If you are planning work near our assets, you have obligations when building or moving construction plant. See Working and building near our assets for more information.

Land development

Developers of subdivisions contiguous to our water supply or wastewater reticulation networks, will be required to enter into a Developer Agreement to install water and sewer infrastructure to GWMWater's requirements and standards, servicing the new lots and ratable properties. See Developer works for more information.

Property development

Subdividing, consolidating, or realigning boundaries

You are required to provide each lot with water and sewer main frontage (How can I achieve lot frontage?), and a sewer house connection branch, in accordance with GWMWater’s standards.

Lots are permitted only one water connection and one sewer connection, unless by written agreement.

You may be required to relocate or remove existing connections and install the new connections to GWMWater’s standards.

Where your activity involves extensions or alterations to our network, you will be required to enter into a Developer Agreement. See Developer works for more information.

Common pitfalls:

• No asset plans. Provide concept plans showing how the lots will be provided frontage to the water and sewer mains.
• No easements. Provide 3m wide easements in favour of GWMWater over any sewer mains: the Plan of Subdivision shall specifically state the purpose of sewer easements as “Sewerage” in favour of Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water Corporation. Water mains must be in the road reserve.
• Owners Corporation. If you propose combined sanitary drains or water sub-metering, we require you list these assets on the Owners Corporation: The owners corporation schedule should include the following notation “The owners corporation, affecting Lots __, is responsible for the ownership and maintenance of any combined sanitary drains upstream of GWMWater’s common sewer acceptance”; “The owners corporation, affecting Lots __, is responsible for the ownership and maintenance of any common water service downstream of GWMWater’s service point”

Developing a multiple rated lot (multiple rated dwellings on a single lot)

Each rated dwelling must be connected to water and metered in accordance with GWMWater’s standards (Water Service Connections).

As there is only one lot, only one sewer connection is permitted, unless by written agreement. Each rated dwelling must be connected to this sewer acceptance point by a combined sanitary drain, owned and maintained by the property owner.

Installing a dependent persons unit or small second home

A dependent persons unit (DPU) is known as a ‘small second home’ in Victoria and is defined by the Victorian Building Authority. A key feature of the definition is a floor area equal to or less than 60 square metres.

If the building is considered a small second home, GWMWater treat the small second home as part of the primary dwelling for water and sewer billing purposes and do not require a separate water meter provided the small second home connects via the existing water meter and existing sewer connection of the primary dwelling.

Various other agencies requirements apply. Please consult your local council for more information.

Buildings not considered as small second dwellings will be treated as a multiple rated lot.

How can I achieve lot frontage?

Review the GWMWater Interactive Map to determine if a main fronts your lot(s). If one or more of your proposed lots do not have frontage you may:

• Apply to extend an existing pipeline to front lots under a Developer works Agreement.
• Revise your plan of subdivision to provide each lot with frontage to the existing main.

How can I service my lot?

Once lots have frontage, and any associated subdivision has achieved ‘statement of compliance’, property owners can apply for consent to connect. See Connecting services - GWMWater for more information on the connection process.