 Welcome to using NCC Volume 3. The focus of this presentation is on how to use Volume 3 of the NCC to find and interpret information about performance requirements and compliance solutions for plumbing and drainage for all classes of buildings. This is what you will learn about in this presentation. What NCC Volume 3 contains, how NCC Volume 3 is organised and where to find information within it, how to interpret the different sections of Volume 3, where to get guidance on using Volume 3. What does Volume 3 of the NCC contain? The provisions with NCC Volume 3 cover all classes of buildings. It prescribes the minimum required levels for the design and construction of plumbing and drainage systems in Australia. It covers minimum requirements related to safety and health, amenity and accessibility and sustainability. NCC Volume 3 is also known as the Plumbing Code of Australia, or PCA. NCC Volume 3 references or calls up specific documents considered suitable for regulation. This volume extensively references the AS-NZS-35000 Plumbing and Drainage Series of Australian Standards, among others. It includes information on and requirements for certain materials and products used in plumbing and drainage installations to be certified under Watermark Certification Scheme, which is discussed later in this module. NCC Volume 3 is used in conjunction with NCC Volumes 1 and 2. The PCA contains references to requirements in NCC Volumes 1 and 2, the Building Code of Australia, that plumbing practitioners should be aware of. These requirements may impact on a plumbing or drainage installation and are identified in the PCA as cross-volume considerations in explanatory information boxes. For example, in NCC Volume 1, performance requirements F7P1 to F7P4 cover sound transmission and insulation in walls and floors of Class 2, 3 and 9C buildings and would need to be met when designing and building plumbing and drainage systems in those buildings. In Volume 1, requirements for installing a sprinkler system in a building will generally involve the installation of plumbing, which will be required to comply with the appropriate provisions in Volume 3. In NCC Volume 2, performance requirement H4P6 covers sound insulation of walls in Class 1 buildings and would need to be met when designing and building plumbing and drainage systems in this class of building. In the past, each state and territory government has had its own plumbing and drainage requirements. Whilst this involved adopting various standards, not all states and territories picked up the same standards or the same addition at the same time. This approach approved to be a real challenge for the companies working in multiple states or even contractors who thought they were referring to the right set of standards. NCC Volume 3 has removed these differences and ensures that the technical requirements for plumbing across the whole country are in one place, therefore enhancing the objective of having nationally consistent minimum necessary regulations. While there are still some state and territory variations and additions to Volume 3, they have dramatically reduced from what was in place before Volume 3 was introduced in 2011. Compliant Solutions in Volume 3 ASNZS 3500 series is the key reference document for the DTS provisions for plumbing requirements in the NCC, as illustrated in the green boxes. Performance solutions can still be developed to meet the relevant plumbing and drainage-related performance requirements. How is Volume 3 of the NCC organised? Section A contains the governing requirements, which are all the same in all volumes of the NCC. They will find all the same information in Section A of Volume 3, as they will in Section A of Volume 2 and Section A of Volume 1. This includes information on building classifications and reference documents. As the governing requirements section is the same across all volumes of the NCC, it will not be discussed further in this module. It is discussed in the Understanding the NCC Module. Sections B to E contain all the performance requirements, verification methods and DTS provisions for Volume 3. This includes provisions for a variety of water services and for sanitary plumbing and drainage systems. It also includes provisions designed to prevent excessive noise from plumbing and drainage systems and those designed to ensure that plumbing systems are accessible for those with disabilities. The structure of Volume 3 is similar to the structure of Volume 1 with the performance requirements, verification methods and DTS provisions grouped across the different sections. This is different from Volume 2, where performance requirements and verification methods are all gathered together with the DTS provisions contained separately in the housing provisions. Volume 3 contains the same schedules as the other volumes. Most of the text in the schedules is identical across the volumes, but the contents of schedules 4 to 11, state and territory variations and additions, varies, i.e. is specific to each volume. As the schedules are more or less the same across all volumes of the NCC, they will not be discussed further in this module. They are discussed in the Understanding the NCC Module. So, this module focuses on understanding and using sections B to E of Volume 3 of the NCC. What do sections B to E contain? Section B, water services. Requirements to provide safe and adequate water supply conserve water and avoid the likelihood of contamination of drinking water. Covers cold and heated, drinking and non-drinking and firefighting water services cross connection control and rainwater services and storage. Section C, sanitary plumbing and draining systems. Requirements for adequate disposal systems covering plumbing and drainage. Section D, excessive noise. Many people live in urban environments and therefore in close proximity to others. So excessive noise can be an important issue for occupants of buildings. For example, when people live in apartments the noise from one apartment's bathroom plumbing or drainage system may penetrate another apartment disturbing the other resident's ability to go about their usual activities. This is termed a loss of amenity in the NCC and plumbing and drainage systems should be designed to prevent this loss of amenity. Section E, facilities. Basically requires that taps and other controls must be accessible and suitable for use by all users including those with disabilities. Section B, water services. Most buildings have more than one kind of water service for the purposes of the NCC. There are different performance requirements for each type of water service. The purpose that a water service is used for is critical to determining which requirements apply. For example, is the water primarily intended for drinking preparing food, showering, flushing a toilet, watering a garden or running another service such as running an air conditioner. All of these water services can be supplied to any class of building. However, some of them may not be required in some classes of buildings. For example, class one buildings don't have to have firefighting water services while a class three residential building will very often need to have this kind of water service. A class one building can have a firefighting service if the owner, builder decides to install one. Cross connection control is about safeguarding water services from contamination from other water services. Interpreting Section B, water services. Some of the performance requirements for different water services are very similar. This is because the need to safeguard health resulting in similar requirements for water services even when their intended use is slightly different. B one cold water services, drinking water. Water intended primarily for human consumption but which has other domestic uses. Water used for drinking, preparing food, washing dishes and clothes, personal hygiene. Limited application as shown does not apply to water use for other purposes such as watering gardens, flushing toilets or supplying services such as air conditioning. B two heated water services, heated water. Water that has been intentionally heated normally referred to as hot water or warm water. Water that is heated in any form or hot water service, boiler, etc. Generally supplied to kitchens and bathrooms for washing dishes and personal hygiene. Limited application as shown. For example fixtures for showers and baths, taps for hand washing either in a bathroom, kitchen or laundry. B three non-drinking water services. Non-drinking water, water that is not intended primarily for human consumption may be supplied for gardening or the operation of services such as air conditioners. Cross connection, any actual or potential connection between a water supply and any contaminant. A contaminant is a substance, energy or heat that alone or in combination with other substances, energy or heat changes or is likely to change the physical, chemical or biological condition of water. B four firefighting water services, flow rate and pressure. Similar requirements for most water services. Required flow rates and pressure. Access for maintenance. Isolation for testing and maintenance. Avoidance of failure or uncontrolled discharge. Firefighting water services applies to water used specifically to fight a fire in the building. May be required to meet other performance requirements. For example fire safety performance in NCC volume one. B five cross connection control. Contamination means exposed to a contaminant. A contaminant is a substance, energy or heat that alone or in combination with other substances, energy or heat changes or is likely to change the physical, chemical or biological condition of water. Application has shown to most kinds of water services. Similar requirements apply to rainwater storage systems. B six rainwater services. Rainwater service, a water service which distributes water from the isolation valve of the rainwater storage to the rainwater points of discharge for purposes such as clothes washing, urinal and water closet flushing and external hose cracks. B six P three is about efficient use of rainwater. Similar requirements apply for most water services. Additional performance requirements in B six rainwater services for required velocity and pressure, access and isolation or testing and maintenance, identification, avoidance of uncontrolled discharge. Exemption B six P three A two does not apply to a vacuum drainage system. B seven rainwater storage. Rainwater storage is any storage of rainwater collected from a roof catchment area which is used to supply water for the primary purposes of drinking, personal hygiene or other uses. Section C sanitary plumbing and drainage systems. The performance requirements for the two parts have a lot of similarities and many of these are similar to the performance requirements for the various parts of section B. For example, the need to provide access for maintenance, the need for efficient use of water and protection from contamination. C one sanitary plumbing systems. Plumbing is any water service plumbing or sanitary plumbing system. Plumbing is a broad term but this part relates to sanitary plumbing systems in particular. Sullage refers to wastewater from bathrooms and kitchens excluding wastewater from toilets. Sullage does not contain human waste i.e. feces or urine. Sullage can arise from various activities such as food preparation, washing dishes, hand washing and showering. Drainage is any part of a sanitary drainage system including any queued trade waste drainage or a stormwater drainage system. Drainage covers systems to dispose of a range of liquids but this part relates to sanitary drainage systems in particular. Approved disposal system is a system for the disposal of sewerage, sullage or stormwater approved by an authority having jurisdiction. C two sanitary drainage systems. Surface water is all naturally occurring water other than subsurface water which results from rainwater on or around the site or water flowing onto the site. Interpreting sections B to E of volume three. Question one, according to section B under what circumstance must a cold water service be connected to a drinking water supply? Part B one, cold water services. B one P one, cold water supply application one. When the cold water supply is likely to be used for human consumption, drinking, food preparation, washing food utensils or personal hygiene, showering and bathing, washing hands etc. Question two, how does the NCC define the term drinking water? Schedule one definitions. Water intended primarily for human consumption but which has other domestic uses. Question three, according to section B what DTS solution can be used to satisfy performance requirement B five P one contamination control for a drinking water service? Section B water services. Part B five cross connection control. B five D two drinking water service. Question four, according to section B what exemption applies to the performance requirement to identify pipes, pipe outlets, storage and holding tanks that form part of a rainwater storage system? Part B seven rainwater storage. B seven P four identification. Exemption B seven P four does not apply if the rainwater storage system is intended for drinking and personal hygiene. Question five, in section C identify the Australian standard referenced in the verification methods and DTS provisions for the design, construction and installation of sanitary drainage systems. Part C two sanitary drainage systems. C two V two pressure testing. C two D three swimming pool drainage. C two D four general requirements. A S N Z S thirty five hundred point two. Plumbing and drainage. Sanitary plumbing and drainage. C two D five bushfire prone areas. A S three nine five nine construction of buildings in bushfire prone areas. Question six, in section E identify the Australian standards referenced in the DTS provisions for accessible taps and controls. Part E one facilities. E one D two general requirements. For passenger use areas of class nine B and class 10 public transport buildings. A S one four two eight point one two thousand and one designed for access and mobility general requirements for access new building work. A S one four two eight point two designed for access and mobility enhanced and additional requirements. Buildings and facilities for all other buildings. A S one four two eight point one. Two thousand twenty one. Where can we find provisions for managing cross contamination of water supplies? Part B three. Part C two. Part B five. Part C one. If you chose part B five. Yes that's right. Part B five cross connection control contains provisions for managing cross contamination. What is the watermark certification scheme? The watermark certification scheme is a mandatory certification scheme for plumbing and drainage products to ensure that they are fit for purpose and appropriately authorised for use in plumbing and drainage installations. The ABCB manages and administers the scheme as a national scheme. Volume three requires certain plumbing and drainage products to be certified and authorised for use in a plumbing or drainage installation. The scheme is referenced in part A five documentation of design and construction. The ABCB hosts a database of watermark certified products which can be searched on the watermark website watermark.abcb.gov.au. It also maintains two schedules both of which can be found on the watermark website. Watermark schedule of products, WMSP these products that require watermark certification. Watermark schedule of excluded products WMEP lists products which don't need to have watermark certification. Not all products and materials must have watermark certification. If a product is not listed on either schedule then a risk assessment must be completed to determine where the certification is required. The risk assessment protocol is appendix three of the rules for the watermark certification scheme which can be found on the watermark ABCB website. Watermark certification scheme. To be certified and authorised a product listed on the watermark schedule of products needs to be tested by an accredited testing laboratory. Comply with all approved product specification either a relevant or a watermark technical specification. Be manufactured in accordance with an approved quality assurance program carry a scope of use. If compliant with the watermark certification scheme requirements then the product is eligible to be certified by a watermark conformity assessment body CAB and listed on the watermark product database. If a product is in contact with drinking water then it must also be compliant with AS4020 testing for products in contact with drinking water. When the product is also required to be watermark certified compliance with AS4020 is included with the watermark certification. Any product containing copper alloy and intended for use in contact with drinking water must have awaited average lead content of not more than 0.025% Lead is a toxic element that if injected by humans above recommended health standards can lead to adverse health outcomes. A transition period to comply with this requirement commences on 1st of September 2022 and compliance becomes mandatory from 1st September 2025. During the transition period existing copper alloy products in the marketplace that are not compliant can still be installed. Products that are excluded from the scheme will not be watermark certified will not be listed on the watermark product database and will require another form of evidence of suitability. How do we use volume 3? Identify the applicable performance requirements, verification methods and deem to satisfied provisions in sections B to E. Check definitions, notes, exceptions, limitations etc. and state territory variations to any performance requirements, verification methods or DTS provisions. Decide on use of a DTS solution, performance solution or a combination of the two. Locate all relevant reference documents. For each plumbing product check whether the product is listed in either the watermark schedule of products or the watermark schedule of excluded products. If the product is listed in the schedule of products then use a watermark certified product. If the product is listed in the schedule of excluded products then use another product and provide appropriate evidence of suitability. If the product is listed in either schedule then undertake a risk assessment in accordance with the watermark scheme rules to determine if certification is required. Match the section with its subject. Section B equals water services. Section C equals sanitary plumbing and drainage systems. Section D equals water services. Section E equals facilities. Match the part in section B with its subject. Part B1 equals cold water services. Part B2 heated water services. Part B3 non-drinking water services. Part B4 firefighting water services. Part B5 water services. Additional guidance on volume 3 cross-connection control handbook. Ames II provide practical information on the policy objectives and technical basis for NCC performance requirements relating to cross-connection control. Provide knowledge to apply cross-connection control in plumbing and drainage solutions. Enable practitioners to manage a range of solutions where different design and assessment tools are needed. Ames II provide general practical information on the policy objectives and technical basis for NCC performance requirements relating to warm water systems. Provide knowledge to better understand warm water systems. Does not set out a complete reference for the design, installation and maintenance of warm water systems. Cross-connection control is a key significant requirement that can be complex. The handbook aims to make it easier to ensure that a water supply is not contaminated via its connections into other plumbing and drainage systems. Both of the handbooks shown on the slide are non-mandatory. In other words, they do not contain any provisions that must be complied with. They contain only explanatory and guidance information. All the mandatory provisions are in volume 3. The various handbooks are developed, updated and issued separately from volume 3 and the rest of the NCC. Like the NCC itself, the handbooks are available at the ABCB website. Summary Section A Governing Requirements Exactly the same as other volumes. Sections B to E Performance Requirements Verification Methods Deemed to Satisfy Provisions Schedules The same as other volumes with specific state and territory variations. Key Points Nationally consistent minimum regulations for plumbing and drainage for all classes of buildings. Goal is to prevent injury, illness or loss of life, property or amenity, as a result of failure of plumbing or drainage services. Sections B to E each contain performance requirements, verification methods and revisions. Each section has parts. Handbooks on the ABCB website provide a non-mandatory guidance. Cross Connection Control Handbook Warm Water Systems Handbook Thank you for your time. This brings our presentation on using NCC Volume 3 to a close. If you'd like more information, please visit abcb.gov.au