Log in
Find out before you dig
Don't hit a water main by accident
Always check before you start excavating to make sure you don't accidentally damage underground pipes, cables or other utility services. You may be financially responsible. Whether you're installing a pool, or working on a commercial site or in the road reserve, get plans of our assets online for free from Before You Dig Australia (BYDA).
How to lodge an enquiry
- Visit Before You Dig Australia 24/7.
- Use the Before You Dig Australia app. Download on the App Store or get it on Google Play.
If you have other questions, contact Before You Dig Australia.
In an emergency
If you need asset locations urgently after hours, call Sydney Water on 13 20 90 24/7. We may be able to give you approximate details of our asset locations. Always confirm the information with Before You Dig Australia.
Always check before you excavate.
What the process looks like
- Visit Before You Dig Australia 24/7 to register or sign in.
- Lodge a free enquiry online to notify registered Before You Dig Australia members who own underground assets near your proposed excavation. They'll be listed in your email response.
- If Sydney Water is on the list, you don’t need to contact us. We’ll respond to you directly and send plans of our assets by email within a few hours.
Make sure you define your dig site accurately when you lodge your enquiry. The plans you receive will only cover the area highlighted in the 'Locality Indication Only' window on your lodgement request. They won’t reflect street address details or any other information in your enquiry.
What you'll receive
We'll send these documents by email:
- coloured PDF plans formatted to A4, A3 or A0 depending on the size of the site identified in your enquiry
- Guide to reading Sydney Water Before You Dig plans
- Important information about Before You Dig terms and conditions.
Essential references
These guides will help you locate our assets:
- Guide to reading Sydney Water Before You Dig plans
- Important information about Before You Dig terms and conditions
- Avoid damaging our pipes
- Technical guidelines: Building over and adjacent to pipe assets (these guidelines supersede the 'Clearances between underground services' fact sheet).