Home renovations or extensions
If you’re building or excavating within one metre of our assets or easements, you need to submit your plans for approval before you start work.
Our consent ensures your work won't damage or limit access to our assets. Not having the correct approvals in place before you do any work near our pipes could result in:
- The recovery of any costs we incur due to the unauthorised work.
- Difficulties in selling your property in the future.
Find out where pipes are located
Before you start, it is important to know if Yarra Valley Water has any infrastructure or easements within your property. Many structures cannot be placed over sewer mains or other Yarra Valley Water pipes, so it is important that you know where they are located.
You will need water and sewer plans to find out where our infrastructure is within your property. Find out how to get a property asset plan.
Designing your work around our assets
There are restrictions on the work you can undertake over easements in favour of Yarra Valley Water, or within one metre of a Yarra Valley Water asset. It is important that you ensure your design plans are compliant with our guidelines.
Designing your works in accordance with our guidelines will help to protect Yarra Valley Water’s assets from damage. Following the guidelines also means that in the future you could avoid the cost and inconvenience of removing structures to allow us to undertake maintenance or emergency repairs of the water and sewer network.
Learn more about our Build Over Easement (BOE) guidelines.
YVW and property owner sewer branch responsibilities
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.
Applying for approval to build
If you’re building, excavating, or landscaping within one metre of our assets or within an easement, you need to get approval before you start work by submitting a build over easement application online.
You will need to include a full set of site plans, including elevation plans and structural plans if applicable, with your application.
View a step by step guide for submitting a Build Over easement application online
It is the property owner and/or developer’s responsibility to ensure any development complies with the guidelines. If your plans don’t comply with our guidelines, you may be required to undertake remedial works, or change your plans and reapply. This will incur additional costs.