Division of responsibilities in the construction of the plot pipeline and property connection

Kun kiinteistö liittyy HSY:n vesihuoltoverkostoon, tontilla ja katualueella on sekä tehtävä kaivu- ja putkitöitä että liitettävä kiinteistön putket HSY:n runkolinjoihin. Tällä sivulla kerrotaan, mitkä tonttijohdon rakentamiseen liittyvät työt ovat asiakkaan ja mitkä HSY:n vastuulla.

Division of responsibilities in a nutshell

In summary, the allocation of responsibilities is as follows: the customer is responsible for the acquisition of the plot pipeline, earthworks and the installation of the plot pipeline. HSY, in turn, is responsible for the actual connection work in the trench excavated by the customer’s contractor. All costs arising from the work shall be borne by the customer.

In addition to its plot area, the customer is responsible for the construction of water pipes and drainpipes in the city’s street and green areas as well as, for example, traffic and excavation arrangements, trench protection and further work, such as asphalting, re-installation of curbstones and planting. Any costs arising from the aforementioned work shall also be borne by the customer.

Please also read the following materials:

• The entire process of connecting the property to HSY’s water and sewer networks
• General terms and conditions of the HSY Water services agreement (in Finnish)
• A description of what it costs to connect to the water and sewer networks

Checklist for the division of responsibilities

Before work:

• The customer shall apply for the necessary permits
• The customer shall decide whether they want to take advantage of possible plot pipeline branches that have already been built on the plot boundary
• If necessary, the customer shall acquire a contractor
• The customer shall place a work order on HSY’s connection and work order portal and submit the necessary documents (e.g. water and sewer plan)
• The customer shall schedule a date for the connection work with HSY
• The customer shall verify whether it needs the installation of a water meter during the connection work
• The customer shall ensure that the contractor excavates the required, compliant and safe trench for connection work no later than the previous business day before the start of the work
• HSY shall check the trench excavated by the customer’s contractor

During the work:

• The customer shall check the sewer elevations with its contractor
• The customer shall install the water pipes and drainpipes
• HSY shall carry out the ordered work (water pipe connection, sewer drilling or manhole installation, water meter installation and mapping of the plot pipelines)

After the work:

• The customer shall fill the trench, commission follow-up work at the construction site and install the shut-off valve’s protective pipe and valve covers
• HSY shall install the marker plate, i.e. the plate showing the location of the valve
• HSY shall invoice the work it performs
• If necessary, HSY shall install a water meter if one has not previously been installed

Plot pipeline construction work phases and division of responsibilities in more detail

Below, you will find a more detailed description of the construction process of plot pipelines as well as things that you as a customer should take into account with regard to the work phases under your responsibility.

1. Preparatory work, excavation work and installation of the plot pipeline

1.1 Permits in order

Since HSY’s main lines are located outside the plot boundaries, usually on the street, excavation work in the public area requires construction permits. Before any construction work related to connecting the water networks can be started, the customer must make sure that all the permits related to construction in the public area are in order. These include:

• • a possible siting permit
  • pipe map surveys for underground cables
  • an excavation permit
  • traffic arrangements

For more information on permit and traffic arrangement procedures, please see the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Excavation work guide.

1.2 Ordering connection work from HSY

Connection work is ordered from HSY’s connection and work order portal. You can find the instructions for ordering connection work in section 8 of the page, Connecting to the water and sewer networks. Submit the connection work order and make a reservation.

1.3 Plot pipeline installation

The customer is also responsible for the acquisition and installation of the plot pipeline. The plot pipeline must be installed up to the connection point indicated in the connection point statement provided by HSY, unless otherwise agreed (see section 5 of the agreement on shared pipes, Submit the property’s water and sewer plans (PWS plans). In most cases, the connection point is HSY’s main line located on the street.

The customer is responsible for ensuring that the contractor complies with the general infrastructure construction quality requirements for water services in all installation work and earthworks.

The customer must also ensure that the possible contractor performs all water connection work in a manner that maintains hygiene. The water pipe must be fitted with tight protective plugs that prevent contaminants from entering the water pipe. The plugs must be kept on the water pipe until the final installation.

Only HSY has the right to install the property’s main water meter and perform possible water pipe branching work between the main line and the property’s main water meter, even if the branching point is located on the side of the plot.

1.4 Instructions for earthworks and excavation work before HSY’s connection work

In general, it is recommended to start the construction of the property connection at the HSY connection point, which makes it possible to know during the construction of the connection work whether an unpredictable factor (e.g. the district heating or electricity line) affects the planned connection heights of the sewers.

The following and the authorities’ work and safety instructions must be adhered to in earthworks related to the connection work. Before starting the work, please read the instructions of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (in Finnish) ja Vaara vaanii kaivannossa guide (also in Finnish).

In water pipe and sewer earthworks and trenches, the customer must pay attention to the following, among other things:

• The customer or the customer’s contractor must see to the supporting or sloping of the trench as well as the minimum dimensions for pipe work. A qualified designer must be used for designing the supports.
• The trench must be kept dry and adequately lit.
• Spoils may not be left on the side of the trench.
• Safe and regulation-compliant access roads to the trench must be provided.
• If the work is carried out in winter, the bottom of the trench and the pipes must be prevented from freezing.
• During sewer work, the customer or its contractor must be present at the time of the connection work and indicate the desired connection elevation. The desired connection elevation can also be clearly marked, for example, on the side of an open manhole. The customer is responsible for ensuring that the correct connection wells in accordance with the connection point statement have been excavated.
• For the sake of occupational safety, the language used at the connection work site is Finnish. As the client, you are responsible for ensuring that the instructions given by HSY Water services are understood at the connection work site.

Please note that installation work cannot be performed if the trench does not meet these safety requirements. In this case, the work must be reordered, which means that it will move to the back of the connection work queue.

1.5 Kaivantojen minimimitat

The minimum dimensions for trenches have been presented in the following images.

If the trench is not supported, it must be sloped in accordance with official instructions.

2. Connection work performed by HSY and related costs

If the customer has ordered the connection work through HSY’s work order and connection work portal, HSY will do the work at a time separately agreed with the customer. The customer must ensure that the trench is completed before HSY’s work phase so that it can be inspected, if necessary, by 12 noon on the business day preceding the work. An inspection may be required for planning the connection work. In addition, space must be reserved for HSY’s service vehicle in the construction site area in the immediate vicinity of the connection trench.

The connection work is subject to a connection work fee in accordance with the HSY Water services service fee price list in force at the time. As a rule, the connection work of water pipe connections, wastewater sewer connections and stormwater sewer connections according to the service fee price list also includes the equipment used for them. Other possible work is invoiced according to the actual costs.

If the agreed date for the connection work is postponed for reasons attributable to the customer (for example, if the trench is not completed on time), the customer or its representative must cancel the work ordered no later than 4 business days before the agreed date. If the connection work is cancelled for reasons attributable to the customer (the trench is not safe), the customer will have to order a new date for the connection work. If the agreed date is postponed and the work has not been cancelled in time, an additional fee will be charged for the visit in accordance with the service fee price list.

In addition to the actual connection work, HSY will commission a plot pipeline survey to record information on the location of underground plot pipelines in the city’s information systems. The survey is carried out in the general area and, if possible, also on the plot up to the water meter. The survey is included in the price of the connection work and it is aimed to be carried out immediately after the connection work. The customer must keep the trench open at least in the general area until the completion of the survey.

2.1 Plot pipeline connection work and costs

The connection work of the plot pipeline performed by HSY includes:

• Connection of the plot pipeline to the connection point in accordance with the connection point statement and the property’s PWS plans (the main line or the plot pipeline). Please note: the branching of the plot pipeline requires an agreement between the property owners on shared pipes
• Installation of the plot pipeline valve
• The mapping of plot pipelines and the transmission of information to the below information system of the city’s underground cables
• Installation of the water meter to the property
• Installation of the valve marker plate

If the water meter is not installed during the connection work, the installation work is included in the price for the connection work for one year from the property pipeline’s connection work. After this, the price according to the service fee price list in force at the time will be charged for the installation work.

2.2 Waste and stormwater sewer connection work

Waste and stormwater sewer connection work on the property performed by HSY includes:

• Making a connection hole in the connection point and the installation of the seal in accordance with the property’s PWS plans.
• The mapping of plot pipelines and the transmission of information to the information system of the city’s underground cables

HSY does not carry out connection work to the property’s own waste and stormwater sewers located on the plot.

If the customer joins HSY’s sewer network at a point where there is no manhole required for maintenance work, HSY will build a new manhole at the connection point during the connection work, if necessary. The costs arising from the construction of the manhole shall be invoiced to the connecting customer.

Installation of the drainpipe is the responsibility of the customer. It should be noted that it is not necessary or even sensible to install the drainpipe at the lowest connection height shown in the connection point statement. It is better to install it a little higher, so that there is room at the connection point for, for example, unavoidable changes due to other pipes.

HSY’s manholes cannot be directly connected with pressure sewers. Instead, the property must build a stilling well on the plot before connecting to the main line. The stilling well is connected to HSY’s main line well with a gravity sewer.

3. Work to be done by the customer after the connection work

The installation of the property’s shut-off valve’s protective pipe and valve covers is the responsibility of the customer. The installation is done at the same time as the plot pipeline trench is filled.

In connection with the installation work, it should be noted that HSY must have unobstructed access to the plot’s shut-off valve during all seasons. In addition, no structures or plantings may be placed on top of the valve.

3.1 How to fill a trench

The trenches are filled according to the instructions of the area’s street operator, i.e. the issuer of the excavation permit. In street areas, the street structures must be restored to the level corresponding to the street class.

The customer is responsible for the necessary frost insulation and their installation.

The manhole covers and shut-off covers should remain on the surface in asphalted and paved areas; in gravel-surfaced areas they must remain 5 cm below the surface.