A sewerage plan submission in Singapore is made by a Qualified Person (QP) to PUB, the national water agency, and must be cleared at three stages: Development Control (DC), Detailed Plan (DP) and completion (TOP or CSC). Sewerage, sanitary and drainage works may not proceed until the relevant clearance has been obtained. This article sets out who submits, which forms apply, what the plans must contain, what PUB charges, how long clearance takes and which errors most often cause rejection.
TL;DR
- QPs submit sewerage plans to PUB for works that need Building Control Authority (BCA) approval; for works that do not, an appropriate Professional Engineer (PE) applies.
- The sequence is DC clearance, then DP clearance, then TOP/CSC clearance on completion. Simple qualifying works may use Simplified Submission instead.
- Since 1 April 2025 the fee is $1,450 per project for minor submissions and $1,850 for major projects. A code deviation waiver costs $950 per deviation.
- PUB’s service commitment is typically 14 working days for standard applications and 1 working day for Simplified Submissions.
- Obtain the Sewerage Information Plan (SIP) before design starts, and check sewer setbacks before the layout is fixed.
Table of Contents
- Who must submit, and when PUB clearance is required
- The three stages of PUB clearance
- What a sewerage submission must contain
- Obtaining and using the Sewerage Information Plan
- Sewer setbacks and diversions
- Simplified Submission
- Fees and processing times
- Common errors that cause rejection or delay
- Our perspective
- How Aman Engineering supports sewerage submissions
- Frequently asked questions
- Sources
Who must submit, and when PUB clearance is required
Under the Sewerage and Drainage Act, QPs are required to submit building plans to PUB for clearance of works that affect sewerage and drainage, as PUB’s building plan submission guidance explains. Submissions must comply with the Act and with PUB’s Code of Practice on Sewerage and Sanitary Works.
Responsibility is divided as follows, according to PUB’s frequently asked questions:
| Situation | Who applies to PUB |
|---|---|
| Works requiring BCA approval | The Qualified Person (QP) |
| Works not requiring BCA approval | An appropriate Professional Engineer (PE) |
| Regulated sanitary works on site (since 1 April 2018) | A PUB Licensed Plumber carries out the works, except simple exempted works |
The distinction matters in practice. The QP is accountable for the submission, but the plans themselves are endorsed by a PE, and the physical works are done by licensed tradespeople. An owner who engages a contractor before the submission route is settled risks works that cannot be certified at completion.
The three stages of PUB clearance
PUB’s submission process follows a fixed order. Each stage has its own e-form, submitted through the BCA CORENET e-submission system.
| Stage | Purpose | Form |
|---|---|---|
| Development Control (DC) | Confirms the project complies with broad planning parameters | PUB-DCCLR |
| Detailed Plan (DP) | Confirms the detailed design complies with the relevant Codes of Practice | PUB-DPCLR |
| TOP/CSC clearance | Confirms the completed sewerage and sanitary works comply | PUB-BPU-COMPOFWORK |
Development Control (DC)
The DC submission is made early, when the layout, site coverage and the broad location of connections are being fixed. Its purpose is to establish that the proposal can be served by the public sewerage system and that sewer setbacks and reserves are respected. A DC clearance does not authorize construction of the detailed design; it permits the project to proceed to detailed planning.
Detailed Plan (DP)
The DP submission carries the construction-level design: pipe sizes, gradients, levels, materials, manholes and the connection to the public sewer. PUB reviews it against the Code of Practice. DP clearance is the stage at which most technical comments are raised, and it is where discrepancies between the architectural, structural and M&E drawings surface. Our own guidance on the difference between DC and DP submissions covers the parallel drainage workflow.
TOP or CSC clearance
On completion, the QP submits PUB-BPU-COMPOFWORK for the sewerage and sanitary works. PUB’s clearance is a prerequisite for the Temporary Occupation Permit or Certificate of Statutory Completion. A project whose as-built condition departs from the cleared DP will require explanation or rectification at this stage, so changes made during construction should be recorded and reported rather than left to completion.
What a sewerage submission must contain
PUB’s quick guide for DP applications states that submissions include site or location plans, layout plans and longitudinal plans endorsed by a PE (Civil/Structural). These plans show the proposed sewer alignment, size, material, levels and gradients, together with related details.
A complete package normally comprises:
- A site or location plan identifying the lot and its relationship to the nearest public sewers.
- A sewerage layout plan showing the proposed internal sewers, connection points and manholes.
- Longitudinal sections of each sewer run, with invert levels and gradients.
- Pipe size and material schedules consistent with the Code of Practice.
- The Sewerage Information Plan (SIP) used as the basis of design, where public sewers lie within or near the site.
- PE endorsement of the plans.
Where an activity falls within a public sewer corridor, the Code of Practice requires further documents: the SIP, plans, a survey plan, a method statement and a CCTV report where required. The related POWS submission is a separate application and should be programmed alongside the DP, not after it.
Obtaining and using the Sewerage Information Plan
The Code of Practice on Sewerage and Sanitary Works (3rd Edition, March 2025) directs that the SIP be obtained before design, and that the exact positions, alignments and levels of affected sewers be ascertained on site. The plan is therefore an input to design, not a document collected at submission.
PUB lists the application for a Sewerage and Drainage Interpretation Plan among its e-services for professionals. A design based on assumed sewer positions is a frequent reason for later redesign, since a sewer discovered closer to the building line than expected can invalidate the layout.
Sewer setbacks and diversions
The Code of Practice requires developments to meet prescribed sewer setback distances. Where a design cannot comply, the applicant must seek PUB approval for one of three remedies: relocation of the sewer, provision of a reinforced concrete (RC) trench, or provision of additional sewers.
Each remedy carries cost and programme consequences. A diversion changes the downstream network and may need coordination with other agencies, while an RC trench alters the structural design of the foundation. These options should be assessed at feasibility stage; our feasibility studies service includes checking such constraints before the design is committed. The steps and fee exposure of a diversion are described in our guide to the sewer diversion permit.
A deviation from a Code of Practice requirement that cannot be resolved by design is addressed through a waiver application, discussed under fees below.
Simplified Submission
PUB allows Simplified Submission for qualifying work, including additions and alterations to existing landed houses and external structures outside the public-sewer setback. It is a lodgement based on the QP’s declaration. The QP may receive a system-generated acknowledgement within a day, and PUB may later require the plans for audit. A proposal that meets none of the Simplified Submission criteria must go through DC.
Three consequences follow:
- The speed depends on the QP’s own verification. A declaration that proves wrong at audit exposes the QP, not only the project.
- The criteria should be checked against PUB’s current list before the route is chosen, since qualifying work is defined narrowly.
- The completion stage still applies. Simplified lodgement does not remove the need for TOP/CSC clearance where the project requires it.
Teams unfamiliar with how declarations, audits and processing times interact may find the explanation of permit drawings and submissions helpful for the general logic of who prepares which drawings, although Singapore’s PUB rules govern any local project.
Fees and processing times
PUB’s fee schedule effective 1 April 2025 sets the following charges for drainage and sewerage building plan submissions:
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Minor building plan submission for drainage, sewerage or sanitary works | $1,450 per project |
| Major project | $1,850 per project |
| Waiver application for a deviation from a PUB Code of Practice | $950 per deviation |
The waiver fee covers resubmissions until the waiver is accepted or rejected. The fee schedule is the authority for the current amounts, and PUB revises it periodically, so the page should be checked on the day of submission.
Under PUB’s service commitment, standard DC, DP and TOP/CSC applications are typically processed within 14 working days, while Simplified Submissions aim for 1 working day. Complex feedback or enquiries may take up to 15 working days for a response. These figures are commitments, not guarantees. A rejected or incomplete submission restarts the clock, so the realistic programme allowance should include at least one round of comments.
Common errors that cause rejection or delay
PUB notes that failure to follow correct procedures may delay processing when a case is rejected for non-compliance. The following errors recur in sewerage submissions:
- Design before the SIP. Sewer positions assumed rather than confirmed on site.
- Setback conflicts discovered at DP. A building line or basement that infringes a sewer reserve, with no remedy proposed.
- Inconsistent drawings. Levels or pipe sizes that differ between the sewerage plan, the architectural plan and the structural drawings.
- Missing PE endorsement. Plans that lack the required PE (Civil/Structural) endorsement.
- Wrong route. A Simplified Submission lodged for work outside the criteria.
- Omitted corridor documents. Specified activities in a public sewer corridor without a method statement, survey plan or CCTV report. Such activities generally require pre- and post-construction CCTV, and a PE must assess the impact and propose measures to prevent or mitigate harm to the sewers.
- Unlicensed sanitary works. Regulated sanitary works carried out by someone other than a PUB Licensed Plumber.
The stakes of the last category are not only administrative. According to PUB’s advisory notes, damage to a pipe of at least 0.9 metres in diameter that forms part of, or connects to, the public sewerage system can attract a fine of up to $200,000. Our checklist of common mistakes that delay approval addresses the drainage side of the same problem.
Our perspective
We regard the sewerage submission as a coordination task before it is a drafting task. The plans PUB reviews depend on information held by other disciplines: the architect’s building line, the structural engineer’s foundation layout and the M&E engineer’s fixture loads. When those inputs are fixed late or changed after DC clearance, the DP is the stage at which the inconsistency is exposed, usually at the cost of a resubmission.
Our practice is therefore to obtain the SIP and verify sewer positions before the layout is frozen, to identify setback conflicts at feasibility stage, and to maintain a single statutory coordination point across PUB, BCA and the other agencies involved. Our multidisciplinary PE team endorses the plans in-house, which removes one source of delay. We report a 99% authority clearance rate across our submissions, and we attribute it chiefly to this discipline of checking before lodging, not to speed of drafting.
We also advise clients to treat the completion stage as part of the original programme. The as-built sewerage condition, the licensed plumber’s records and any CCTV reports should be assembled while the contractor is still on site.
— Aman
How Aman Engineering supports sewerage submissions
Property developers, building owners and contractors engage us for the full sequence: SIP-based design checks, DC, DP and TOP/CSC submissions, PE endorsements, and related POWS and drainage applications. These sit within our authority approvals service, and the broader scope is described on our main services page. Fees are scoped per project and are not published. Our earlier guidance on PUB approval requirements for builders gives wider context on the agency’s expectations.
Frequently asked questions
Who is allowed to submit a sewerage plan to PUB?
A Qualified Person submits for works that require BCA approval. For works that do not, an appropriate Professional Engineer must apply. Owners cannot lodge these plans themselves.
How long does PUB take to clear a sewerage submission?
PUB’s service commitment is typically 14 working days for standard DC, DP and TOP/CSC applications, and 1 working day for Simplified Submissions. Complex enquiries may take up to 15 working days to answer. Resubmissions after comments extend the overall programme.
How much does a sewerage plan submission cost?
Since 1 April 2025, PUB charges $1,450 per project for minor submissions and $1,850 per project for major projects. A waiver for a deviation from a Code of Practice costs $950 per deviation. Professional fees for preparing the submission are separate and depend on the project.
When can Simplified Submission be used?
It is available for qualifying work, such as additions and alterations to existing landed houses and external structures outside the public-sewer setback. It rests on the QP’s declaration and may be audited. Work that meets none of the criteria must go through DC.
Do I need a Sewerage Information Plan?
The Code of Practice directs that the SIP be obtained before design so the positions, alignments and levels of affected sewers are known. It is applied for through PUB’s e-services for professionals.
Sources
- PUB: Building Plan Submission Process Flow
- PUB: Submission Process
- PUB: Frequently Asked Questions on used water
- PUB: Quick Guide to Application for DP Clearance
- PUB: Code of Practice on Sewerage and Sanitary Works, 3rd Edition, March 2025
- PUB: Application Fees for Submission of Building Plan and Water Service Works
- PUB: Service Commitment
- PUB: Advisory Notes on protection of water and sewer pipes
- PUB: Qualified Persons portal e-services applications