About Environment Canterbury
Environment Canterbury is a regional council: it owns river-control, flood-protection and land-drainage assets (stopbanks, floodgates, piped drains, pump stations) and consent-monitoring bores. It does NOT own drinking-water, wastewater or stormwater reticulation, which the Canterbury district and city councils run.
As a council operator, Environment Canterbury is responsible for stormwater across its district. Anyone planning excavation work - building, fencing, landscaping or trenching - must identify and protect their underground pipes before breaking ground.
Before excavating anywhere in Canterbury, contact Environment Canterbury to confirm the location of their underground assets and any other utility lines that may be present.
Where Environment Canterbury operates
Before you dig in Canterbury
Striking an underground pipe can cause injury, large repair bills and outages for your neighbours. Three steps to do it safely.
- 1
Find every operator that serves your site
Map your worksite on UtilityFinder to find every operator that serves the area - power, water, gas and comms in one view - so you don't miss anyone when sending locate requests.
Create your map - 2
Request a locate from Environment Canterbury
Contact Environment Canterbury and any other operators in your area to confirm the position of their underground assets before excavation.
Environment Canterbury website - 3
Mark, protect, dig carefully
Respect the locate marks on site. Expose anything marked by an agreed method - non-invasive detection, hand digging or hydro excavation - confirming the technique with the asset owner first. Never assume a clear trench means clear ground.
Trying to find it on your own property?
How to find water mains on your property (NZ)
Where the public main sits, where your private pipe takes over, and who to ask for each.
How to get drainage plans for your house (NZ)
Two different records, two different requests - and most people only ever ask for one of them.
How to find the sewer line on your property
The lateral across your section and the main under the road are two different records.
How to find utility lines on your property
Six different services, six different owners, six different requests.
How to find your water toby and water meter
Same box at the front boundary, usually under twenty years of lawn.
Who supplies water to my address (NZ)
Council, CCO, community scheme or your own bore - it depends where you are.
Find every operator serving your site in 30 seconds
UtilityFinder shows every utility operator that serves Canterbury - power, water, gas and comms - with contact details and locate-request links in one shareable view. Plan your dig with confidence.
Create your map - free