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Statement on the existence of utility networks: complete procedure for builders
A utility network statement is a document that informs you whether and where third-party infrastructure runs beneath or near your property, and under what conditions you are permitted to build in its vicinity. At first glance, it appears to be a single document; in reality, it involves an entire process with dozens of recipients.
Who needs a utility network statement regarding existing networks
A utility network statement must be obtained by anyone planning construction, a connection or excavation work on land where third-party technical infrastructure may exist, which is practically all built-up and unbuilt areas near municipalities. This applies to the owner of a detached house, an investor in a commercial project, a designer who needs to map networks into documentation, and even someone building just a fence, swimming pool or garage near utility lines.
Who needs to be contacted
The specific list varies by location, but the core is always similar:
- Energy efficiency - depending on the region of ČEZ Distribuce, EG.D or PREdistribuce.
- Gas engineering - GasNet across most of the territory, in Prague Pražská plynárenská Distribuce.
- Water supply and sewerage systems - dozens of regional operators, from large water utilities to smaller municipal administrators.
- Telecommunications - CETIN as the largest communications cable network, along with mobile operators and local internet providers.
- District heating plants - where a hot water or steam pipe for central heating supply runs.
- Municipality or town - public lighting, metropolitan networks, municipal water supplies outside major waterworks.
- Further depending on the plot's location - managers of backbone infrastructure near railways, motorways or high-pressure gas pipelines.
Why are there so many managers?
Czech technical infrastructure has no single owner; each network type is managed by a different company, and even within one type there are often multiple owners. Water supply and sewerage systems are typically operated by different companies in each region, while the energy sector is divided among three major distributors by territory, alongside local optical network operators in larger cities. The result is that a single plot of land may involve twenty or more different recipients, each with their own form and their own processing timeline.
How a request typically proceeds
- You will find out which owners and infrastructure managers have networks in the vicinity of your plot, consulting the digital technical map will also help with this.
- For each one, you submit an application via their portal, by email or through the data box, and include a map of the area of interest and the purpose of the intended project.
- You will wait for a response, with some property managers it arrives quickly, with others you need to monitor the handling and possibly follow up.
- Check that the responses match your intent and that no affected parties are missing.
What to do next with utility network statements
Submit the complete set of utility network statements to the designer as a basis for the site plan and present them to the building authority for development consent. Each operator determines validity independently, which is usually stated directly on the statement, for submission to the authority, it must be valid at the time the application is filed.
It is worthwhile to keep the utility network statements together and in an orderly fashion, ideally with a note specifying exactly which network relates to your project: both the designer and the authority will appreciate receiving a complete set of documents rather than a fragmented collection of emails from twenty different senders.
How we can help you with this
That is precisely why our service exists: the list of recipients is long and each has different rules. You provide us with the plot and cadastral territory; we identify all relevant authorities, submit the applications on your behalf, monitor the responses, and deliver you one complete package, without you having to track twenty different portals.
Part of our work involves checking that no response is incomplete and that the recipient list does not omit an administrator who might easily be overlooked, such as a smaller local optical network operator or the municipal public lighting manager. We handle this type of task repeatedly, so we know where builders most often make mistakes.
Leave the running around to us.
We will obtain statements from all relevant utility network operators at once and deliver them to you in a single clear package for the designer and the building authority.
Request a quote for handling