<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-06-09</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001057058</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>WASTE CONNECTIONS INC/DE</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>WCN</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001064299</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MITTELSTAEDT RONALD J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chairman, President, CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Range Forward Purchase Agreement (obligation to sell)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>0</value>
            <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            <footnoteId id="F2"/>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <transactionDate>
            <value>2003-06-09</value>
        </transactionDate>
        <transactionCoding>
            <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
            <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
            <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            <footnoteId id="F2"/>
        </transactionCoding>
        <transactionTimeliness>
            <value></value>
        </transactionTimeliness>
        <transactionAmounts>
            <transactionShares>
                <value>1</value>
            </transactionShares>
            <transactionValue>
                <value>0</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionValue>
            <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                <value>A</value>
            </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
        </transactionAmounts>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>2007-06-11</value>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2007-06-11</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>60000</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <postTransactionAmounts>
            <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                <value>1</value>
            </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
        </postTransactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>I</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            <natureOfOwnership>
                <value>By Mittelstaedt Enterprises, L.P.</value>
            </natureOfOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The zeros in the above table are placeholders only that are required by the EDGAR software and should be disregarded.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">On June 9, 2003, Mittelstaedt Enterprises, L.P. (&quot;Enterprises&quot;), a partnership controlled by the reporting person, entered into a range forward purchase agreement (the &quot;Agreement&quot;) with an unaffiliated third party (the &quot;Buyer&quot;), under which Enterprises agreed to deliver 60,000 shares of Common Stock to the Buyer on June 11, 2007 (the &quot;Maturity Date&quot;).   Enterprises pledged 60,000 shares of Common Stock to the Buyer to secure its obligations under the Agreement.   The price per Share (the &quot;Purchase Price&quot;) to be paid by the Buyer on the Maturity Date will depend on the closing price of the Common Stock on that date (the &quot;Maturity Price&quot;).  If the Maturity Price is less than or equal to $26.82, the Purchase Price will be $26.82.  If the Maturity Price is greater than or equal to $43.63, the Purchase Price will be $43.63.  If the Maturity Price is greater than $26.82 but less than $43.63, the Purchase Price will be the Maturity Price.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Ronald J. Mittelstaedt</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-06-11</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

