Knock down and rebuild
If you’re planning on demolishing your home and building a new home on the same block, there are steps you need to follow.
If you're building, excavating, or landscaping within one metre of our assets or within our easements, we need to approve your plans before you start work to ensure 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.
Protecting water and sewer connections
The existing water meter is to remain in place and accessible for meter readings and is to be protected from the works that are taking place on site. Water meters can only be removed by Yarra Valley Water’s Metering Contractor. Read about how to move or remove your water meter.
If you need to disconnect your sewer you can apply online for approval to either:
- Engage a licensed plumber to cap off the private internal property sewerage drain.
- Engage a Live Sewer Contractor to cut and seal or relocate the Yarra Valley Water sewer connection.
Designing your work around our assets
There are restrictions on the work you can undertake over Yarra Valley Water easements or within one metre of a Yarra Valley Water asset.
Learn about our Build Over Easement (BOE) guidelines.
Apply for approval
Now that you know where assets are located, and that your plans are within the build over easement guidelines, you need to submit your plans for approval.
Your online application form will need to include the full set of plans, including elevation plans and structural plans.
If your plans don't comply with the guidelines, you may be required to undertake remedial works on our assets, or change your plans and reapply. This will incur additional costs.
View a step by step guide for submitting a Build Over easement application online