Pool removal involves excavators, hydraulic rock breakers and significant earthmoving. On any residential site in Newcastle or Lake Macquarie, that work happens in close proximity to underground services: NBN fibre or copper cables, Ausgrid power lines, Jemena gas mains, stormwater pipes, sewer laterals and private telecommunications lines. Hitting one of these during demolition can be dangerous, expensive and legally consequential. This guide explains the utility service risks specific to pool removal and what your contractor must do before the excavator starts. For the broader regulatory picture on services and easements, see our guide on Dial Before You Dig and pool removal.
Quick answer (BLUF)
Before any pool removal excavation begins, a Dial Before You Dig (DBYD) enquiry is mandatory under NSW Work Health and Safety regulations. NBN cables are a particular risk in Newcastle’s NBN rollout areas, many suburban properties have fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) or fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) conduits running through the side passage or rear yard. Always verify service locations before the excavator moves.
The NBN problem: why it’s more complex now
Prior to the NBN rollout, underground telecommunications cables in residential backyards were relatively uncommon in older Newcastle suburbs. The NBN fixed-line rollout (particularly the FTTP deployment active in many Lake Macquarie and inner-Newcastle suburbs) changed this, conduit runs now cross many residential properties, often in unexpected locations.
Common NBN cable runs on residential properties include:
- Lead-in conduits from the street pit to the Network Termination Device on the wall, these often run through a side passage or along a fence line directly adjacent to a pool
- Distribution conduit crossing a rear yard, on corner blocks or through-block runs, NBN infrastructure can cross private land
- Overhead to underground transitions, some properties have overhead phone cables converted to underground as part of the NBN installation
Importantly, NBN Co owns these assets, hitting a conduit during excavation triggers a mandatory incident report, a remediation bill from NBN Co (which can exceed $3,000 to $8,000), and potential loss of internet service for your household and neighbours on the same lead-in run.
Ausgrid electricity: the underground risk
Ausgrid’s underground distribution network in Newcastle covers most inner suburbs (Hamilton, Jesmond, Merewether, Charlestown, Kotara) and many foreshore areas. Underground 11kV and low-voltage cables can run within 2-3 metres of a pool that was built in an era when underground clearance rules were less rigidly enforced.
Striking a live underground cable with a rock breaker or excavator bucket creates a life safety risk for the operator and a significant infrastructure cost. NSW WHS regulations impose a duty on the person conducting the business or undertaking (PCBU), i.e., the contractor, to identify and manage underground service risks before excavation.
Gas mains: Jemena and private lines
Jemena operates the gas distribution network across greater Newcastle. Gas mains typically run under the street or along the front of properties, but service connections (the gas pipe from the main to your meter) can run through a side passage adjacent to a pool. In some older Hunter properties, gas lines were also run to pool heaters, these private gas service lines must be identified and isolated by a licensed gas fitter before any excavation.
If your pool had gas heating (as many did in the 1990s, 2000s), there is almost certainly a gas line running from the meter to the pool equipment pad. This must be disconnected and capped before demolition, not during.
Stormwater and council drains
Council stormwater pipes are common at the rear of residential properties, particularly in older Newcastle estates where rear-of-lot drainage was the standard design. A pool built over or adjacent to a council stormwater main creates a significant constraint. Under most council development controls, swimming pools should not be built over council assets, but many older pools were installed without this being properly checked.
Confirm the location of any stormwater infrastructure before removal. If the pool is found to be sitting over or very close to a council drain, this needs to be flagged with the relevant council before demolition proceeds.
The Dial Before You Dig process
Under the NSW Code of Practice for Excavation, all excavation work must be preceded by a DBYD enquiry. The process for residential pool removal:
- Submit a DBYD enquiry online at www.1100.com.au (or phone 1100) with the address and approximate area of excavation
- Receive service location plans from registered utility members (NBN Co, Ausgrid, Jemena, Hunter Water, Telstra, etc.)
- Review plans and mark out services on site with spray paint or flags before excavation begins
- Pothole (hand-dig or vacuum excavation) any services within 500mm of the planned excavation path to confirm exact location
- Proceed with mechanised excavation with appropriate clearances from confirmed service locations
Reputable Newcastle pool removal contractors submit DBYD enquiries as a standard part of their pre-job process. If a contractor doesn’t mention DBYD, ask about it.
What if services run through the pool removal zone?
If a service is found to run through or directly under the pool, options include:
- Potholing and working around the service, hand-digging or vacuum excavation to expose the service, then continuing machine work with appropriate standoff
- Service relocation, the utility owner (Ausgrid, NBN Co, Hunter Water) can be contacted to relocate the service before demolition. This adds time (often weeks for formal applications) and cost
- Adjusting the demolition approach, the contractor may modify the demolition method to avoid or minimise risk to the service (e.g., partial removal rather than full excavation)
FAQs
Who is responsible if a cable is hit during pool removal?
Under NSW WHS legislation, the contractor performing the excavation has the primary duty to identify and manage underground service risks. However, the property owner (as PCBU for the site) also has duties. In practice, if a DBYD enquiry was lodged and the service wasn’t mapped by the utility owner, liability is complex. If no DBYD enquiry was submitted, liability falls squarely on the contractor. This is one reason to always choose a contractor who submits DBYD before starting work.
My pool is 30 years old and was built before NBN existed, do I still need to worry?
Yes. NBN infrastructure may have been installed in your suburb after your pool was built. The NBN rollout in Newcastle was largely completed between 2016-2020, meaning most pools built before that time predate the NBN installation. A DBYD enquiry will reveal any NBN assets registered near your property regardless of when they were installed.
How far away from a gas line can the excavator work?
Under the relevant NSW Code of Practice, mechanical excavation must maintain a 500mm minimum horizontal standoff from any gas main where the exact location has been confirmed. Where location is uncertain, the zone is extended and hand-digging or vacuum excavation is required. Your contractor should know these clearances.