Plumbing Connection Spring 2016

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2 2 PLUMBING CONNECTION SPRING 2016
and drainage systems throughout
Australia.
Volume Three pertains to the
requirements for plumbing and
drainage for all classes of buildings.
THE WATERMARK CERTIFICATION
SCHEME
The WaterMark Certification Scheme
(WaterMark) is a mandatory
certification scheme
for plumbing and
drainage materials
and products to
ensure they are
fit for purpose
and appropriately
authorised for use in
plumbing and drainage
installations.
The ABCB manages and administers
WaterMark as a national scheme.
NCC, Volume Three requires certain
plumbing and drainage materials and
products to be certified and authorise
for use in a plumbing or drainage
installation. These materials and
products are certified and authorised
for use through WaterMark.
It is then the responsibility of each
state and territory regulator to ensure
that approved products are used in
plumbing installations. This control is
usually at point of installation.
For further information on the
WaterMark Certification Scheme
please visit:
WATER EFFICIENCY LABELLING AND
STANDARDS (WELS) SCHEME
WELS is Australia’s water efficiency
labelling scheme that requires certain
products to be registered
and labelled with their
water efficiency in
accordance with the
standard set under
the national Water
Efficiency Labelling
and Standards Act
2005.
The WELS Regulator is responsible
for monitoring and enforcing the
WELS Scheme and is committed to
ensuring the integrity and credibility of
the WELS Scheme. The WELS team is
located within the Environment Quality
Division of the Department of the
Environment.
While the WELS scheme is supported
by State and Territory legislation, most
compliance and enforcement is taken
under the Commonwealth legislation.
The Commonwealth legislation
imposes obligations on corporations
and entities that are engaged in
transactions across state or territory
boundaries, or are involved in the
import or export of WELS products,
including the likes of eBay and similar
trading websites.
On 23 July 2012, new compliance
provisions in the Water Efficiency
Labelling and Standards Act 2005
(Cth) (the WELS Act) came into effect.
These include new civil penalties and
criminal offences, as well as a range of
new enforcement options in response
to non-compliance.
To date, WELS scheme compliance
and enforcement activities have
focussed on educating industry about
its legal obligations under the Water
Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act
2005 (WELS Act).
Today, compliance activities are
underway with investigators in
the field Australia-wide and non-
compliances against the WELS Act are
being assessed and appropriate action
taken.
For more information and to learn
more about WELS, please visit
HOW STANDARDS WORK
Standards Australia is the nation’s
peak non-government, not-for-
profit Standards organisation.
WELS LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK
WATER EFFICIENCY
LABELLING AND
STANDARDS ACT 2005
PRODUCT SPECIFIC
STANDARDS
SHOWERS
TAP EQUIPMENT
FLOW CONTROLLERS
LAVATORY EQUIPMENT
URINAL EQUIPMENT
DISHWASHERS
SLOTHES WASHERS
CLOTHES DRYERS
WATER EFFICIENCY
LABELLING AND STANDARDS
DETERMINATION 2013 (NO.2)
WELS STANDARD AS/
NZS 6400:2005 - WATER
EFFICIENT PRODUCTS
WATER EFFICIENCY
LABELLING AND STANDARDS
REGULATIONS 2005
WATER EFFICIENCY
COVER STORY: REGULATION