning and Design), Clause 5.8 (a)
V1.2-2016

10 metres for DN100 (DN110PE) property connection sewers (may be increased to up to 25 metres for connections in brownfield developments at the discretion of the relevant SEQ-SP).

Refer to the Code

Exceptions for brownfield developments

Urban Utilities may permit DN100 sewer property connections up to 25 metres in length when the location of the existing sewer network may cause increased construction costs or significant work on neighbouring properties.

Brownfield developments should comply with the SEQ Code where feasible, however we will grant exceptions on a case by case basis. Lodge a Design Variation in the Applications Portal to request this exception.

Exceptions will not be granted for greenfield developments.

Contractors may be required to obtain a license to carry out work connecting, disconnecting or altering water networks according to Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) Regulation 2003.

Where a license is required, it is important for hired contractors to complete license checks prior to seeking a permit with Urban Utilities. We are required to report contractors working on our network without the correct licenses to QBCC for investigation.

When does a hired contractor need a license?

Contractors do not need a license if:

• Working on a water reticulation system, sewerage system or stormwater drain that isn’t within private land
• Constructing, extending, repairing or replacing either a water reticulation system, sewerage system or stormwater drain, where infrastructure does not connect a building to a main of the system or drain.

Contractors do need a license if:

• Connecting properties from main to the property boundary. This work requires a “Contractors License”
• Conducting any work inside private property, including subdivisions during construction. This work requires a “Contractors License”, as well as an “Occupational Work License” in the case of plumbing and drainage.

For more information, visit the QBCC website.

SEQ Water Supply Code - Part 1 (Planning and Design) V1.2-2018

Clause 8.8. Also refer to clause 8.6.2, 8.8.3, 8.8.5, 8.8.8-11

Refer to SEQ Water Supply Code

The position of hydrants on water mains shall comply with the following requirements:

Location

• Every property shall have a hydrant within 40m of its front boundary (this requirement can be relaxed for urban residential infill developments where the water mains already exist) (Clause 8.8.8 (a)).
• In urban areas, every property, other than those that are part of a community title scheme, shall have a hydrant within 90m of the furthest point of any existing, proposed, or future Class 1 buildings, measured along the street to the property entrance and around the perimeter of the building (where this requirement cannot be met from hydrants on Urban Utilities mains in public streets, a private fire main must be provided on the property) (Clause 8.8.8 (b)).
• Hydrants shall be installed at crests, low points and other points for operational purposes (Clause 8.8.8 (c)) - refer to additional requirements below.

Spacing

• Hydrants shall be installed at a maximum spacing of 80m (Clause 8.8.8 (d)).

Design considerations for operational purposes

• At high points on reticulation mains to release air during charging, to allow air to enter the main when dewatering and for manual release of any build-up of air (Clause 8.8.10).
• Adjacent to scours at low points for water saving purposes (Clause 8.6.2, 8.8.10).
• To facilitate flushing/swabbing of each section of water main (Clause 8.8.3).
• A minimum of one hydrant is required between two stop valves (Clause 8.8.3).
• At ends of mains adjacent to scours (Clause 8.8.11).

NOTE:

• Hydrant requirements as stated in the SEQ Code are for Urban Utilities' purposes, they are not intended to supplant building firefighting provisions. Refer to State Planning Policy requirements for building firefighting provisions.
• Fire protection within community title scheme developments shall comply with the State Planning Policy requirements.
• Hydrants shall be located inline (+/- 200 mm) with the side real property boundary (Clause 8.8.9).
• Hydrants shall not be located under driveways (Clause 8.8.9).
• Hydrant requirements apply to reticulation mains <=DN300.

Lodge a Design Variation to request a variation to the SEQ Code or Urban Utilities guidelines.

 

 

SEQ Water Supply Code - Part 1 (Planning and Design), Clause 7.9 V1.1-2015

Generally, a fully restrained PE pipe system does not require the use of anchorage. The restrained system may be provided through welded joints, restrained couplings or flanges. Designers shall assess the needs for anchorage i.e. ends of mains or transition between different pipe materials. The transition areas shall be restrained with concrete thrust restraints.

Pipework that is subject to thrust forces must have appropriate thrust restraints (e.g. thrust blocks). For example, PE pipework must have a ductile iron thrust connector with in-line thrust restraint where it transitions to non-PE pipe material.

The purpose is to restrain unbalanced forces and prevent joint separation caused by internal pressure and shortening/lengthening due to temperature changes and Poissons effect.

Refer to the SEQ Code

Thrust block design

Thrust blocks must be designed for a minimum test pressure of 1200kPa. Refer to standard drawings SEQ-WAT-1104-1 (Detail A: In-line connection), 1205-1, 1206-1, 1207-1, 1208-1.

Note: The standard drawings do not apply in soils with less than 50kPa bearing capacity. A geotechnical assessment and individual design is required for these soils.

Design drawings must show the thrust force and direction (refer SEQ-WAT-1101-2).

Important consideration: Where excavation is proposed in the vicinity of existing live pipelines, the effect of removing soil behind unrestrained fittings/thrust blocks must be considered. Alternative thrust restraint must be implemented (or the live pipelines temporarily shut down) to ensure work health and safety risks are addressed.

SEQ Water Supply Code - Part 2 (Construction) V1.1-2015

Extracts from clause 19.4 “Conduct and report testing in accordance with Section 6 of AS/NZS 2566.2:2002 (Buried Flexible Pipelines – Installation) using the test method appropriate for the pipe material as nominated in the AS/NZS standard i.e. Clause 6.3.4.1 (method M4) for DI and PVC pipes and Clause 6.3.4.2 (method M5) for PE pipes.”

“The test pressure shall be minimum 1200 kPa applied as close as practicable to the lowest point of the main, including drinking and non-drinking water systems as per Australian standards.”

“Hydrostatic pressure testing of property services shall be undertaken at the same time and to the same parameters as the water mains.”

“If property services are required to be tested separate to mains testing, ensure the maintap at each connection is opened following the pressure test.”

19.4.4 Under pressure cut-in connections

“Test the connection assembly on the host pipe prior to drilling in accordance with this Clause and any other Water Agency requirements.

Before cutting-in to the host pipe, pressure test the assembly by applying a pressure that is 400 kPa above the operating pressure of the pipeline, but does not exceed 1600 kPa, for a period not less than 3 minutes.

Visually inspect the assembly for leaks.

Accept the pressure test on the assembly if there is:
(a) no visible leakage; and
(b) no failure of any pipe, off-take, valve, joint or any other assembly component.”

Extract from AS2566.2 – Appendix M

"Testing shall not take place against closed valves unless they are fully restrained, and it is possible to check for leakage past the valve seat. Mechanical ends that are not end load resistant shall be temporarily strutted or anchored, to withstand the test pressures without movement."

Please refer to the SEQ Code for further details
Pressure testing results form part of the As-Constructed Package required to gain a Connection Certificate from  Urban Utilities.

As per the SEQ Code, pressure testing is required for all water mains and property service connections.

We recognise that pressure testing may not be practical in the following scenarios:
•    live work cut ins to existing water mains where damage to the existing network could occur
•    small diameter property service connections (<=DN63PE)  that are installed in isolation (i.e. without associated water main).
The RPEQ Engineer can assess practicality of pressure testing in these scenarios and certify the connection in the absence of pressure testing.

This decision should be assessed using engineering judgement, taking into consideration location of the works, site constraints, number of pipe joints, proposed fittings, existing and proposed arrangement, risks and associated consequence of pipe leaks or failure.

The extent of pressure testing should be determined during the design phase and incorporated on the RPEQ certified design drawings, including any temporary fittings necessary to facilitate the testing (e.g. temporary hydrants and drilled and tapped blank flanges).

If you choose to not perform pressure testing and this has been marked on the design, please tick “Not required” in Section B of the As-Constructed Package Certification Form. Note: An updated version of this form will be provided soon.

Urban Utilities reserves the right to impose pressure testing.