AUS-SPEC Water and Sewerage Design Specification

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Consultation has concluded

The Water and Sewerage Design Specification for Port Macquarie-Hastings Council is now on Public Exhibition

The adoption of the AUS-SPEC Water and Sewerage specifications ensures that Council is at the forefront of the Water Industry Best practice .

To align to the Water Industry best practice, Council has adopted the National Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) Codes as the base specification for all water and sewerage works. To make the national codes applicable to Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, we have developed a Supplement Document outlining our requirements for specific detail which the Code anticipates individual water agencies will address. It includes additions, deletions and variations to the Code where the Code's requirements are not compatible with our current requirements (due to local practice, climatic, geographic and topographic conditions and statutory requirements, etc.) or where the Code is otherwise silent.

eBook versions of the latest WSAA Codes are available for purchase and download via the WSAA website. Theses ebooks are the primary method for accessing the most current versions of the WSAA Codes. https://www.wsaa.asn.au/shop

Across the board Council is reviewing all its engineering specifications for the private delivery of public infrastructure with the intent of having a robust set of documents that: work for Council, work for industry and achieve the quality outcomes required by our community in delivering its long-term infrastructure requirements.

Key to this approach is collaboration between Council and the development industry in producing these standards. To this end Council has been working with industry since 2018 to develop these standards and this public exhibition is to finalise its Water and Sewer Design Specifications.

Council acknowledges that the documented specifications will not cover every situation or site-specific circumstance and views its approach to developing these standards as key to a long-term partnership that supports industry innovation. Council is genuinely committed to working with industry to define practical and meaningful standards that deliver for our community.

Next steps

Following this public exhibition and adoption of the Water and Sewerage specifications, a grace period will be in place to transition to the new Water and Sewer Design Specifications. By January 2025, the latest standard ASD 400 and ASD 500 series of drawings for Water and Sewer, along with Supplements to the WSAA codes, will be adopted for all new Construction Plans approved for Letter of Acceptance and Subdivision Works Certificate.

More information

We have created a mark-up of changes and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to assist you in understanding the changes at a high level (You can find these in the right-hand column under Related documents (or below if using a mobile device).


Changes to the 2018 Water and Sewer standard drawings can be viewed here:
(The changes have been clouded in red)

The PMHC supplement documents can be viewed here:
(The changes have been highlighted in yellow)

The FAQs can be viewed here:


Information Session - Face to Face and Online: Thurs 13 June 2024

On Thursday 13 June 2024 from 9:30am - 11am we will be holding an Information Session in person and online with our Utilities Design and Development team.

This session is for industry, end users and the broader community. We will explain the purpose of the design specification and share how the specification, drawings and supplements work together.

You will have a chance to ask questions and share your feedback.

Please complete the registration form below or contact engagement@pmhc.nsw.gov.au if you have any issues with your registration.

How to submit your feedback

The exhibition period closes at midnight on Monday 17 June 2024.

The Water and Sewerage Design Specification for Port Macquarie-Hastings Council is now on Public Exhibition

The adoption of the AUS-SPEC Water and Sewerage specifications ensures that Council is at the forefront of the Water Industry Best practice .

To align to the Water Industry best practice, Council has adopted the National Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) Codes as the base specification for all water and sewerage works. To make the national codes applicable to Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, we have developed a Supplement Document outlining our requirements for specific detail which the Code anticipates individual water agencies will address. It includes additions, deletions and variations to the Code where the Code's requirements are not compatible with our current requirements (due to local practice, climatic, geographic and topographic conditions and statutory requirements, etc.) or where the Code is otherwise silent.

eBook versions of the latest WSAA Codes are available for purchase and download via the WSAA website. Theses ebooks are the primary method for accessing the most current versions of the WSAA Codes. https://www.wsaa.asn.au/shop

Across the board Council is reviewing all its engineering specifications for the private delivery of public infrastructure with the intent of having a robust set of documents that: work for Council, work for industry and achieve the quality outcomes required by our community in delivering its long-term infrastructure requirements.

Key to this approach is collaboration between Council and the development industry in producing these standards. To this end Council has been working with industry since 2018 to develop these standards and this public exhibition is to finalise its Water and Sewer Design Specifications.

Council acknowledges that the documented specifications will not cover every situation or site-specific circumstance and views its approach to developing these standards as key to a long-term partnership that supports industry innovation. Council is genuinely committed to working with industry to define practical and meaningful standards that deliver for our community.

Next steps

Following this public exhibition and adoption of the Water and Sewerage specifications, a grace period will be in place to transition to the new Water and Sewer Design Specifications. By January 2025, the latest standard ASD 400 and ASD 500 series of drawings for Water and Sewer, along with Supplements to the WSAA codes, will be adopted for all new Construction Plans approved for Letter of Acceptance and Subdivision Works Certificate.

More information

We have created a mark-up of changes and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to assist you in understanding the changes at a high level (You can find these in the right-hand column under Related documents (or below if using a mobile device).


Changes to the 2018 Water and Sewer standard drawings can be viewed here:
(The changes have been clouded in red)

The PMHC supplement documents can be viewed here:
(The changes have been highlighted in yellow)

The FAQs can be viewed here:


Information Session - Face to Face and Online: Thurs 13 June 2024

On Thursday 13 June 2024 from 9:30am - 11am we will be holding an Information Session in person and online with our Utilities Design and Development team.

This session is for industry, end users and the broader community. We will explain the purpose of the design specification and share how the specification, drawings and supplements work together.

You will have a chance to ask questions and share your feedback.

Please complete the registration form below or contact engagement@pmhc.nsw.gov.au if you have any issues with your registration.

How to submit your feedback

The exhibition period closes at midnight on Monday 17 June 2024.