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PLUMBING CONNECTION
SUMMER 2015 43
water source using a built in plumbing fixture rather than a
component of an appliance.
Another major backflow prevention is the manner in which
some products are used or installed. Some products that
do not require integral backflow prevention for certification
may still have potential backflow risks, depending on how
they are installed. This sometimes leads to confusion as to
where responsibility lies.
Hand showers on flexible hoses, for example, do not
require backflow prevention as part of their WaterMark
certification. The standard shower connection point is
typically 1.7m above the floor level and high enough to
ensure a standard 1.5m shower hose poses no threat if left
hanging off its mounting position. However, the increasing
need for high density suburban developments has seen more
showers mounted over a bathtub where a hand piece can
now be left submerged in contaminated water. And in more
recent years, hand showers are often used in multi-outlet
shower assemblies where the hand shower connection is far
lower than what could be considered a safe height above the
floor level. Such installations have associated backflow risks
and although the products may meet Australian Standards,
the finished installation does not.
Plumbing inspectors have targeted these installations
to determine that the required level of backflow prevention
has been identified and provided. This has unfortunately
meant that many shower assemblies have been condemned
and ordered to be removed from finished bathrooms. Some
of Australia’s leading plumbing merchants have begun
to address this from a product level with the inclusion
of backflow prevention as integral components in their
products. Plumbers can take comfort in knowing that these
products carry no limitations in the manner that they can
be installed. When in doubt, it is worth asking and getting
confirmation from the merchant/manufacturer that the
product will still meet backflow prevention requirements
once it is installed.
The industry faces many challenges moving forward with
the rapid development of plumbing products, the manner
in which they are used, and the credentials of non-licensed
practitioners performing the connections. The Australian
Building Codes Board (ABCB) is also performing an overall
review of the mandatory WaterMark scheme which, in the
future, may have some bearing on the backflow prevention
of our plumbing supply network. Regardless of any changes,
it is up to all stakeholders to play their part – regardless of
how trivial some requirements may seem – to secure the
long term integrity of Australia’s potable water supply.
Contact:
For information on backflow prevention or how devices
are tested to Australian Standards, please contact PROVE
Standards & Engineering.
www.proveng.com.au