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PLUMBING CONNECTION
SPRING 2016
LESS THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS
W
aterMark certification in Australia covers a vast
range of products, extending from individual
plumbing components to complete intricate
assemblies or appliances made up of many components. The
product standards that govern their performance have been
individually prepared by industry experts to ensure that all
are fit for purpose and the correct testing and assessments
identify the minimum performance requirements.
Individual plumbing components undergo minimal testing
in regards to performance requirements as they only need to
satisfy their ability to work in the larger plumbing network.
For example, brass threaded fittings are only assessed for
mostly prescriptive style requirements such as the material
and dimensional characteristics. If a hex nipple is made of
the correct material to known and accepted dimensions, the
fitting is deemed to comply. There is often no performance
based testing required for such a product which has no
purpose other than to connect other fittings together.
Complete products or appliances include a range of many
individual components, and therefore performance based
testing is appropriate based on the products’ intended
application.
In recent times there have been instances where products
have been appearing in plumbing applications where
fittings have been assembled together to pose as a finished
product. In such cases, the individual fittings or components
themselves often meet their respective individual standards
and determining whether or not the entire assembly meets
WaterMark requirements becomes a little trickier.
A plumber may easily be duped into purchasing and
unknowingly installing a product illegally which looks to be
correctly WaterMark certified on face value. As the assembly
sometimes consists of many components, it is easy to
notice a single WaterMark logo somewhere on the assembly
and naturally consider it compliant.
Two common products easily constructed from simple
components include mains pressure toilet (or urinal) flush
valves, as well as rainwater/mains supply changeover
devices. These products appear quite simple from an initial
glance which potentially makes them easy targets.
A toilet flush valve in principle could work with a few
components threaded together with an electronic solenoid
valve and a push button for activation. The actual design
however lies with the hydraulic flow capabilities of the
product to ensure that it performs as it is intended.
Flush valves are tested under laboratory conditions when
combined with toilet pans or urinals to determine associated
flush volumes, profiles and flow rates. This often results in
a lot of combinations and trials to determine any limitations
with inlet flow velocities and pressures against these
nominated pans or urinals. The end result is that the product
TERRY NGUYEN
DISCUSSES THE ISSUE OF PRODUCTS BEING ASSEMBLED FROM A VARIETY OF WATERMARK
COMPONENTS ONLY FOR THE END PRODUCT TO NOT BE WATERMARK APPROVED AS A WHOLE AND HOW THIS
CREATES AN UNFAIR PLAYING FIELD FOR MANUFACTURERS OF PRODUCTS THAT HAVE ACHIEVED WATERMARK
APPROVAL.
IT IS EASY TO NOTICE A SINGLE
WATERMARK LOGO SOMEWHERE
ON THE ASSEMBLY AND NATURALLY
CONSIDER IT COMPLIANT.
PROVE STANDARDS