How to find sewer and stormwater pipes on your property
Before designing a retaining wall, pool, extension or other structure, establish whether sewer or stormwater infrastructure crosses the work area. Start with the available records, then confirm the asset on site if its position or depth will affect the design.
Start here
- Lodge a free Before You Dig Australia enquiry.
- Check both the water service provider and the local council—one map may not show every asset.
- Treat map lines as indicative unless the authority states otherwise.
- Arrange field locating, survey, potholing or CCTV where accurate position or depth is required.
First, identify what you are looking for
A property may contain public sewer or water infrastructure, council stormwater assets and private drainage. These records are not always held by the same organisation.
- Public sewer and water: generally managed by the regional water service provider.
- Public stormwater: generally managed by the local council.
- Private drainage: house drains, roofwater pipes and other private connections may not appear on public maps.
An easement can also indicate that infrastructure may be present, but the easement boundary is not proof of the pipe’s constructed position.
1. Lodge a Before You Dig Australia enquiry
Before You Dig Australia (BYDA), formerly Dial Before You Dig, distributes plans and working conditions from registered asset owners. Create an account, draw the proposed work area on the map, describe the work and submit the enquiry. Check that all listed asset owners have responded and that the plans remain current for the proposed work date.
2. Check the correct council and service-provider map
Sewer and water may be held by a regional provider while stormwater is held by the council. The following links are useful starting points for common South East Queensland locations.
| Area | Where to start |
|---|---|
| Brisbane | Urban Utilities for sewer and water; the Brisbane utilities map for available council information. |
| Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Scenic Rim and Somerset | Urban Utilities for sewer and water; the relevant council for stormwater records. |
| Gold Coast | City of Gold Coast Development.i, City mapping or property records, and BYDA. Request available asset or as-constructed information if needed. |
| Logan | The Logan PD Hub provides available as-constructed water, sewer, stormwater and drainage plans. |
| Redland | Use Red-e-map for council infrastructure and property information. |
| Moreton Bay, Sunshine Coast and Noosa | Use the Unitywater map for sewer and water, then the relevant council map for stormwater. Examples include Sunshine Coast MyMaps and Noosa mapping. |
| Toowoomba | Toowoomba Region online mapping includes water, sewer and stormwater layers. |
For another area, search the council or water provider website for “online mapping”, “asset map”, “as-constructed plans” or “property drainage plans”.
3. Decide whether the asset needs to be located on site
Do not scale a pipe position from an online screen for construction. Where a proposed footing, excavation or retaining wall is close to the asset, the designer may need reliable horizontal and vertical information.
Depending on the project and the authority’s requirements, this may involve an accredited locator, survey pickup, vacuum excavation or potholing, or CCTV with a sonde for accessible pipework. The required method should be agreed before committing to the structure’s position.
Information worth assembling
- the current BYDA responses and authority plans;
- property survey and easement information;
- the proposed structure, excavation and footing layout;
- surface levels and, where relevant, pipe invert levels; and
- photographs of maintenance holes, inspection openings and the work area.
If the enquiry relates to a retaining wall near an asset, see our guide to retaining walls near sewer and stormwater infrastructure.
Where we can assist
For retaining-wall projects, we can review the available records, advise what additional location information is likely to be needed, and coordinate pipe locating, survey information, CCTV and soil testing. We can then prepare the retaining-wall engineering and supporting documentation required for the approval pathway.
Common questions
Does BYDA show the exact pipe location?
Usually not. The plans are useful for planning, but field location and survey may be required where the position or depth affects design or excavation.
Why can’t I find the stormwater pipe on the sewer map?
Public sewer and stormwater are commonly managed by different organisations. Check both the regional water provider and the local council.
Will the map show pipes connected to my house?
Not necessarily. Private sanitary drainage, roofwater pipes and unregistered assets may be absent from public mapping.
General information only
This guide is a practical starting point and is not a site location report, design instruction or approval. Mapping, available records and authority requirements can change. Check the current information from the relevant council and asset owner, and obtain project-specific advice before excavation or construction.
Planning work near a sewer or stormwater pipe?
Send us the property address, photographs, proposed wall dimensions and any plans already obtained. We can advise what information is likely to be required and coordinate the investigation and retaining-wall engineering.