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 These Technical Guidelines are designed to outline NEV Water’s requirements for building construction or working in proximity to sewer pipes.

The Technical Guidelines objectives are as follows:

• To protect NEV Water’s sewer mains from loads imposed by vehicles or construction of other structures.

• To allow access to those sewer mains by various means for repairs, upgrade or inspection in particular recognising technological innovation in trenchless technology to achieve such access and objectives.

• To ensure the stability and protection of structures over or near the sewer mains.

• To not unreasonably impede or restrict development.

The sewer infrastructure for stage one of the Narara Ecovillage development was constructed in 2017 using polyethylene pipe. There may be some minor elements of the system which connect from the pre-existing Horticulture Research Station buildings that are clay pipes or other material historically used in sewer infrastructure.

The largest pipe size is 250 mm diameter. For this reason there are no manholes (or maintenance access pits) but at junctions and changes in direction or grade there are smaller inspection pits, sometimes referred to as sewer "lamp-holes", that can be used to inspect the sewer line with a light and a CCTV camera device. Clear access to these inspection points needs to be maintained.

The depth of the pipes will vary greatly throughout the sit. Generally the depth will be in the range of 1.0 metre to around 2.5 meters deep.

3.1 Retailing Walls and hard landscaping

Because of the slope of some lots at NEV, the lot owner may seek to build retaining walls or to significantly change on the lot. Where sewer lines and other infrastructure adjoin lots or cross lots, adequate consideration will need to be given to protection the NEV infrastructure, both during construction and as in relation to ongoing loads that may be imposed on the underground services.

3.2 NEV Equivalent to "Dial Before You Dig"

When building outside of the Ecovillage there is a service known as "dial-before-you-dig". As NEV is a private subdivision, details of our infrastructure are not available via the dial-before-you-dig service. Before undertaking excavation and building work (as an individual lot owner or on a NEV Coop or Community Association project) it is all member's responsibility to check the as-built drawings (supplied by Robson Civil Projects) held by the Ecovillage Site Manager.

NEV means Narara Ecovillage

NEV Water means the person or body that represents Narara Ecovillage’s water and wastewater utility provider, as licenced under the Water Industry Completion Act 2006 (WICA)

Applicant means the party who is proposing to undertake development activities that involve working in proximity to sewer mains. This includes community title lot owners; leaseholders; and any NEV members or contractors undertaking work on behalf of the Community Association or the Narara Ecovillage Co-operative.

1. This Policy covers all works in proximity to sewer mains within Narara Ecovillage whether they are undertaken by individual lot owners (or their contractors) or by the co-operative (or its contactors).
   
   
2. It is the personal responsibility of all NEV members and agents thereof to have knowledge of, and to ensure compliance with these Technical Guidelines.
   
   
3. Applicant responsibilities:

• • The applicant must confirm the exact location of sewer mains, from the “relevant project “Works as executed” drawings; or where necessary by engagement of a land surveyor if location and / or depth are of a critical nature.

• • The applicant shall provide full design details of any proposals that address the requirements of these Technical Guidelines to NEV Water or NEV Water’s nominated representative for assessment and acceptance.