What is a Section 73 Compliance Certificate?
A Section 73 Compliance Certificate is a certificate issued under S73 of the Sydney Water Act 1994. This is confirmation that you have:
- built works (eg. extensions or amplifications to Sydney Water's systems) to ensure your development has correctly sized mains available for connection.
- paid any Sydney Water charges.
- completed any other requirements .
I'm planning to build, develop or subdivide - do I need a Section 73 Compliance Certificate?
You may need a Section 73 Compliance Certificate if your development or subdivision will impact on Sydney Water's systems. This can include:
- creating a dual occupancy
- subdividing land, or
- constructing a residential, commercial or industrial building.
You do not need a Section 73 Compliance Certificate if you are constructing a house that is replacing an existing dwelling or altering/extending a house (but you should get your building plans checked and stamped at a Sydney Water office or Quick Check outlet).
How does this relate to my Development Application?
Your consent authority requires a Development Application unless your proposal is exempt. Most types of development affect Sydney Water's water and/or sewer systems. That authority may therefore require you to obtain a Section 73 Compliance Certificate.
You will need to obtain your certificate and to meet all conditions of consent before you receive final authority approval to occupy the building or register your subdivision at the Land Property and Information office
How do I get a Section 73 Compliance Certificate?
Step 1. Engage Olsen Infrastructure as the Water Servicing Coordinator for electronic processing:
Contact Olsen Infrastructure to discuss your project and potential costs
Please provide Olsen Infrastructure with:
- The current application fee (contact Olsen Infrastructure for current fee schedule)
- A copy of the development/subdivision plan as approved or proposed. The scale must be 1:500 or 1:1000, showing area of each lot.
- A copy of your Development Consent (You may apply for advice on what you need to do to obtain your Certificate before you have the Consent. However, an additional application fee will apply).
Note: Provision of the plan in electronic format (AutoCAD dwg format ) and/or consent in electronic or scanned format.
If you plan an unsubdivided dual occupancy, you should consider requirements for future subdivision. This can avoid additional costs such as moving newly laid services.
Step 2. Receive a Notice of Requirements
You will receive a Notice of Requirements from Olsen Infrastructure in which Sydney Water will specify what you need to do to obtain your certificate. The notice will be based on an assessment of your proposal and its impact on Sydney Water's systems. It will specify:
- works needed to ensure each lot in your development has a frontage to a water main and a connection point to a sewer main (private water/sewer service lines in easements or joint service arrangements are not acceptable).
- charges payable (see Step 3).
- any other requirements such as amplification or adjustment of the system or building over sewer protection.
If applying before receiving consent, you will receive an advice called a Feasibility Letter.
Step 3. Pay charges and build works
Charges may include:
- developer charges.
- contract administration fees.
- reticulation recovery fees (your contribution towards reticulation works benefiting your development already provided by Sydney Water or another developer).
If works need to be built:
You can engage Olsen Infrastructure to facilitate the design and construction of the works at your cost. You must sign the agreement covering the works included with your Notice and return both copies to Sydney Water through your Coordinator.
Olsen Infrastructure then manages the works. Once works are completed satisfactorily, they are taken over as part of the Sydney Water system.
If works affect adjacent properties not owned by you, Olsen Infrastructure can negotiate access (additional charges apply). You may need to pay compensation and/or look at ways to minimise impact. Allow considerable time for this process.
Step 4. Receive Section 73 Compliance Certificate
Once all requirements have been met, Sydney Water will issue a Section 73 Certificate to Olsen Infrastructure . This can then be provided to the consent authority
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SECTION 73 APPLICATIONS
