For private sanitary drainage in Sydney, the maximum distance between compliant inspection or access points is generally 30 metres. An inspection chamber may provide this access, but bends, junctions and other prescribed locations can require access at shorter intervals.
When is closer access required?
Drain access cannot be determined by distance alone. Depending on the layout and the applicable requirements, additional access may be needed at:
- the upstream end of a drain
- certain branch connections or junctions
- specified changes in direction
- locations needed to operate inspection or drain-clearing equipment.
Access points must remain accessible. Inspection chambers, shafts and openings are not automatically interchangeable; the selected access must suit the drain layout and comply with the applicable standard.
Does the 30-metre limit apply to every drainage system?
No. The 30-metre limit discussed here relates to private sanitary drainage. It should not be applied to stormwater systems or Sydney Water sewer maintenance structures, which have separate requirements.
The design must be checked against the Plumbing Code of Australia, the edition of AS/NZS 3500.2 adopted in NSW and any applicable NSW variations. Do not excavate, install or alter sanitary drainage yourself. If you are planning drainage work or cannot identify the access points, contact our Sydney plumbing team to check the layout before work begins.