Pipework responsibility

Who’s responsible for what pipework?

We don’t actually own all of the pipes our water moves through. The pipework inside your property boundary belongs to you or your landlord. That means if there’s an issue with it, you’ll need to speak with an approved contractor to get it sorted.

Your external water pipes explained

The language used by water companies can make external pipework sound more complicated than it actually is. Here's a helpful summary of what the section of pipes are and who they belong to.

The water main

This is the big pipe supplying you and your neighbours with water. The water main is ours and we're responsible for looking after it. Knowing which street the main is laid in is important for knowing where your service pipe is, and where your ownership begins (see below).

The service pipe

The service pipe connects your property to the water mains. It’s split into two sections – the communication pipe and the supply pipe.

The communication pipe

This part of the service pipe runs from the water mains to the boundary of the street the main is laid in. In most cases, this is the same as your property boundary (see diagrams below). This section belongs to SES Water and we’re responsible for looking after it.

The supply pipe

The supply pipe runs from the boundary of the street the main is laid in, to your internal stop tap (usually found under the kitchen sink). This pipe belongs to the homeowner, and is their responsibility to look after.

When the water main isn’t laid in the road outside

In very rare situations, the water main isn't laid in your road but somewhere else, either in another road, or through surrounding public and/or private land.

When this is the case, the boundary of your street is extended by 18 meters from the centre of the road. Your responsibility differs depending on whether the water main falls inside or outside that 18 meter distance.

Inside the 18 metres

If it is inside the 18 meters, and serves only your property, we will own the pipe that runs from the water main to your property boundary. You'll own and be responsible for the section from your property boundary up to your internal stop tap.

Outside the 18 metres in another road

If the water main is outside the 18 meters, only serves your property, and is laid in another road, we'll own the pipe that runs from the water main to the boundary of the street in which it is laid. You will own and be responsible for the pipe that runs from that street boundary to your internal stop tap (including any sections that run outside your property boundary through private or public land).

Outside the 18 meters in surrounding land

If the water main is outside the 18 meters, only serves your property, and is laid in surrounding land, we'll own 1 meter of the service pipe from the water main. You're then responsible for the rest, up to your internal stop tap (including any sections that run outside your property boundary through private or public land).

Shared supply pipes in these situations

If you share your supply pipe in this situation, the responsibility for looking after it is shared between those whose properties it serves.  

 

Shared pipework responsibility

The responsibility for some pipes outside your property could also be shared with a neighbour or neighbours. If they’re shared, then all or some of the property owners will be responsible for fixing any leaks.

 

 

You are responsible for the supply pipe, from the point where it enters onto private land, from the street where our main is located. This could mean your supply pipe runs through third party land(s) but you will still be responsible for its repair. If the supply pipe feeds multiple properties a repair may be the joint responsibility of you and your neighbours.