Tono mō tētahi hononga ā-kāinga
Apply for a residential connection
Connect your residential home to our water and wastewater networks.
If you’re planning to build
If you’re a homeowner planning to build a new home, we recommend you seek water and wastewater advice from a drain layer, architect, engineer, or relevant qualified person before you make any decisions.
They’ll know the requirements and standards you must comply with for a successful residential connection application. If you are applying for building consent, Auckland Council might consult us.
The Auckland Council website has all you need to know about attaining building consent.
Apply for a residential connection
You have three different application options:
- water and wastewater (connecting to both networks)
- water only (installing a new or additional meter)
- wastewater only
Important information:
- for water and wastewater or water only, we start charging as soon as we install the meter
- for wastewater only, we start charging from the date we approve your application
The residential connection process
The residential connection process
Check for our services in your areaCheck the GIS map to confirm that water or wastewater services exist at your site. The map shows public water pipes (blue lines) and wastewater pipes (red lines).
Waiheke Island residents: Our wastewater network in Oneroa is available and we currently allow a limited number of new connections
Helensville: Our water network is not available.
Check the GIS map to confirm that water or wastewater services exist at your site. The map shows public water pipes (blue lines) and wastewater pipes (red lines).
Waiheke Island residents: Our wastewater network in Oneroa is available and we currently allow a limited number of new connections
Helensville: Our water network is not available.
Prepare your information and documentation You’ll need to provide us with:
- The legal property address that complies with Auckland Council numbering.
- Lot and DP numbers, and Certificate of Title (CT) if the property has a separate title. Find your CT on Auckland Council’s website. Enter your address, then select the Property Information tab.
- The property owner’s details.
- An onsite contact person such as your plumber or builder.
- The Auckland Council building consent and resource consent numbers, if available. For more information, see Auckland Council.
- Stamped approved Auckland Council site/drainage plans showing the proposed water meter and wastewater connection point. Review this sample site plan and drainage plan.
- Notification if development contributions for water/wastewater have been paid to Auckland Council or a previous authority so we don’t double-charge you. (Until 2010, people connecting to utility services may have paid a contribution to Auckland Council or another local body. Since then, they have paid an infrastructure growth charge to Watercare).
- Any conditions that may affect the job. For example, power cables, trees, and roading restrictions.
Areas with boundary kits
Some areas in Auckland have pressurised wastewater systems (like Kumeu, Huapai, Riverhead, South Glenbrook, and some parts of Waiuku). If you live in these areas, you must indicate on the application form if you need a boundary kit*. If we confirm this, we will send you a quote with the other installation charges. We will install the kit when we connect the wastewater.
* Having boundary kits means you need to install a pressure wastewater collection (PWC) unit. We then install a boundary kit to house the connection point between the PWC and our wastewater pipe. You need Auckland Council approval through the building consent for the PWC, which is installed as part of your private sewer system.
Using an existing wastewater connection
This situation applies when you connect to a private drain on a property. For example, if you want to connect a granny flat, you will use the existing private wastewater pipe to connect to the public network. If you need to do this, please provide:
- A stamped, approved drainage plan or site plan from Auckland Council, showing the existing wastewater connection. Here is a sample drainage plan to review.
You’ll need to provide us with:
- The legal property address that complies with Auckland Council numbering.
- Lot and DP numbers, and Certificate of Title (CT) if the property has a separate title. Find your CT on Auckland Council’s website. Enter your address, then select the Property Information tab.
- The property owner’s details.
- An onsite contact person such as your plumber or builder.
- The Auckland Council building consent and resource consent numbers, if available. For more information, see Auckland Council.
- Stamped approved Auckland Council site/drainage plans showing the proposed water meter and wastewater connection point. Review this sample site plan and drainage plan.
- Notification if development contributions for water/wastewater have been paid to Auckland Council or a previous authority so we don’t double-charge you. (Until 2010, people connecting to utility services may have paid a contribution to Auckland Council or another local body. Since then, they have paid an infrastructure growth charge to Watercare).
- Any conditions that may affect the job. For example, power cables, trees, and roading restrictions.
Areas with boundary kits
Some areas in Auckland have pressurised wastewater systems (like Kumeu, Huapai, Riverhead, South Glenbrook, and some parts of Waiuku). If you live in these areas, you must indicate on the application form if you need a boundary kit*. If we confirm this, we will send you a quote with the other installation charges. We will install the kit when we connect the wastewater.
* Having boundary kits means you need to install a pressure wastewater collection (PWC) unit. We then install a boundary kit to house the connection point between the PWC and our wastewater pipe. You need Auckland Council approval through the building consent for the PWC, which is installed as part of your private sewer system.
Using an existing wastewater connection
This situation applies when you connect to a private drain on a property. For example, if you want to connect a granny flat, you will use the existing private wastewater pipe to connect to the public network. If you need to do this, please provide:
- A stamped, approved drainage plan or site plan from Auckland Council, showing the existing wastewater connection. Here is a sample drainage plan to review.
ApplyPlease ensure you are aware of our charges and have all the required information and documentation to avoid delays with your application.
If you don't want to apply online, you can download an application form to complete and email it to [email protected]
Once we receive your application
We’ll either:
- Send you an application number, or
- Request more information for our technical assessment.
For some wastewater applications, we may redirect you to Auckland Council for building consent or engineering approval.
Tracking your application
If you’ve applied online, you can track the progress of your application on your dashboard, after you’ve logged in again.
Please ensure you are aware of our charges and have all the required information and documentation to avoid delays with your application.
If you don't want to apply online, you can download an application form to complete and email it to [email protected]
Once we receive your application
We’ll either:
- Send you an application number, or
- Request more information for our technical assessment.
For some wastewater applications, we may redirect you to Auckland Council for building consent or engineering approval.
Tracking your application
If you’ve applied online, you can track the progress of your application on your dashboard, after you’ve logged in again.
Review and pay your invoice We’ll send you an invoice within 10 days of receiving your application. You can pay this online from your dashboard.
Review this document for a full breakdown of our charges.
We’ll send you an invoice within 10 days of receiving your application. You can pay this online from your dashboard.
Review this document for a full breakdown of our charges.
Installation and connectionWe’ll send you a letter of approval once we receive your full payment. Then, approximately 15 days after your payment date, we will install the water meter and/or email the approved plans for a wastewater connection.
For water connections
- Our contractors will supply and connect a water meter to the public network. Please note they will not do any private plumbing on your side of the water meter.
For wastewater connections
- If the job is simple, we will send you a letter confirming you can engage a licensed drainlayer to connect the wastewater stub. The drain layer must follow the steps for connecting wastewater pipes.
- If the job is complex, we will notify you that our contractors will do the work.
- If your property requires a boundary kit* we will install this around the same time.
* A box with a red lid that houses the connection point between a private drain and the public wastewater network. When Kumeu-Huapai and Riverhead residents connect their properties to our wastewater network, they must install a pressure wastewater collection unit. The boundary kit is installed between the unit and our wastewater pipe.
We’ll send you a letter of approval once we receive your full payment. Then, approximately 15 days after your payment date, we will install the water meter and/or email the approved plans for a wastewater connection.
For water connections
- Our contractors will supply and connect a water meter to the public network. Please note they will not do any private plumbing on your side of the water meter.
For wastewater connections
- If the job is simple, we will send you a letter confirming you can engage a licensed drainlayer to connect the wastewater stub. The drain layer must follow the steps for connecting wastewater pipes.
- If the job is complex, we will notify you that our contractors will do the work.
- If your property requires a boundary kit* we will install this around the same time.
* A box with a red lid that houses the connection point between a private drain and the public wastewater network. When Kumeu-Huapai and Riverhead residents connect their properties to our wastewater network, they must install a pressure wastewater collection unit. The boundary kit is installed between the unit and our wastewater pipe.
Completion and certificate of connection When the work is completed, we’ll send you a system-generated Certificate of Connection (CoC). You will need to submit this to Auckland Council when applying for your Building Code Compliance Certificate (CCC).
Before calling us to ask for the CoC, please make sure to check the email you nominated as the primary applicant. Also check your spam folder.
When the work is completed, we’ll send you a system-generated Certificate of Connection (CoC). You will need to submit this to Auckland Council when applying for your Building Code Compliance Certificate (CCC).
Before calling us to ask for the CoC, please make sure to check the email you nominated as the primary applicant. Also check your spam folder.
Need help?
If you have any questions, search our FAQs. For direct support, contact our team at (09) 442 2222 or email [email protected]