MGP

Building Plan Approval
Building Plan Approval

If you are building or renovating it is more than likely that you will need Sydney Water approval.

Your Development Application (DA) from Council or Complying Certificate (CC) paperwork, will state that you need to get approval via a process called Sydney Water Building Plan Approval or Sydney Water Tap In. 

To enable you to go ahead with your proposed building work you will need Building Plan Approval.

Full assessment of your application and building plans by a technical expert will determine if your proposed works will affect Sydney Water assets. Either you can do the first assessment stage yourself online at Sydney Water Tap in  or MGP can complete this on your behalf for $250+gst.

The Tap in service will either approve your plans or they will refer you to a Sydney Water Water Servicing Coordinator (WSC), like MGP, for further assessment, advice and additional costs.

Building Plan Approval

If you are building or renovating it is more than likely that you will need Sydney Water approval.

Your Development Application (DA) from Council or Complying Certificate (CC) paperwork, will state that you need to get approval via a process called Sydney Water Building Plan Approval or Sydney Water Tap In. 

To enable you to go ahead with your proposed building work you will need Building Plan Approval.

Full assessment of your application and building plans by a technical expert will determine if your proposed works will affect Sydney Water assets. Either you can do the first assessment stage yourself online at Sydney Water Tap in  or MGP can complete this on your behalf for $250+gst.

The Tap in service will either approve your plans or they will refer you to a Sydney Water Water Servicing Coordinator (WSC), like MGP, for further assessment, advice and additional costs.

The Process

The standard process for sewer pipes up to 300mm in size is as follows:

  • Come to your property to accurately locate the Sydney Water structures on/near the property (peg out);
  • MGP will issue you a report of our findings (depth and location of structures called a Service Protection Report). This information will then need to be plotted onto your plans to gauge the impact and sent back to MGP for review;
  • If you are over or in the zone of influence of a pipe or Sydney Water structure (manhole, lamphole, ventshaft) we will then provide you with advice on the required clearances for these structure(s). Structural drawings will be required and when MGP are satisfied that clearances are achieved to protect the Sydney Water structure(s), and that there will be no impact on Sydney Water assets then we’ll be able to approve and stamp your plans;
  • Client/owner to issue stamped plans to your certifier to enable work to proceed;
  • MGP will be required to return at the construction phase to carry out any inspection works that were noted on the stamped plans and issue any supporting paperwork to Sydney Water.
Non-Standard Sydney Water Assets 

For non-standard Sydney Water structures/assets there are additional stages, costs and timeframes; this process is called Out of Scope Building Plan Approval (BPA). 

Typically an Out of Scope BPA assessment is required when proposed building works are;

  • Near or over a non-pipe sewer infrastructure (eg tunnel, oviform), assets over 300mm in size
  • Any water or recycled water pipe
  • Any ventshaft
  • Proposed works on land with a Sydney Water easement
  • Proposed works on land with Sydney Water owned stormwater infrastructure within 10m of the property boundary
  • Construction of a retaining wall over one (1) metre
  • Any basement excavation deeper than 3m (and construction works) over or adjacent to a Sydney Water asset including any works resulting in anchors within or through the zone of influence of the Sydney Water asset
  • Any dewatering

An Out of Scope BPA assessment will require a Service Protection Report, Architectural and Structural drawings with clearances and protection measures specified, in addition you will be required to provide a Specialist Engineering Report by a certified Civil Engineer, Construction Methodology, Geotechnical Report and often CCTV. 

Each project needs to be reviewed individually and the MGP team will provide you with a detailed requirements list. All documentation will then need to be submitted by MGP on your behalf for Sydney Water to assess. This initial assessment by Sydney Water can take between 12-14 weeks. If they are satisfied then they will issue an approval, and MGP can then stamp your plans. Further documentation may be requested by Sydney Water and an additional assessment period required.

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