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Best used at the early stages of concept design or when managing multiple enquiries, NCAT bridges the gap between complex hydraulic modelling and everyday development decisions.

NCAT is a browser-based, GIS-enabled tool that uses existing council hydraulic model data and design standards to visualise remaining capacity at each pipe or node.

By bringing model results into a geospatial environment, NCAT makes model insights accessible to non-modellers — allowing councils to get far greater value from their investment in modelling. It unlocks the value of complex hydraulic models for development engineers without them needing to run the models themselves, enabling simplified, rapid checks to inform development enquiries and deliver faster response times.

What sets NCAT apart

What truly sets NCAT apart is its dual capability: 

  1. Assessing remaining capacity in water and wastewater networks, enabling early and consistent ‘first look’ assessments.
  2. Providing a single, central database to store and track all development enquiries in one place.

This creates a live, transparent record of both committed and available capacity, while spatially showing where development is occurring and how it affects network performance. Even councils without detailed hydraulic models can use NCAT to record enquiries, map growth, and progressively expand functionality as more data becomes available.

Key Benefits

Rather than replacing hydraulic models, this tool has been designed as a high-level filter to identify where more detailed analysis and modelling assessment is required to understand the impact of a development fully.

Particularly beneficial for Councils with high predicted growth (especially infill), NCAT:

  • Speeds up assessments and reduces the risk of over-allocation using geospatial reporting, capacity ‘lock-in’ for approved developments and a centralised database of all queries
  • Provides a fast and clear ‘first look’ evaluation to improve the development application process significantly
  • Presents results visually on a map using a simple traffic light system (green, amber, red)
  • Creates a consistent, transparent process that supports better planning decisions and community confidence
  • Supports compliance with the Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025, which requires councils to publish network maps and capacity utilisation data