How do I find assets on my property?
If you’re planning a building or renovation project, make sure you check whether there are any water or sewer assets on or near your property.
You can do this yourself by following these steps, or if you’re engaging a consultant or builder for your project, check that they will do this on your behalf as part of their planning.
This will avoid unnecessary and costly delays in your project.
Stormwater pipes are not owned and maintained by Icon water. These are managed by the ACT Government, and they may have their own requirements that affect your building project.
Step 1: Find out what’s in the ground
Find out what's located in the ground
We recommend contacting Before You Dig Australia (BYDA). This free service will provide plans showing Icon Water’s assets (as well as assets for telecommunications, electricity, gas and stormwater) in your work area.
Knowing what assets are where will help you understand any restrictions that could impact your project. It’s much better to know this at the start, otherwise you risk damaging our assets, paying for expensive repairs, or having to change your plans while you’re building.
It’s important to also get information from BYDA on assets in the properties and roads around your property as these assets may also affect where you can build (see our boundary and easements guides for more information). Pipes on your neighbours’ properties might also impact your project because of our ‘pipe protection envelope’ and ‘zone of influence’ requirements (see below). Make sure you include your neighbours’ addresses when asking Before You Dig Australia for information on our infrastructure.
Important: Plans and other information provided by Icon Water must be used as a guide only. You should not rely on these plans alone, because assets sometimes shift from what is shown on plans because of past activities, erosion, subsidence or the slope of the land. It is your responsibility to determine the exact location of our assets by following the steps below, before you start design or construction work.
You may also want to find out where your own services are on your property (like the pipes that run from your water meter into your house) before you start digging. Ask a plumber, electrician or visit Access Canberra. These internal service lines belong to you and we don’t keep records of them at Icon Water.
Check if there is an Icon Water easement on your property and/or if our records indicate that there is sewer or water infrastructure on your property. This information is available from ACTmapi (ACT Government mapping website). Please be aware, that even if there is no easement on your property there may still be an Icon Water or sewer or water infrastructure present. Please also be aware that the location of our infrastructure may not be in the exact centre of the easement. The presence of an easement is only a starting point in determining exactly what type , size and location of sewer and water infrastructure may be on your property.
Step 2: Confirm assets with potholing
Potholing should be carried out before any design or other works.
Potholing (or carefully hand digging) is a reliable method of confirming the location, depth and direction of assets near your proposed works. You can also use other non-destructive techniques like vacuum excavation, air excavation or water excavation but these require more specialist service providers.
The use of mechanical excavation equipment to pothole is not allowed
This is because mechanical excavation uses equipment like post-hole borers, backhoes or excavators and can damage our infrastructure. If you cause damage, you must notify us immediately and it may mean the water and wastewater services supplying you and your neighbours are switched off until we can repair the damage. You will also be responsible for any costs to repair the damage.
How deep are our assets?
The depth of our assets can vary because of past activities, erosion, subsidence or simply the slope of the land – especially gravity sewer mains.
Most water mains are installed 750–800mm below the surface. The depth of sewer mains will depend on factors like whether traffic is allowed over the main or not.
If your BYDA information shows a water main 300mm in diameter or greater please contact us for specialised advice before you do any potholing.
Our assets have been installed to meet minimum cover requirements during construction, but we can’t guarantee these depths still apply today. This is why locating assets before you start is so important.
Step 3: Measure and take photos
Once you can see the service/pipe at the bottom of your pothole, measure the depth from the ground to the top of the pipe with a measuring tape. Then take photos showing:
- Where the pothole is in relation to your property boundaries (e.g. pictures showing the distance to the side and rear fence).
- The end of the tape measure touching the top of the pipe.
- The measurement to ground level of the pothole as shown on the measuring tape.
It should be obvious that a group of photos are from the same single pothole.
Repeat these steps for other potholes on your property. Make sure you mark on a plan or drawing the location of each of your potholes, number each pothole and save the photos with the matching number before filling the holes. You can send these in with your building application but also give them to the builder who you intend to complete your project.
We recommend you engage a qualified surveyor to provide you with an accurate record, and any surface indicators (see below) should also be located and documented.
Step 4: Consider electronic detection
You can engage specialists to use electronic detection technology, in addition to potholing, to positively verify assets.
Metallic and reinforced concrete assets can be detected with electronic detection technology. You might not be able to detect non-metallic assets with this method. Pipe material may also change over distance.
There are a number of certified location companies in the ACT that provide this service. We encourage you to discuss your project with available companies and engage one that meets your needs.
Step 5: Look for surface indicators
Do a physical inspection of the site around where you want to build, checking for any signs/indicators of underground assets. Things to look for include:
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Tip: surface indicators only provide an indication of where an underground asset is located. Do not rely on surface indicators alone to provide an accurate location, as they may not be directly above assets.
Step 6: Determine where and what you can build
To figure out where you can and can’t build, renovate or demolish on your property, and how to get approval, see the following pages:
- Where can I build on my property?
- How do I find assets on my property?
- What makes a good building plan?
You may also find it useful to review our project-specific advice for the most common building and renovation projects:
- Carports and garages
- Fences and walls
- Swimming pools and spas
- Concreting and paving
- Building or widening a driveway
- Demolition
Following these steps will help your project run smoothly.
We’re always happy to help
For general queries, you can contact us directly at talktous@iconwater.com.au. Our team will do their best to respond within 24 hours.
If you need a bit more assistance, or just prefer talking to a person, you can call us on 02 6248 3111 (select option 3).