Plumbing Connection 4-2015

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8 4 PLUMBING CONNECTION SUMMER 2015
NOT QUITE 100%
A debate on this side of the
Tasman regarding water quality
has highlighted how important
plumbing systems are for the
continued availability of safe drinking
water for our communities at large.
As Chair of the Plumbers, Gasfitters
and Drainlayers Board our mission
statement is to protect the health and
safety of the New Zealand public. This
is achieved by ensuring that suitably
qualified people in plumbing, gasfitting
and drainlaying are charged with
ensuring cross contamination does not
take place.
Unlike Australia, we have an
abundance of water, and as such
we cannot be complacent as El Niño
weather patterns have shown in the
past that severe drought can strike at
any time and interrupt the supply of
our rivers and streams.
It is of concern to note that 30% of
our rivers are unfit for bathing. The
government is determined to alter this
situation as quickly as possible and we
as plumbers have a large part to play in
ensuring that those streams that flow
into our rivers are not contaminated
in any way through foul water from
effluent fields, soak pits, contaminated
bores or the straight out dumping of
effluent into our waterways.
We are spending millions of dollars
on tourism promotions where New
Zealand is advertised as 100% pure
and our water quality is probably
our biggest threat to being able to
continue with our slogan.
In my role as Board Chair I have been
privileged to be part of the group who
have brought new training regimes
into place for our apprentices. In
the deliberations that took place,
it was encouraging to see how
much emphasis was placed on the
environment and cross contamination
and I look forward to seeing the
outcomes.
The plumbing industry is in a
perfect position to ensure it takes
full advantage of the opportunities
which will present themselves
through the lack of potable water
to our communities. Whether you
are connected to a municipal supply
or create your own storage and
reticulation the opportunities are
boundless.
Rain harvesting, filtration, ultra
violet, chlorination and dosing along
with backflow are all products that the
plumbing industry embraces.
Together with the above
opportunities comes the ability to
influence customers on water saving
products, and in fact the design of
high quality tap and shower ware.
It is all very well for consumers to
purchase product inappropriate for
their application and then ask the
plumber to fit it, or even worse, to
make it fit. Organisations should
be concentrating on design; water
efficiency and fit for purpose to ensure
our communities have the ability to do
their part, ensuring water quality and
conservation.
I look forward to our institutes
training on both sides of the Tasman in
the issues stated above and observing
the improvements which will come
from these initiatives.
I will keep you updated on what
comes of these discussions in a
coming issue.
HIGH QUALITY DRINKING WATER IS OFTEN TAKEN FOR GRANTED IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND;
HOWEVER, PLUMBERS SHOULD NOT REST ON THEIR LAURELS WHEN IT COMES TO INSTALLING AND
PROMOTING WATER SAVING PRODUCTS AND HIGH QUALITY TAP WARE. PETER JACKSON EXPLAINS.
It may come as a surprise that 30% of NZ’s rivers are unfit for bathing.
H20 Design
DESIGN TIME
PETER JACKSON