The VBA (Victorian Building Authority) has applied a transition period for plumbers to familiarise themselves with revised AS/NZS standards, before they need to be applied to plumbing practices on 1 September 2022.

On 28 May 2021, Standards Australia published the following revised plumbing standards:

• AS/NZS 3500.1: 2021 Plumbing and Drainage Part 1: Water Services,
• AS/NZS 3500.2: 2021 Plumbing and Drainage Part 2: Sanitary Plumbing and Drainage,
• AS/NZS 3500.3: 2021 Plumbing and Drainage Part 3: Stormwater Drainage,
• AS/NZS 3500.4: 2021 Plumbing and Drainage Part 4: Heated Water, and

AS/NZS 4234: 2021 Heated Water Systems – Calculation of Energy Consumption is expected to be published in June 2021.

The above standards are referenced in the Plumbing Regulations 2018 and/or the Plumbing Code of Australia 2019.

Given the significant changes made in the revised standards, the VBA has applied a transition period before it requires the revised standards to be applied in practice. The VBA is calling on plumbers to use this transition period to familiarise themselves with the changes.

The revised standards will not be required to be used until 1 September 2022, which aligns with the commencement of the Plumbing Code of Australia 2022 edition.

Between now and 31 August 2022, plumbing practitioners should continue to use the following versions:

• For AS/NZS 3500 Parts 1 to 4, the 2018 version should be used,
• For AS/NZS 4234, the 2008 version should be used.

From 1 September 2022, plumbing practitioners must use the 2021 versions of these standards.

You can purchase plumbing standards from Sai Global and Tech Street.

Further Information
VBA will provide further information on these changes in coming months to support your understanding of the updated standards.

If you have questions about these changes, please contact Victorian Building Authority on 1300 815 127 or email your questions to plumbingtechnicaladvice@vba.vic.gov.au