Adding swimming pools and spas
Before you build a new pool or spa, make sure you understand where it can and can’t go (including surrounding fencing).
You must have a building application approved by Icon Water before any work begins (even if your pool is exempt from ACT Government planning requirements).
This information should be read together with the following pages:
Step 1: Understand ACT Government planning rules
Discuss your project with an urban planning professional or the ACT Government who can give you further guidance on urban planning requirements. We do not provide urban planning advice.
Step 2: Check for Easements
An easement is a section of your property that others have the right to use and access in specific situations, to keep your water, sewer, stormwater, electricity, or gas services working properly.
Because of this, you can’t build any permanent structures over easements, even if they don’t contain infrastructure. Easements are usually shown on your title or lease document. You can also search your property, and find more information about any easements, at ACTmapi.
Step 3: Check for our assets
Sometimes, especially in older suburbs, we may have infrastructure on your property that isn’t located within an easement. It is important you locate our assets on your property during your planning stage because they could further restrict where you can build.
You might not be able to see our infrastructure on your property, but if it’s there we must have clear and unrestricted access so we can continue to provide sewer and water services to you and the community.
It’s important that you know how far below the ground our pipes are when planning your new pool. If we need to excavate our pipes, there needs to be enough distance between our excavation and your pool so your pool won’t distort or collapse while people are working in the open trench.
See how to locate assets for more information, including details on the free national service Before You Dig Australia.
Step 4: Check your access requirements
You can’t build a structure that prevents us from bringing machinery in to access our pipes, manholes and other infrastructure on your property. If we can’t get machinery in, we can’t repair or replace assets in an emergency or during planned maintenance.
We have two types of access requirements:
Maintenance access – If there is a water or sewer main at the back of your property, we will need maintenance access to drive machinery or other equipment to repair and eventually replace the main.
Emergency access – If there is a sewer manhole on your property, we must have 24/7 emergency access.
Both types of access can be through your garage or carport as long it is big enough (taking into account door heights).
Step 5: Check if you need mandatory pool fencing
Mandatory pool or spa fencing (i.e. fencing that’s required by legislation) is different to other types of boundary or general fencing.
We do not manage or approve mandatory pool or spa fencing approval – but it’s important the footings for your fencing don’t impact our mains or other infrastructure (see where can I build on my property?).
Step 6: Check how close you can build to our infrastructure
When planning and building a new structure there are two important guides as to how close you can build to our infrastructure – the Pipe Protection Envelope (PPE) and the Zone of Influence (ZOI).
Pipe Protection Envelope: Your structure must be outside the Pipe Protection Envelope (or PPE). This is a space above and below ground surrounding our pipes and other infrastructure. The exact width and height of the PPE will vary depending on the type and depth of our pipe. You must keep this space clear so we can safely excavate our pipe without undermining your structure. More about the Pipe Protection Envelope for pipe types;
- Gravity sewer pipes: the PPE width depends on the size of the pipe and its depth below the ground. The height above ground of the PPE for gravity sewer pipes depends on the depth and diameter of the pipe.
- Pressurised pipes (such as water mains and pumped sewer mains): the PPE width depends on the size of the pipe and its depth below the ground. The height above ground of the PPE for pressurised pipes in infinite, i.e. no overhanging structures such as roof eaves can extend over the PPE
- For very deep pipes we might need to use specialised excavation equipment. This equipment takes up more space so please contact us for further advice.
The dimensions of the PPE and easements may be different. Your proposed structure must comply with both requirements.
Zone of Influence: You also need to consider the ‘Zone of Influence’ (or ZOI). This is the area below the ground either side of a pipe where the weight of your structure will impact or place pressure on our pipes and may cause them to crack or break (older pipes are particularly vulnerable). This is different to the PPE.
You can build in the ZOI if you take additional measures that allow the weight of your structure to be supported away from our pipe and outside the PPE.
These requirements also apply to pool pumps and other pool equipment like conduits and backwash tanks. If we have to move or remove equipment within the PPE it won’t be reinstated.
Step 7: Prepare and submit a building application
Once you have decided on the details of your proposed construction we recommend engaging a professional to develop a design and engineering drawings and submit them to us with an application for approval.
Before you submit your application, remember these four key things:
- Do any easements on my property restrict where my pool can go?
- Have I considered the pipes or other assets on my property and how deep they are?
- Is my pool and other equipment located outside the pipe protection envelope?
- Is my pool, when full of water, fully supported away from any underground pipes?
See what makes a good building plan for more information.
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).