Regional standards for SEQ water supply and sewerage assets

As of 1 July, a uniform code applies across South East Queensland (SEQ) for the design and construction of new water supply and sewerage assets. The code is intended to make it easier for developers, engineers, consultants and service providers to deliver water infrastructure.

The SEQ Supply and Sewerage Design and Construction Code (SEQ Code) was developed by five SEQ water service providers - Unitywater, Gold Coast City Council, Logan City Council, Queensland Urban Utilities and Redland Water - and is applicable to all infrastructure owned by one of these providers. It is based on the national codes that have been developed by the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA).

Spokesperson David Fillmore explained that, prior to the code, there was a wide range of provisions within councils’ planning schemes, with the differing technical standards making it “difficult for developers and other parties to do business across the region.”

Queensland legislation required one set of technical standards to be introduced for the whole of SEQ, so an industry and community consultation process was undertaken to develop the SEQ Code. A Project Steering Committee was established two years ago to draft the code, and public feedback was incorporated into the final result.

The code is compliant with Chapter 4A of the SEQ Water (Distribution and Retail Restructuring) Act 2009. Where there is an inconsistency, the SEQ Code prevails over any provisions within a council’s planning scheme that currently specify water services infrastructure outcomes.

Fillmore says the code is “streamlining the design and construction processes for new water and sewerage assets in the region,” providing consistency, better long-term services and ultimately lower costs for customers.

For more about the code, visit http://www.seqcode.com.au/.