New Water Connections and Self-Lay for Developments and Homes
Air Utilities is a WIRS accredited self-lay provider delivering new water connections across England, from single homes to large multi-plot developments. As a WIRS accredited contractor we carry out the contestable work, laying new water mains and making service connections, which typically takes significant cost out of a project compared with having the water company do everything. We manage the developer services process with the water company throughout, so your network is built, connected and adopted under one contract with one point of contact.
What Is a New Water Connection?
A new water connection links your property or development to the public water network for the first time. On anything larger than a single short connection, most of the work, laying the new water main and making the service connections, is what the rules call contestable work, which means an accredited contractor can carry it out instead of the water company. This is known as self-lay.
To carry out that contestable work a contractor must be accredited under the Water Industry Registration Scheme (WIRS), which is administered by Lloyd's Register. Air Utilities holds full WIRS accreditation under two scopes: CMS, Construction of Mains and Services (all works), and CRMC, Construction of Routine in-line Mains Connections. That second scope matters, because it means we are accredited to make routine in-line mains connections ourselves rather than only laying the pipe and waiting. The final tie-in between a new main and the water company's existing network is handled differently by different companies: some now operate a formal approval route that allows an accredited self-lay provider to make that connection, while others still carry it out themselves. We confirm which applies to your site at the enquiry stage, and the water company adopts the completed pipework either way.
What Is Self-Lay and Why It Saves Money
Self-lay is where a WIRS accredited provider such as Air Utilities does the digging, mains-laying and reinstatement, instead of the water company. This matters because the saving shows up directly in the water company's own published charges. Where an accredited provider has done the excavation and reinstatement, the water company charges the lower by others connection rate rather than the full rate for doing the work itself. Across a multi-plot site with new mains, this is where real money comes off the job.
Self-lay earns its keep on multi-plot sites, on schemes that need new mains, and anywhere a shared utility trench helps the programme, because we can lay water alongside electricity, gas and ducting in one coordinated dig. For a single short connection in soft ground the saving is smaller and may not justify the extra coordination, and we will tell you honestly which route suits your project.
New Water Connection Services
- New water mains for housing and commercial developments
- Self-lay provision under WIRS CMS and CRMC accreditation, including routine in-line mains connections
- Service connections to individual plots and properties
- Point of connection applications and developer services liaison
- Coordinated multi-utility trenching, water laid alongside electricity, gas and ducting
- Excavation, mains-laying, pressure testing and reinstatement
- Adoption coordination under the Codes for Adoption
- NAV adoption arrangements for larger sites where appropriate
What Can a Self-Lay Provider Do?
What a WIRS accredited self-lay provider can do depends on the scopes it holds. Air Utilities holds CMS, Construction of Mains and Services (all works), and CRMC, Construction of Routine in-line Mains Connections, so our accredited scope covers laying the main, making the service connections and carrying out routine in-line mains connections. Whether we or the water company make the final tie-in to the existing network depends on that company's own arrangements, and a growing number now have an approval route for accredited providers to do it. In practice, Air Utilities:
- Designs and lays the new water main
- Makes the service connections to each plot
- Makes routine in-line mains connections under our WIRS CRMC accreditation
- Carries out excavation, pressure testing and reinstatement to the water company's standard
- Coordinates the point of connection and adoption with the water company
This is the same scope developers rely on to take cost out of a scheme while keeping the network fully adoptable.
What Affects the Cost of a New Water Connection?
Water connection costs have two parts: the water company's published charges, which are fixed, and the construction, which is where the self-lay saving sits. The main drivers are:
- Who does the excavation. This is the biggest lever. The water company's by others connection charge is substantially lower than the rate for the company doing the dig itself.
- Infrastructure charge. A fixed per-property charge set by the water company each year.
- Distance and whether a new main is needed. A short service connection is far cheaper than laying new mains across a site.
- Surface and ground conditions. Crossing a road or hard surface costs more than a soft-ground run.
- Road closures and traffic management. These add both cost and significant time.
- Site scale. Self-lay saves most on multi-plot schemes and where a shared utility trench is possible.
Because every site is different, and the cost depends on factors such as distance, ground conditions, capacity and any network works, we do not publish fixed prices. Tell us about your site and we will give you an accurate, no-obligation quote.
How Long Does a New Water Connection Take?
As a general industry guide, a straightforward water connection takes around 6 to 12 weeks end to end. Water companies typically issue a quote within 28 days of a complete application, and the connection is usually made within around 21 days of a passed inspection. Timescales extend significantly where roads are involved, because a road closure takes a minimum of around 3 months to arrange with the local highways authority, and schemes needing a new water main can run considerably longer. Applying early, and requesting the free point of connection enquiry up front, is the single best way to protect your programme.
Our New Water Connection Process
- 1
Point of connection enquiry
We request the free point of connection enquiry from the water company early, which confirms where you are connecting and flags any reinforcement.
- 2
Design and application
We design the new main and services and submit the application; the water company issues a point of connection (POC) report, typically within 28 days.
- 3
Quotation and agreement
We confirm the self-lay scope and the by others charges with the water company.
- 4
Self-lay installation
Our WIRS accredited teams lay the new main and service connections, with pressure testing and reinstatement to the company's standard.
- 5
Final connection and adoption
The final tie-in to the existing network is made either by us, where the water company's approval route allows an accredited provider to do it, or by the water company itself. The completed pipework is then adopted under the Codes for Adoption.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a self-lay provider (SLP)?
A self-lay provider is a WIRS accredited contractor licensed to carry out the contestable work on a new water connection, laying the new main and making service connections, instead of the water company. Air Utilities is a WIRS accredited self-lay provider.
What is WIRS accreditation?
The Water Industry Registration Scheme (WIRS) is administered by Lloyd's Register and is the accreditation a contractor must hold to carry out contestable water connection work. Only WIRS accredited providers can self-lay water mains and services.
Which WIRS scopes does Air Utilities hold?
Air Utilities holds two WIRS scopes: CMS, Construction of Mains and Services (all works), and CRMC, Construction of Routine in-line Mains Connections. CMS covers laying new water mains and service connections. CRMC accredits us to make routine in-line mains connections, which many self-lay providers are not accredited to do.
How does self-lay save money?
The water company charges a much lower by others connection rate when an accredited provider has done the excavation and reinstatement, rather than the full rate for doing the work itself. On multi-plot sites with new mains this saving is significant, before counting the value of a shared utility trench.
What is a NAV?
A New Appointment and Variation (NAV) is an alternative water company, appointed by Ofwat, that owns and operates the water network within a specific site boundary and buys water in bulk from the regional company. NAVs mainly suit larger multi-plot developments, and we can arrange this route through our partners.
Can you lay water alongside other utilities?
Yes. One of the main advantages of using Air Utilities is that we can lay water alongside electricity, gas and ducting in a single coordinated trench as part of a multi-utility package, which saves both cost and programme time.
Who makes the final connection to the existing water main?
It depends on the water company. Some operate a formal approval route that lets a suitably accredited self-lay provider make the connection to their existing network; others still carry out that final tie-in themselves. Air Utilities holds WIRS CRMC accreditation, Construction of Routine in-line Mains Connections, so where the water company's arrangements allow it we make the connection ourselves. Where they do not, we schedule and coordinate it with the company so it does not hold up your programme.
Get a Free Quote for Your Water Connection
Tell us about your development and we will confirm whether self-lay, NAV or the water company route saves you the most. WIRS accredited, one contract, water laid alongside your other utilities.