Working near or over our assets

You will need approval when working near or over our assets. Find out whether you need approval, what to do and how to apply. 

Protecting our water supply

Protecting our assets helps ensure a safe and reliable water supply for everyone. So it’s important our pipes, manholes and other equipment don’t get damaged.

If you plan to dig, pile, blast or build near or over our assets (pipes or manholes), you will need our approval to start work as these activities could cause damage or prevent us from maintaining those assets.

‘Works Over’ approval will depend on how close your work will be to our assets. The information below will help you determine whether you need approval and if so, how to go about it.

Before applying for approval

What you need to know to make an assessment.

Is your work area near our assets?

Here’s how to check.

Find your site on the  GIS map. 
Check for pipes and manholes that are on or near your site: blue for water, red for wastewater, and green for stormwater (note that the stormwater network is managed by Auckland Council’s Healthy Waters).
Click on the asset to view its GIS ID, status, material, diameter, process, and the type of network to which it belongs. The important things to note are network (transmission or local) and, for wastewater pipes, the process (gravity or rising). If necessary, use the measuring tool to estimate how close your work will be to our assets.

What ‘near to our assets’ means

The requirements and definitions for works near a Watercare asset are set out in Section 8 of the Auckland Council Water Supply and Wastewater Network Bylaw 2015.

Critical and non-critical assets

Our pipeline assets are divided into two groups – critical and non-critical.

Critical assets include: 

transmission network pipes of any size
wastewater rising mains of any size 
local network pipes 300mm diameter or greater.

Non-critical pipeline assets include all other local network pipes less than 300mm in diameter, except rising mains.

Requirements for working near our assets

Within 10 metres of a critical asset

Obtain Works Over Approval.
Do not build over chambers, valves, manholes, rising mains and connections.
Do not CCTV transmission pipes.
Affected pipes need to be accurately located on the site An investigation approval may be required.
For health and safety reasons, Watercare approval (networkauthorization for local network assets and Works Over Approval for transmission network assets) is required to access our networks.
Proposed structures (including pipes, road works, buildings and retaining walls) shall be designed to ensure that no additional loading is imposed on any Watercare asset.
Please refer to our  Code of Practice and WW26, WW27 and WW28 of Standard Drawings for the minimum clearances from our assets, bridging details and piling requirements. 
Inspections, stand-over and sign off requirements will be specified in the approval conditions.
For any enquiries reach out to [email protected]

Within two metres of a non-critical asset

Obtain Works Over Approval.
Do not build over chambers, valves, manholes, rising mains and connections.
If you are working close to the watermain you will need to submit a plan showing actual clearance of your work. Please submit these plans when you lodge your worksover application.
If you are working on the road corridor, installing/upgrading new vehicle crossing, all Watercare assets must be marked out and identified. Watermain can be located either by spear and pothole or hydro excavation while wastewater mains can be located via CCTV inspection. Apply and lodge a worksover application and submit these information before starting work.
Affected pipes must be clearly marked out.
For health and safety reasons, Watercare approval (networkauthorization) is required to access our networks.
Pre-construction CCTV inspection of gravity wastewater pipes may be required. (No older than six months).
An affected pipe that is damaged or in poor condition will require remedial actions that are accepted by Watercare, at applicant’s expense.
Proposed structures (including pipes, road works, buildings and retaining walls) shall be designed to ensure that no additional loading is imposed on any Watercare asset. 
Please refer to our Code of Practice and WW26 and WW27 of Standard Drawings for clearances from our assets, bridging details and piling requirements.   
Post-construction CCTV inspection is required if specified in the works over approval.
Sign-off, if required, will depend on the results of the specified inspections and stand-over.

Regulations and guidelines

There are regulations and guidelines for safe working practices, and penalties for carrying out unauthorised work. You’ll find these here.

Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 
Local Government Act 2002 and 2009
The Utilities Access Act 2010, and its related Code of Practice
Department of Labour - “Guide for Safety with Underground Services”

Regardless of whether you are applying for works on private or public land, it's very important that the following points are adhered to when completing your application. Sticking to these requirements makes it easier for our team and eliminates some of the back-and-forth nature of the process.