New Home Connections | Unified Alaskan Utilities

Building a new home or structure? This page explains how to connect your new building to the Unified Alaskan Utilities water system. Following these steps will help ensure your water service is ready when you need it.

Before You Begin

Check if Water Service is Available

Before you purchase property or start building, you need to verify that water service is available at your location:

Check Our Service Areas - Your property must be within one of our service districts. View our Service Areas page to see the areas we serve.
Confirm System Capacity - Our system must have the capacity to serve additional connections in your area.
Find the Nearest Water Main - We need to determine where our water main is located in relation to your property.

Important: Contact us early in your planning process to verify service availability.

How to Get a New Water Connection

Step 1: Submit Your Application

Phone: (907) 222-4084 or (855) 790-4084
Email: [email protected]

Your completed application must include:

Required Information:

Your full legal name
Legal description of your property
Street address
Phone number and mailing address
Copy of your business license and driver’s license
Your signature or authorized representative’s signature

Required Documents:

Site plan showing where your building will be located
Route from the water main to your building

For Multi-Family or Commercial Buildings: You must also submit four (4) copies of engineering plans signed and stamped by a professional engineer registered in Alaska. These plans must be 24 inches by 36 inches or smaller and include:

Ground surface elevations at the main and building foundation
Type and diameter of pipe to be used
Depth of bury and separation from other utilities
Location and intended use of each structure
Vicinity map, legal description, north arrow, and scale
Existing street names and proposed connection locations
Engineer’s firm name, address, and phone number

Plans must conform to UAU design standards. See our design standard documents:

Step 2: Pay Your Deposit

Before any work begins, you must pay a deposit. The deposit amount depends on the size of connection you need:

Connection Size	Deposit Required
3/4" to 1"	$825.00
1 1/2"	$925.00
2"	$1,200.00
Larger than 2"	By agreement

This deposit covers:

Connection permit fee ($95.00)
Plan review fee if required ($190.00)
Inspection fees
Other utility costs

Important: The deposit is not the final cost. You will be billed or refunded the difference between the deposit and actual costs within 10 days after work is completed.

Step 3: Obtain Required Permits

You must obtain all necessary permits before construction begins:

From Unified Alaskan Utilities:

Connection permit (included in deposit)

From Other Agencies:

Building permit from your local government
Plumbing permit
Right-of-way permit if the service line crosses public roads or property

If the service connection will be under a road right-of-way, you must provide a two-year guarantee secured by a bond to cover possible damages.

Step 4: Locate the shutoff and install your service line

Call the office at (907) 222-4084 to verify the location of the shutoff valve (keybox) for your property before you excavate. In most cases, the valve is already installed. If a shutoff valve does not yet exist, the office will work with you on having one installed.

After you know where the shutoff is, you (or your contractor) excavate the trench and install the water service from the keybox to the house. You are responsible for:

All excavation
Laying the pipe from the keybox to the building
Right-of-way permits
Right-of-way inspections

Installation Standards: All work must meet UAU design standards. Your contractor should review the Residential Service Connections Standard and Trenching & Insulation Standard for required materials, burial depths, and insulation requirements.

Scheduling: You must give 48 hours notice (excluding weekends, holidays, and between 4:00 PM and 8:30 AM) to schedule installation work.

Step 5: Inspection Before Backfill

Critical: No service connection or service extension may be covered with dirt until it has been inspected and approved by the utility.

How to Schedule an Inspection:

Call at least 24 hours in advance (excluding weekends, holidays, and between 4:00 PM and 8:30 AM)
Be present at the scheduled time or have a representative present
If you miss the appointment, you will be charged a $122.00 return visit fee

Inspection Fees:

3/4" to 2" connections: $122.00
Larger than 2" connections: $300.00 deposit

Re-inspections: If your connection fails inspection, it must be fixed and re-inspected. You will pay the full inspection fee for each re-inspection, or actual costs if higher.

If You Skip Inspection: If you backfill without an inspection, the utility may require you to dig it up again at your expense to prove it meets requirements.

Step 6: Submit Record Drawings

After installation, you must submit drawings showing the exact location of your service connection and/or service extension.

For multi-family or commercial buildings, these drawings must be signed and stamped by a professional engineer who certifies they inspected the work during construction.

The utility may not turn on your water service until these drawings are reviewed and approved.

Step 7: Apply for Water Service

Once your connection is installed and inspected, you must submit an application for water service (different from the connection permit application) to establish your customer account. Visit our Application for Service page to get started, or contact us at (907) 222-4084, (855) 790-4084, or [email protected] to request a paper form.

Step 8: Pay Your Service Deposit

You must pay a service deposit equal to two months of estimated water charges. This deposit:

Will be refunded after two years of on-time payments, or
Will be refunded within 30 days if you request to stop service
Earns interest if over $100

Step 9: Water Service is Turned On

Once all requirements are met, the utility will turn on your water service:

All applications approved
All fees and deposits paid
All inspections passed
Record drawings submitted
Building ready for water service

Your Responsibilities vs. Utility Responsibilities

Property Owner Responsibilities

You are responsible for:

Installing a shut-off valve inside your building before any branch lines
All interior plumbing from the meter to all fixtures
Maintaining and repairing the service line on your property (from keybox to building)
Maintaining the keybox in good repair
Protecting the meter and service line from freezing and damage
Providing year-round access to meters and keyboxes for utility employees
Any damage to utility equipment on your property caused by you or your contractors

Utility Responsibilities

Unified Alaskan Utilities is responsible for:

All water main infrastructure
Service connection from main to keybox (you pay installation costs, utility owns and maintains)
Meter installation and ownership
Water quality up to the meter
Repairs to water mains and service connections

Important Standards and Requirements

All service connections and extensions must meet:

Current UAU design standards (see links below)
Current Uniform Plumbing Code and local amendments
Alaska state statutes and regulations

UAU Design Standard Documents

For detailed specifications, approved materials, and installation requirements, refer to these design standards:

Residential Service Extension Standard - Standards for residential service connections including keybox configuration, approved materials, and joining methods
Main Service Connections Standard - Standards for larger service connections with approved materials and connection methods
Trenching & Insulation Standard - Requirements for trench depth, insulation, and backfill based on location and pipe size

Note: These standards specify approved materials (such as plastic-coated Type K copper and HDPE), prohibited materials (such as PVC and uncoated copper), approved joining methods, and minimum burial depths for Alaska’s climate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can install the service connection?

Call the office first to confirm the shutoff valve location. In most cases it is already installed. If it is not, the office will work with you on having one installed. You (or your contractor) excavate the trench and install the water service from the keybox to the house, following UAU design standards. You are also responsible for hiring licensed contractors for interior plumbing.

What if my property is not in a service area?

Your property must be within one of our service districts to receive water service. Contact us to discuss your specific situation if you are unsure whether service is available.

How long does the process take?

The timeline varies based on weather conditions, workload, and the complexity of your project. Alaska’s climate significantly impacts construction schedules, with limited work possible during winter months. Contact us early in your planning process to discuss timing for your specific project.

Contact Us

Ready to start your new connection project? Contact us today:

Phone:

Local: (907) 222-4084
Toll Free: (855) 790-4084

Email:

[email protected]

Mailing Address:

Box 233368
Anchorage, AK 99523

Business Hours:

Monday - Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday & Sunday: Closed

Service Areas - Information about our nine service districts
Rates & Fees - Connection costs and fee schedules
Permits & Inspections - Inspection requirements and procedures
Start Service - For existing connections requiring service activation

Design Standards for Contractors:

Unified Alaskan Utilities is committed to supporting community growth through reliable water service. We look forward to serving your new home or business with high-quality water and excellent customer service.