What's specific to Officer
Mortgaged houses
At the 2021 Census, 94.6% of occupied homes in the suburb of Officer were separate houses, and 57.0% were owned with a mortgage, against 36.1% across Victoria. Only 13.3% were owned outright.
Third pipe mandated
The Officer Precinct Structure Plan mandates third pipe recycled water in its residential area, supplied to the boundary of all developed lots.
Sewer to every lot
The same plan requires a reticulated sewerage service, built to South East Water's requirements, to the boundary of every developed lot in the precinct.
Purple means recycled
South East Water says recycled water is marked by purple pipes, taps and meter, and those fittings should never be changed or painted.
What the purple tap is for
Class A recycled water is for flushing toilets, washing clothes and watering the garden. It must not be used for drinking, cooking or anything in the kitchen, for filling a pool, spa or children's water toys, for running an evaporative cooler, or for a handheld toilet spray.
That list matters whenever something new is plumbed in: an outdoor tap, a bidet spray, a cooler or a pool top-up has to go on the right supply. South East Water asks owners to check the recycled water connection every year, and especially after plumbing, landscaping or renovation work.
Building now, or replacing later
If you're building in Officer, Victoria has announced that from 1 January 2027 all new homes will be built all electric. For an existing home with gas hot water, a system that reaches the end of its life from 1 March 2027 must be replaced with an efficient electric option such as a heat pump. Check current rules either way, and see heat pump hot water in Melbourne for the choices.
Sewer and water connections
South East Water's part of the sewer ends at the inspection opening, typically near the boundary. The pipes from that opening to the house are the owner's to maintain. On the drinking water side, South East Water looks after the meter and the pipes from the street to it, and the owner looks after the run from the meter to the house.
What we would do
Before renovating or landscaping, find your purple taps and the recycled water meter and point them out to whoever is doing the work. South East Water says its yearly connection check matters most after plumbing, landscaping or renovation work, so do it as soon as the job is finished. When you send us the job, mention the recycled supply; only the plumber who takes it gets your contact details.