Your water service connection responsibilities

If you’ve applied for a new water service connection, know your responsibilities.

These may differ depending on your property’s location and what services are available.

Looking after your water meter

It’s important to keep your water meter clear and accessible. We need to be able to read, repair and replace your meter safely when required.

Property owners/ occupiers are responsible for:

• Keeping a clearance of 300mm around the meter and 1200mm above the meter. This includes clearance from boundary fences, driveways and walls.
• Letting us know if your property’s ground level impacts access to the meter. You’re responsible for costs associated with raising/ lowering the water meter or box to the appropriate level.
• Removing build-up of soil inside the box.
• Telling us immediately if your meter is damaged/ missing.

Meter clearance requirements

Do you need to disconnect your meter when demolishing a house?

If you plan to demolish, it’s important to secure or disconnect the water meter on your property. You need to tell us before demolishing, so we can recommend the best approach.

If you need to disconnect your meter:

• Contact a licensed plumber to disconnect the plumbing on the property side
• Submit a water service application

Read more about your meter responsibilities when demolishing a house.

Are you building?

Building or excavating can affect our assets. We need to protect the community’s water and wastewater services. Our assets also need to have easy access for maintenance and emergencies.

Property owners/ occupiers need to:

• Submit building plans to us and the local council before any work begins.
• Get written approval for works within the vicinity of our services. This includes to drill, bore, excavate, demolish, fence, plant or use impact equipment.

You're required by law to let us know of any building activity. Failure to do so may result in a fine and could affect the future sale of the property.

Do you require a backflow prevention device?

Backflow is the reversal of the normal water flow in a water supply. Backflow prevention devices reduce the risk of contaminating our water supply.

Have you recently submitted a building development application? Or applied for redevelopment or changes to existing water services? If so, we may have assessed your application for backflow prevention.

You are responsible for ensuring your builder complies with building approvals. This includes installing appropriate backflow prevention, based on the property’s risk rating.

Learn more about backflow prevention.

Wastewater connections

Your property connects to our wastewater mains. It’s an offence to connect private plumbing work to our connection point without approval. Health risks can occur when correct precautions aren’t taken.

Property owners/ occupiers are responsible for:

• The cost of clearing blockages within your property boundary.
• Not discharging  into the system if we have let you know there is a blockage in the main.
• Not using food waste disposal units that discharge into our main.
• Using Standards Mark or WaterMark approved pipe, fittings and fixtures. For example, baths, basins, sinks and shower recesses, as appropriate to Standards Australia.

Flushing the wrong items down toilets and sinks can cause blockages. This damages your home and our wastewater system.

Do you receive drainage services?

We manage and operate over 40% of Perth’s urban drainage network. Our main drains exist in addition to Local Government Authority infrastructure. This is to help prevent flooding and removing excess stormwater.

If your property benefits from drainage services, charges will apply to your account.