WaterMark Certification Scheme
Neil Savery
General Manager
27 May 2014
ABCB IGA
• The Board is a joint initiative of all governments and
exists by way of an Inter-governmental Agreement.
• The Board’s Mission under the IGA is to address
issues of safety and health, amenity and
sustainability in the design, construction and
performance of buildings.
• It is also a regulatory reform vehicle for COAG.
• The BCA and PCA are national codes which are
developed and maintained by the ABCB.
• Both codes contain the minimum necessary
requirements for building construction and plumbing in
Australia.
WMCS Transfer to the ABCB
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Transferred to the ABCB on 25 February 2013
New WaterMark website established
WaterMark Product Database transferred
Database teething issues resolved
Governance documents re-branded and freely
available on ABCB website
• WMCAB forum in mid 2013
Operational Matters
• Technical Committee established
• 5 new WaterMark Technical Specifications published
• 3 WaterMark Technical Specifications currently being
reviewed
• Plans for next WMCAB forum in near future
Operational Matters
• Average 10 enquiries per day - over 500 enquiries
completed (100+ technical in nature)
• 17 complaints processed (5 currently active)
• Ongoing regular engagement with State and Territory
administrations
• WMCAB conduct is being monitored
• Over 100 product licences have been terminated
WaterMark Review
• WaterMark Review Consultation Draft completed
• WMCS reference documents are fragmented and
conflicting
• Previously WMCS was managed without clear
boundaries or division of duties between management,
administration and the accreditation body
• Key stakeholders had little consistent guidance
WaterMark Review contd
• Evaluation of Review outcomes presented to the Board
• Board supports in-principle an improved scheme
• Board deferred making recommendations to the
Building Ministers’ Forum
• RIS to be conducted
• Working Group established
• Aim to report back to the Board at the end of 2014
Regulatory Context
• Commonwealth Government’s deregulation agenda
• COAG’s deregulation agenda
• ABCB’s reform package
• National Commission of Audit
• Expectations of Minister
Plumbing Code of Australia
• Developed by the National Plumbing
Regulators’ Forum
• Modelled on the Building Code of Australia
• Released in 2004 - not adopted nationally
• 2010 CoAG decision on formation of National
Construction Code
• Re-released PCA in 2011 under the NCC
banner
PCA Planning Day
• Develop a plan for the future direction of the
Plumbing Code of Australia
• Plumbing Code Committee and key plumbing
industry representatives
• Hobart – July 2013
• Open discussion on identifying future
directions and future needs of the plumbing
sector, including Watermark
Planning Day Outcomes
• Board endorsement for –
– Continued consolidation of plumbing matters into
the PCA
– Continued focus on variation reduction
– Increased focus on education and awareness
– Harmonisation between BCA and PCA
– Quantification and clarification of performance
– Future research priorities
• Backflow prevention
• Fixture unit ratings
• Warm water systems