Terms and conditions

Building Plan Approval

The Conditions and Important Information for Building Plan Approvals apply if you order a Building Plan Approval.

Conditions and Important Information for Building Plan Approvals

1. The approval of your building plan by Sydney Water (Approval) has been generated by an automated system based on the information you have provided to Sydney Water through Sydney Water Tap in. Sydney Water does not make any representation or give any guarantee, warranty or undertaking (express or implied) as to the currency, accuracy, completeness, effectiveness or reliability of the Approval.

2. It is your responsibility to ensure that the information is correct and complete when submitting your building plan for approval through Sydney Water Tap in and, if any of the information is incorrect or incomplete, to resubmit information that is correct and complete. If any of the information that you have provided is incorrect or incomplete, this may result in the revocation of the Approval.

3. The Approval is provided on each of the following conditions which you are taken to have accepted by using the Approval. To the fullest extent permitted by law:

(a) all conditions and guarantees concerning the Approval (whether as to quality, outcome, fitness, care, skill or otherwise) expressed or implied by statute, common law, equity, trade, custom or usage or otherwise are expressly excluded and to the extent that those statutory guarantees cannot be excluded, the liability of Sydney Water to you is limited to either of the following as nominated by Sydney Water in its discretion, which you agree is your only remedy:

(i) the supplying of the Approval again; or

(ii) payment of the cost of having the Approval supplied again;

(b) in no event will Sydney Water be liable for, and you release Sydney Water from all Losses arising out of or in connection with you providing incorrect or incomplete information to Sydney Water in connection with the Approval:

(i) whether arising under statute or in contract, tort or any other legal doctrine, including any negligent act, omission or default (including wilful default) by Sydney Water; and

(ii) regardless of whether Sydney Water is or ought to have been aware of, or advised of, the possibility of such loss, costs or damages;

(c) you will indemnify, defend and hold harmless Sydney Water from and against all Losses of Sydney Water in respect of, or in connection with loss or damage to any property, personal injury (including death or illness of any person), arising out of or in connection with:

(i) you providing incorrect or incomplete information to Sydney Water in connection with the Approval; or

(ii) any third party claim against Sydney Water; and

(d) you assume all risks associated with the use of the Sydney Water Tap in and Sydney Water websites, including risk to your computer, software or data being damaged by any virus, and you release and discharge Sydney Water from all Losses which might arise in respect of your use of the websites.

4. Subject to condition numbered 3(c) in this document, your liability under condition numbered 3(c) in this document is reduced to the extent that the loss, liability, expense or damage:

(a) is caused solely and directly by any negligent act or omission of Sydney Water; or

(b) could not reasonably be foreseen and was not reasonably within the contemplation of you and Sydney Water at the time of the loss, liability, expense or damage.

5. The position of the proposed building/building works in relation to Sydney Water's pipes and structures is satisfactory. You are responsible for, amongst other things:

(a) protecting underground structures, including Sydney Water's pipelines, from damage and interference;

(b) maintaining minimum clearances between Sydney Water's structures and structures belonging to others;

(c) preventing loss or damage to any property, personal injury (including death or illness of any person) arising out of or in connection with you providing incorrect or incomplete information to Sydney Water in connection with the Approval;

(d) repairing or making good loss or damage to any property or the environment arising out of or in connection with you providing incorrect or incomplete information to Sydney Water in connection with the Approval;

(e) ensuring that connections to Sydney Water's sewer, water main or stormwater are only be made following the issue of a permit to a licensed plumber/drainer;

(f) ensuring that all proposed fittings will drain to Sydney Water's sewer;

(g) ensuring that all plumbing and/or drainage Work is to be carried out in accordance with the NSW Code of Practice, AS 3500 and the Sydney Water Act 1994;

(h) ensuring that gullies, inspection shafts and boundary traps are not placed under any roof, balcony, verandah, floor or other cover unless otherwise approved by Sydney Water; and

(i) notifying Sydney Water immediately of any damage caused or threat of damage to Sydney Water’s structures.

6. 'Sydney Water' means Sydney Water Corporation and its employees, agents, representatives and contractors. References to ‘you’ include references to your employees, agents, representatives, contractors, executors, administrators, successors, substitutes, assigns and anyone else using the Approval. References to 'Losses' means all liabilities, losses, damages, expenses, compensations, fines, penalties, charges and costs (including legal costs on a full indemnity basis and whether incurred or awarded) of any kind or nature however they arise and whether they are present or future, fixed or unascertained, actual or contingent and including any loss of profits, loss of revenue or loss of opportunity. To the extent of any inconsistency, the conditions numbered 1 to 6 in this document will prevail over any other information provided or made available to you by Sydney Water. In an emergency, or to notify Sydney Water of damage or threats to its structures, call 13 20 92 (24 hours, 7 days).

Sewer Service Diagram

The Disclaimer for Sewer Service Diagrams applies if you order a Sewer Service Diagram.

Disclaimer for Sewer Service Diagrams

By accessing and purchasing the Sewer Service Diagrams (SSDs), you agree to be bound by the terms set out below.

If you disagree with any part of the terms, you should not purchase the SSD.

The SSDs available for purchase have been prepared and submitted by third parties external to Sydney Water Corporation and there is no guarantee that the SSDs are accurate. We are not the regulatory authority responsible for the content and accuracy of SSDs. We have not approved, recommended or endorsed the SSDs available for purchase and we make no representations or warranties about any content and accuracy of any SSD. No warranties or representations To the extent permitted by law, the SSD is provided 'as is' and we make no representations or warranties that it is:

(a) accurate, reliable, complete, current or fit for purpose; or

(b) free from errors, omissions or defects. 

No liability 

To the extent permitted by law:

(a) you are responsible for making your own assessment about the accuracy, reliability and completeness of any SSD; and

(b) we do not accept any responsibility or liability for any injury, loss, damage, cost or expense you might incur by accessing, using or relying on an SSD. Customers requiring a diagram for conveyancing purposes If you require a diagram for conveyancing you should purchase a service location print using Sydney Water Tap in. 

Governing law 

The proper law of Sydney Water Tap in is the law of New South Wales, Australia. 

Confirmation to proceed

By proceeding with your order, you agree that you have read the information contained within The Disclaimer for Sewer Service Diagrams.

Service Location Print

The Important Information for Service Location Prints applies if you order a Service Location Print. Important Information for Service Location Prints The material provided or made available to you by Sydney Water (including on the Sydney Water website) in relation to your Service Location Print (Information) is provided on each of the following conditions, which you are taken to have accepted by using the Information:

1. The Information has been generated by an automated system based on the selected property in the 'Select a property' window in Sydney Water Tap in. It is your responsibility to ensure that you select the correct properly when submitting your Service Location Print application and, if the Information does not match the property, to resubmit your application for the correct property.

2. Sydney Water does not make any representation or give any guarantee, warranty or undertaking (express or implied) as to the currency, accuracy, completeness, effectiveness or reliability of the Information. The Information, including Sydney Water plans and work-as-executed diagrams amongst other things: 

(a) may not show all existing structures, including Sydney Water’s pipelines, particularly in relation to newer developments and in relation to structures owned by parties who do not order a Service Location Print; 

(b) may be out of date and not show changes to surface levels, road alignments, fences, buildings and the like; 

(c) is approximate only and is therefore not suitable for scaling purposes; and

(d) does not show locations of property services (often called house service lines) belonging to or servicing individual customers, which are usually connected to Sydney Water’s structures.

3. You are responsible for, amongst other things:

(a) exposing underground structures, including Sydney Water’s pipelines, by pot-holing using hand-held tools or vacuum techniques so as to determine the precise location and extent of structures before any mechanical means of excavation are used;

(b) the safe and proper excavation of and for underground works and structures, including having regard to the fact that asbestos cement pipelines, which can pose a risk to health, may form part of Sydney Water's water and sewerage reticulation systems;

(c) protecting underground structures, including Sydney Water's pipelines, from damage and interference;

(d) maintaining minimum clearances between Sydney Water's structures and structures belonging to others;

(e) ensuring that backfilling of excavation work in the vicinity of Sydney Water’s structures complies with Sydney Water's standards contained on its website or otherwise communicated to you;

(f) notifying Sydney Water immediately of any damage caused or threat of damage to Sydney Water's structures;

(g) ensuring that plans are approved by Sydney Water (usually signified by stamping) prior to landscaping or building over or in the vicinity of any Sydney Water structure; and

(h) ensuring that the Information is used only for the purposes for which Sydney Water intended.

4. You acknowledge that you use the Information at your own risk. In consideration for the provision of the Service Location Print service and the Information by Sydney Water, to the fullest extent permitted by law:

(a) all conditions and guarantees concerning the Information (whether as to quality, outcome, fitness, care, skill or otherwise) expressed or implied by statute, common law, equity, trade, custom or usage or otherwise are expressly excluded and to the extent that those statutory guarantees cannot be excluded, the liability of Sydney Water to you is limited to either of the following as nominated by Sydney Water in its discretion, which you agree is your only remedy:

(i) the supplying of the Information again; or

(ii) payment of the cost of having the Information supplied again;

(b) in no event will Sydney Water or be liable for, and you release Sydney Water from, any Loss arising from or in connection with the Information, including the use of or inability to use the Information and delay in the provision of the Information:

(i) whether arising under statute or in contract, tort or any other legal doctrine, including any negligent act, omission or default (including wilful default) by Sydney Water; and

(ii) regardless of whether Sydney is or ought to have been aware of, or advised of, the possibility of such loss, costs or damages;

(c) you will indemnify Sydney Water against any Loss arising from or in connection with Sydney Water providing incorrect or incomplete information to you in connection with the Service Location Print service; and

(d) you assume all risks associated with the use of the Sydney Water Tap in and Sydney Water websites, including risk to your computer, software or data being damaged by any virus, and you release and discharge Sydney Water from all Loss which might arise in respect of your use of the websites.

Asset Construction Drawings

By accessing and purchasing a copy of an Asset Construction Drawing (ACD) you agree to be bound by the terms and conditions set out below including the Disclaimer and Licence. If you disagree with any part of the terms and conditions, then you should not purchase an ACD.

Disclaimer and Licence to use ACD

The ACD available for purchase may have been prepared by third parties external to Sydney Water for Sydney Water. Sydney Water provides you with the ACD on an 'as is' basis and neither makes any representations nor provides you with any warranties that the ACD is: accurate, reliable, complete, current or fit for purpose. Sydney Water has not approved, recommended or endorsed the ACD. To the extent permitted by law, Sydney Water excludes all liability for any injury, loss, damage, cost or expense you might incur by accessing, using or relying on an ACD. You are responsible for making your own assessment about the accuracy, reliability and completeness of any ACD provided to you by Sydney Water.

Sydney Water owns all intellectual property rights, including copyright, in the ACD. By providing you a copy of the ACD, Sydney Water grants you a limited right to use the ACD for your own non-commercial purposes. The right of use granted to you by Sydney Water to use the ACD does not include a right for you to resupply a copy of the ACD for commercial purposes, charge others to buy or access the ACD, or modify the ACD. You must not remove any copyright notices of Sydney Water. You must include the copyright notice '©SydneyWater' with any material you copy from the ACD for your non-commercial use (if there is no copyright notice). 

Definition of Sydney Water

'Sydney Water' means Sydney Water Corporation and its employees, agents, representatives and contractors. References to 'you' include references to your employees, agents, representatives, contractors and anyone else using the Information. References to 'Loss' include any loss, cost, expense, claim, liability or damage (including arising in connection with personal injury, death or any damage to or loss of property and economic or consequential loss, lost profits, loss of revenue, loss of management time, opportunity costs or special damages).