Building near sewerage infrastructure
Section 148 of the Water Act 1989, states that a property owner requires consent from Yarra Valley Water before building a structure or placing soil, rock or other matter over land containing Yarra Valley Water sewer infrastructure (such as a sewer pipe, manhole, inspection shaft or another access point) or land containing an easement.
A ‘structure’ includes but is not limited to:
- garden sheds
- water tanks
- barbecues
- pergolas
- cubby houses
- fences
- garages
- home extensions
- granny flats
- landscaping
If a structure already exists over sewer infrastructure, the encumbrance certificate in the Section 32 should include the details of either Yarra Valley Water’s consent or, because consent was not applied for or provided by Yarra Valley Water, details of the Delayed Demolition Order that was issued by Yarra Valley Water.
Where a structure has been built without Yarra Valley Water’s consent and no Delayed Demolition Notice issued, there will be no encumbrance details in the Section 32. Therefore Yarra Valley Water may require that it be removed immediately or may place a Delayed Demolition Order on the structure to enable access in the future if required.
Yarra Valley Water’s (YVW) responsibility of the sewer connection point is dependent on the location of the sewer main and the first Inspection Opening (I.O), which may be above or below ground. YVW and property owner responsibilities for the sewer connection points are outlined here.
If you are planning on undertaking any work on your property it is important that you ensure your design plans are compliant with our guidelines. If they don't, you may be required to undertake remedial works or change your plans and reapply, which will incur additional costs.
Learn more about our Build Over Easement (BOE) guidelines.
Apply for approval
Before you start work, your plans need to be approved by Yarra Valley Water. To do this, you need to submit a Build Over Easement application online. Please include a full set of site plans with your application, including elevation plans and structural plans if applicable.