Service connections

How to get your property connected to the city's water supply, wastewater and stormwater systems.

Water restrictions for Palmy could be just days away from coming into effect without major conservation efforts by our community.

A hot summer, teamed with not much rain, means our Turitea Dam level is dropping fast. The dam supplies two thirds of the city’s water, with the rest coming from bores around the city. While we’ve avoided water restrictions over the past four years, this year it is a matter of when, not if, we need to go into mandatory water restrictions. That's because for the first time in 8 years, the country is experiencing an El Niño weather pattern. For Palmy, an El Niño means we’re having more westerly winds, far less rain than usual, a drop in soil moisture and higher temperatures than previous summers. This means we’re all using similar amounts of water to other years, but the rain isn’t topping up the dam.

Our ‘Summer Water Use initiative’ began four years ago to encourage Palmy residents to voluntarily act as though they’re already in water restrictions, and to only use water outside between 7-9pm, every second day. The day you choose should be based on the number on your letterbox - even houses water on even days, and odd houses on odd days.

Summer Water Use has worked well over previous years, but an El Niño means we’re not expecting any decent heavy rain until Autumn. As a result, we will need to look at implementing water restrictions in our city. While at this stage they appear to be inevitable, we’d like to delay the need for them as much as we can.

The initial stage of water restrictions are the same rules as Summer Water Use - but mandatory. Many towns and cities, including those around us, are already in restrictions but our community’s efforts with our Summer Water Use initiative means we’ve been able to ward them off, for now. Our city is extremely fortunate compared to many others around the country. We have planned well and have a range of water sources available. It’s important we all take a good look at our water use and see what we can do to conserve water this summer.

Service connections are connections to:

  • the wastewater network (includes gravity and pressure sewers)
  • the water network
  • the stormwater network (either through a direct connection to the pipeline or an outlet to the kerb)

If you are applying for connections at more than one property, please lodge a separate application for each.

For all enquiries, please call our Customer Service Centre on 06 356 8199.

How to arrange service connections to your property

The property owner, drainlayer, or contractor applies to Council and pays a fee. You can do this at the same time you apply for building consent.

  • Council approves the connection and provides the network information the contractor will need to do the job.
  • The applicant engages an approved service connections contractor or pressure sewer system installer and notifies the Council—you can find lists of approved contractors and installers at the bottom of the page.
  • The contractor arranges a road opening notice and permits.
  • Council is not liable for any of the contractor's costs.

Engaging a contractor

  • Council maintains a list of approved service connections contractors who have agreed to provide connections to Council standards. We maintain a separate register of contractors registered to install pressure sewer systems. You must choose a contractor from these lists—download them below.
  • Work cannot begin until you have Council approval and have notified Council who the contractor is.

Service connection fees

Paying application fees to Council

Payment can be made in two ways:

  • Pay the total fee when you apply for a service connection.
  • Pay the processing fee when you apply, and the inspection fee when approval is granted.

Fees from 1 July 2023 (GST inclusive)

Fees are per connection, per property. If you are applying for connections at more than one property, please lodge a separate application for each.

Fees apply to each service you connect (sewer, water or stormwater). 

Application fee Inspection fee  Total payable 
$112 $180 $292