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9 2

PLUMBING CONNECTION

SPRING 2015

Standard has not been brought up-to-date to cater for

modern technology. It is now 12 years old and a lot of things

can happen in two years, let alone 12, when it comes to

technology and innovation.

One of the first things a CAB needs to do as a certification

body is ensure that the product being assessed for

WaterMark certification falls within the Preface and Scope

of the identified product Standard.

In this case, the preface of AS2887 identifies that it has

been written to allow for any plastic material other than

UPVC to be used to manufacture offset pan connectors.

UPVC isn’t covered in AS2887. Pan connectors and other

waste fittings manufactured from UPVC are covered in AS/

NZS1260.

Even though you may have identical looking product, if

they’re made of different materials, they could, such as

in this case, fall under two different Standards. The Abey

offset pan connector is made from polypropylene; therefore

AS 2887 is the applicable product Standard. The offset

requirements for pan connectors in both Standards are

identical.

With the Offset pan connector section of AS2887 it states

the following:

Angle for DN 100 x DN 80 reducing or DN 100 offset pan

connecters of the form shown in Figures 4.3 or 4.4, the angle

shall not be greater than 30°

.

“The word ‘shall’ indicates that it is mandatory. If it had

said ‘should’ we might have been able to get away with it”,

says Geoff.

As frustrating as it is to Abey, there are a number of WC

pan offset connectors in the market with an

offset angle greater than 30 degrees that

currently have WaterMark Certification to

either AS/NZS 1260:2009 (Clause 5.4.6) or

AS 2887 (Clause 4.4.4.) despite both these

specifications nominating a maximum

offset angle of 30 degrees to the vertical.

As the current specifications are not

appropriate for use in the evaluation

for certification of WC pan offset

connectors with an offset angle

greater than 30 degrees, a new

WaterMark Technical Specification

(WMTS) is currently being developed for use with such

products.

“The simple fact is: a product either complies, or it

doesn’t, so we decided to take a different route; thinking the

issue might be over and done with reasonably quickly – but

alas, not so”, say Geoff

“Under the WaterMark scheme there is the option of

developing a new WaterMark Technical Specification

(WMTS) for new innovative products which our current

Standards do not cover. The ABCB has a process of going

through and developing a new WaterMark technical

specification.

We were advised to take this option. Fortunately we were

able to convince the ABCB that the normal risk assessment

process to determine the appropriate level of WaterMark

certification was not required as offset pan connectors

were already identified as requiring WaterMark Level 2

certification under the

WaterMark Certification Scheme

Schedule of Specifications.”

With the assistance of the ABCB and a NATA accredited

test laboratory, a draft WMTS was submitted to the ABCB

in October 2013 (yes, two years ago). It has gone back

and forth between the ABCB and Abey’s CAB with several

requests and amendments being exchanged over the two

years. The latest revision back from the ABCB suggested

Abey conduct a water seal test, even though this product

was being produced by a highly reputable UK manufacturer

who sells hundreds of thousands of this particular product

throughout Europe each year!

The saga continues and Abey says the latest concern

raised by the ABCB for offset pan connectors

with angles greater than 30 degrees,

is that they could act as a partial

blockage and possibly siphon some of

the connected toilet pans trap seal,

resulting in sewer odours entering

the room. Thus Abey responded and

incorporated a trap seal retention test

into their latest draft WMTS. Then they

learnt the ABCB was recommending that

the offset pan connectors be performance tested,

certified and marked with all of the manufacturer’s

nominated matching pans which the offset pan

CERTIFICATION

UNDER THE WATERMARK SCHEME THERE IS THE OPTION OF DEVELOPING A

NEWWATERMARK TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION (WMTS) FOR NEW INNOVATIVE

PRODUCTS WHICH OUR CURRENT STANDARDS DO NOT COVER.