Building over Council owned drains
If you are rebuilding a house or garage it’s worth checking your plans don’t involve building over a Council drain. Many councils, including Christchurch City Council, have a policy against building over drains – including water, wastewater and stormwater pipes. In the case of Christchurch this is so the Council and SCIRT can check, repair and replace drains quickly and efficiently.
Read this Building over drains factsheet. [PDF 118KB]
What you need to know:
• The Water Related Services Bylaw 2008: Part 2 Water and Stormwater Drainage - Clause 34 - Protection of the Drainage Works with specific reference to the following clauses:
(c) Operate, remove, cover or interfere with any cover of any manhole, inlet or other equipment associated with any drain.
(d) Erect any structure over, or within a distance of one metre from the side of any public drain. This provision does not apply to boundary fences erected across drains
(e) Lay any public or private utility service or private drain:
(1) Along the line of an existing public drain: or
(2) Within a parallel distance of one metre from the nearest part of any public drain.
