You have a DA or CDC moving, plans on the table, and a builder asking when site works can start. Then the Section 73 Notice of Requirements lands, and suddenly the water and sewer side of the project has its own clock.

That letter is not just admin. It can decide whether your approval path is simple, slow, or stuck waiting on design and construction work.

What the Notice Actually Tells You

A Section 73 Notice of Requirements sets out what Sydney Water needs before it can issue a Section 73 Compliance Certificate. For some projects, the list is short. For others, it may include extra design work, protection of nearby assets, new connections, sewer adjustments, or water main works.

A water servicing coordinator can read the notice, explain the conditions, and manage the steps between your consultant team, Sydney Water and the relevant contractors.

Why It Affects Your Timeline

The notice matters because it turns a broad approval requirement into a task list. And that matters because each task may depend on someone else finishing their part first.

A practical note from development work: the delay often is not the notice itself. It is the gap between receiving it and deciding who is responsible for each item.

Common Conditions Developers Miss

Some requirements sound small until they hold up a certifier or settlement date. Keep an eye out for:

Existing Sydney Water assets running near the building footprintSewer encasement or protection conditionsWater main amplification for larger developmentsBuilding plan approval referralsFlow and pressure information for fire or service designFinal inspections before certificate issue

If your project involves subdivision, dual occupancy, townhouses, commercial works, or a site close to Sydney Water assets, assume the notice deserves a proper read before construction planning gets too far ahead.

When to Bring in Help

You should get advice early if the notice mentions design, construction, asset protection, or coordination with Sydney water accredited contractors. Those items usually need sequencing, not guesswork.

Good questions to ask are:

Which items affect the construction certificate?Can any tasks run at the same time?Are there Sydney Water assets within or near the work zone?Who prepares the drawings?What needs inspection before backfilling or covering works?Are fees, bonds or applications still outstanding?

Short answer from experience: the earlier these questions are asked, the less chance the project team scrambles later.

Keeping the Project Moving

A clean timeline starts with mapping the notice against your development milestones. DA consent, construction certificate, civil design, building works and final certification all need to line up.

Do not leave the Section 73 pathway until the end. By then, access may be limited, trenches may need reopening, or the builder may be waiting on a certificate that cannot be issued yet.

A Clearer Path with LP Consulting

LP Consulting helps developers work through Section 73 requirements, building plan approvals, asset checks, design coordination and Sydney Water notices. If your Notice of Requirements has just arrived, their team can help turn the conditions into a practical next-step plan.

That is often the difference between “we’ll sort it later” and knowing what has to happen before the project can move.  For learn more https://www.lp-consulting.com.au/water-servicing-coordinator/