Glossary

A U-shaped clay device in a sewer pipe to prevent rats or mice entering the pipe.

If you're thinking about building or renovating, you may need to apply to Auckland Council for a building consent, resource consent, or both.

An area of land, often bounded by hills or mountains, where rainwater collects and eventually flows into streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands or the ocean.

Closed-circuit television or video. It is used to show the condition of our pipes.

Compliance statements became mandatory on 1 July 2017. They allow competent consultants and contractors to self-certify their work (design and construction). We may accept the statements as evidence that the design or building work complies or will comply with the relevant codes and standards.

Legal document showing ownership of a property. It also describes the land and lists all easements, encumbrances, and consent notices on the title.

Auckland Council’s fee for extra community and network infrastructure needed as a result of developments such as new houses, subdivisions, etc.

A unit of demand for water and wastewater infrastructure used to calculate IGCs. For wastewater, one DUE is 209 kilolitres of wastewater discharge per year. For example, if for a new connection the demand for water is estimated to be 2200 kilolitres per year, this equates to 10 DUEs.

A water treatment process to remove microbes that could make us sick. The process can involve chemicals such as chlorine, or ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, where the water is exposed to UV light from lamps.

We calculate your bill based on whether your water meter is classified as domestic or non-domestic. When the activity at your property involves only living and sleeping, your water meter is classified as domestic. All other meters are classified as non-domestic.