Keeping our pipes protected from damage and accessible for maintenance is incredibly important. So if you are planning work near or above our pipes, you'll need to get approval first. This can be done as part of the building approval.

Visit the Research my land page for services to help you locate our infrastructure. You should also contact your local council for their 'Build over Stormwater' requirements.

An assessment must be managed for you by a licensed certifier (private or council). They will advise whether the building work complies with the Queensland Development Code MP1.4 Building Over or Near Infrastructure (QDC MP1.4) (PDF).

If it doesn’t comply, you can propose an alternative design solution through a Build over Asset referral.

There are three types of Build over Asset referrals; Lodge form 32, Self-Assessment Referral and Full-Assessment Referral. These referrals depend on the building design’s compliance with a Queensland Development Code MP1.4 Building Over or Near Infrastructure (QDC MP1.4) and our Alternative Solutions Guideline.


Does the building work comply with: Type of Build Over Asset referral 

QDC MP1.4
Acceptable Solutions?

 Alternative Solutions Guideline?
Yes
 N/A
 A. Lodge Form 32
Processing time: N/A
No
 Yes
 B. Self-Assessment Referral
Processing time: Five business days
No
 No
 C. Full Assessment Referral
Processing time: 20 business days

The process for each type of referral is outlined below, or you can read our fact sheet Build Over Asset referrals: Advice for building certifiers 

How to lodge a Build over Asset referral

Lodge form 32 (Compliance advice for QDC MP1.4)
  1. Download and complete Form 32 from the Department of Housing and Public Works
  2. Email the form to development.boa@urbanutilities.com.au
  3. We will save the form to our records in case of potential future impact on our network.

Note: Form 32 is to be submitted by private building certifiers.

Self-Assessment Referral

Queensland Urban Utilities will no longer be accepting Self-Assessment referrals from 1, March 2019.

Use the Alternative Solutions Guideline (PDF) to assess if the building design is eligible for self-assessment (this must be done by an RPEQ engineer or building certifier).

Email the following to development.boa@urbanutilities.com.au

Note: All of this documentation must be included in your referral for it to be deemed properly made. Certifiers cannot issue a building approval without Queensland Urban Utilities’ response to the self-assessment.

Upon receiving your referral, we will send you a Charges Notice for the $101.00 referral fee.

Pay the fee to commence our review of your Self-Assessment Referral.

We will email you a formal response within five business days*.

*If your submission is deemed incomplete due to missing or incorrect documentation, this may extend the assessment time.
Full Assessment Referral

Email the following to development.boa@urbanutilities.com.au

Note: All of this documentation must be included in your referral for it to be deemed properly made.

Upon receiving your referral, we will email you a Charges Notice for the $486.00 assessment fee.

Pay the fee to commence our full assessment of your properly made referral.

We will email you an Assessment Notice within 20 business days*. The notice will contain approval conditions for the building design.

*If your submission is deemed incomplete due to missing or incorrect documentation, this may extend the assessment time.

 

If you have a sewer manhole, also known as a maintenance hole, in your yard, it indicates there is a sewer running through your property.

We need to be able to access these manholes to undertake maintenance activities such as clearing blockages, routine cleaning, camera inspection or repair/replacement.

If you’re doing work on your property that affects the sewerage pipeline, you’ll need to lodge a Property Service Connection application in our Development Applications Portal

Tips to keep manholes/maintenance holes accessible

  • Cut back shrubs and grass around the manhole
  • Don’t park vehicles over the manhole
  • Don’t build any structures or establish a garden over the top
  • Don’t bury the manhole
  • If you need assistance determining whether a sewer runs through your property or the size and depth of the sewer, you can request an engineering search.

Manhole alterations

During construction or excavation at your property, you may need to make an alteration to the manhole.

How do I arrange for a manhole to be raised or lowered?

For all property types, submit a Property Service Connection application in our Developer Applications portal. 

When completing your online application select 'Wastewater Alteration' under Connection details and provide details in the Additional Information section.

We will assess your application and identify the classification of the manhole. If it is classified as a G type manhole and you are raising it up to one metre, we will give you the option of proceeding under our standard connection process. All other classifications of manholes, raising above one metre, and all lowering manhole applications will be processed under our endorsed consultant certification scheme for minor works.