Speaker is Michael Beirouti:
Hello, welcome to the NCC 2025 Education series.
Today we'll be discussing Volume 3, Plumbing Code of Australia.
I'm Michael Beirouti, Head of Plumbing, and joining me today is Anwar Gayed, Principal Plumbing Engineer. Welcome, Anwar.
Speaker is Anwar Gayed:
Thanks, Michael.
Yes, I'm talking about NCC 2025. We have real practical changes in lead-free, but also some changes regarding to fire and cross-connection control and also some Victorian addition and variations.
Michael Beirouti:
You touched on earlier the biggest, one of the biggest changes is lead-free which starts 1 May 2026, which is relevant to plumbing products used in drinking water.
How is this most likely to affect plumbers, how they install, design and what do they need to check for before installation?
Anwar Gayed:
Yes, Michael, if they are installing plumbing system that's for drinking water and it is made from copper alloy, it must be compliant and that will impact their selection of material procurement and also installation on site.
Michael Beirouti:
So when they say lead free, what does that mean under the code?
Anwar Gayed:
Well, as per the NCC, lead-free mean that the average weighted lead content in the plumbing product does not exceed 0.25.
Michael Beirouti:
Can you tell me a bit about why this was brought about?
Anwar Gayed:
So this is about public health, lowering the lead content in the drinking water systems is aiming to reduce exposure to lead in the drinking water system.
So it is about community safety.
Michael Beirouti:
So what's the practical checks plumbers need to do before installation of materials?
Anwar Gayed:
So they need to check first that they have the right product and it is clearly marked by the watermark and also the lead-free logo.
Michael Beirouti:
You're saying in the simple message is don't just assume the product is fine to be installed?
Anwar Gayed:
Exactly Michael, they have to check it before they install it.
Michael Beirouti:
Can you give me some examples of what type of products may be affected in these lead-free requirements?
Anwar Gayed:
Yes. So we are talking here about plumbing systems that's used for drinking water.
So pipes, fittings, valves, water meters, water heaters, taps, mixers, anything that's made from copper and in drinking water, they have to check that it's compliant and it is watermark lead-free products.
Michael Beirouti:
Are there any products that are not covered under this requirement?
Anwar Gayed:
Yes, Michael, it's it sounds obvious, but non-drinking systems similar to irrigation pumps, irrigation system, agriculture system, fire equipment. All these systems do not need to be lead free content.
Michael Beirouti:
If a plumber is listening today, what action should they take straight away in relation to lead free plumbing and what should they do first?
Anwar Gayed:
Yep, good question Michael. So, first they must install lead free products if they are installing any plumbing drinking water systems post 1 of May 2026.
The second one, the master check with their suppliers that they have enough of stock to finish their projects and the third one for me is to have this as a normal checking process.
If they have a QA system, they must include this as one of the checkpoints.
That all of the items that's in drinking water are lead-free products.
Michael Beirouti:
Where can plumbers learn about the changes that affect the lead-free?
Anwar Gayed:
There are very good resources in ABCB websites, and there under specifically Watermark web page they can find more about lead-free.
Michael Beirouti:
Does the BPC have a section where plumbers can find the information?
Anwar Gayed:
Yes, Michael, there is a web page that is dedicated to more details about lead-free products and how BPC are enforcing these clauses and they can navigate and get more details.
Michael Beirouti:
Moving on, I know there's been some changes to Section A, the Referenced Documents.
Can you tell us a little bit about what's changed in those reference documents?
Anwar Gayed:
Yes, when plumbers and general building practitioners use primary standards from the NCC, they can find these reference standard in Schedule 2. Now the new addition there will be a registered of alternative references standards and that would be maintained by ABCB on their website.
Michael Beirouti:
So what does this mean for plumbers?
Anwar Gayed:
In Victoria, plumbing standards are enforced as they are revised or remained or republished.
So to be honest, there is not much major change as a practical exchange for plumbers.
We already enforced the standard once it is published.
Michael Beirouti:
Before we leave Section A, is there anything important practitioners should know about this section more broadly?
Anwar Gayed:
Yes. So it is important to note that Section A, which talks about the governing requirement of the NCC, how to read it and how to apply it, is a common section across all three volumes.
So what that means it is exactly the same Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3 and our building team already made full detailed education series about this and they can search Practitioner Education Series NCC 2025 to reach out to this web page.
Michael Beirouti:
Thank you Anwar. Moving on to the relevant changes in relation to fire from a plumbing point of view, what are the main changes in the NCC 2025 that plumbers should pay attention to?
Anwar Gayed:
Yes, Michael. So if you are installing a fire sprinkler, that is a combined system.
So it is a fire sprinkler and hydrant systems and any above ground work will need now to comply with the fire hydrant standard requirement AS2419 Part 1. And this is about the material requirement.
It must comply with the same material requirement of a fire hydrant system.
Michael Beirouti:
That sounds quite specific. Why is it important for practitioners?
Anwar Gayed:
So this is actually aimed to prevent the use of plastic pipes above ground in combined fire hydrant and sprinkler systems as a DTS solution. So you still can use plastic pipes as a performance solutions, but not as a deem to satisfy.
Michael Beirouti:
What actually changed in the code to bring this out more clearly?
Anwar Gayed:
That's a very important question because it did not change only one clause. Two clauses have been changed now. One of them is B1D3, which talks about the water supply to combine fire sprinkler and hydrant systems. So if you are even installing the feet to a combined system, you must comply with the fire hydrant standards.
And the second clause that has been amended is B4D3, which talks about when you install any system that's above ground, you are not allowed to use plastic pipes as a deem to satisfy solution.
Michael Beirouti:
Moving on, we understand there's been some changes in the heated water system.
Can you please expand on what's changed for heated water supply?
Anwar Gayed:
The first to change is a change to STC table which is the smallest scale technology table.
These values for installing solar water heaters has been changed. So if you are using these tables, go back and shake them please.
The second one is relevant to if you are already working in a new home that already complies with whole of home energy efficiency clause under volume 2, you don't need to comply under the PCA for the water heater system. Basically it prevented double regulation.
Michael Beirouti:
So I think now it's your turn to ask me a few questions, in relation to cross connection.
Anwar Gayed:
Now it is your turn, Michael to answer the question relevant to cross connection control in NCC 2025.
Michael Beirouti:
Yes, there has been a few changes. Before we do start to speak about this, we do need to be mindful that any hazard ratings that are at containment protection needs to be confirmed with your local network utility operator or your water authority as these may differ from what we're going to speak about now. So NCC 2025 added explanatory information to clarify integral backflow protection.
Anwar Gayed:
And what's the practical takeaway for plumbers who is listening to us today?
Michael Beirouti:
If the inbuilt protection is suitable for the hazard rating and installed in line with PCA and AS/NZS 3500.1, then no extra individual or zone protection is needed.
Anwar Gayed:
Anything else relevant to cross connection control?
Michael Beirouti:
Yes, NCC 2022 mandated managing cross connections hazards in non-drinking water services. It currently requires those hazards to be identified, rated and protected. The change is that NCC 2025 now exempts some agricultural non-drinking water services where they are fully separate from other water services
Anwar Gayed:
and when plumbers can rely on that exemptions?
Michael Beirouti:
Yeah, good question, only when the non-drinking water system is fully independent and there's no other connections to other drinking water sources. If those conditions can't be met, then they're required to meet B5D3 which still applies.
Anwar Gayed:
Is this is all changes relevant to a cross connection control?
Michael Beirouti:
The last one I probably want to touch on, in NCC 2025 hazard provisions have moved from specification 41 to B5D7. Some of these hazard ratings have changed. For example, fire services with storage on site have gone from a low hazard to a medium hazard. Marinas are now classed as high hazard. It's important to for plumbers to remember that they can't rely on old hazard ratings and that they do require a reference back to this document.
I think now it's my turn to ask questions. So moving on, we're going to touch a little bit on rainwater storage. Can you please just expand on what's changed in Part 7 of rainwater storage?
Anwar Gayed:
Yes, part 7 talks about rainwater storage and including the performance requirement, contamination, uncontrolled discharge, access, isolation, and it provides a new exemption for sites that are not connected to the network utility operators.
Michael Beirouti:
Can you please share with us what updates have been changed for sanitary plumbing and drainage?
Anwar Gayed:
Yes, Michael, there is a couple of changes in sanitary. So one of them is relevant to the 15° requirement when you connect a branch drain to a main drain that's 100mm, as per AS3500.2.
And the other change in the code is relevant to the verification methods.
Michael Beirouti:
What are the main changes to sanitary plumbing?
Anwar Gayed:
Yes. So for the 15° requirement, AS 3500.2 requires that some certain junctions to be inclined on a 15°.
Previously Victoria has provided an exemption for class one buildings for this junction to be installed if it's not possible to achieve the 15° to be as close as possible to the 15°.
Now this exemption has been removed to align with the national clauses and we have all plumbers now must comply to 3500.2.
Michael Beirouti:
Now, touching on verification method, could you please explain the changes to verification method for plumbers?
Anwar Gayed:
Yeah, just to give an idea about the use of verification method. It is used to test that any solutions that introduced by practitioners are in compliance and provide confidence that the solution meets the performance requirement. One of the assessment methods. So the verification methods for sanitary plumbing and sanitary drainage has been now amended and changed.
They changed the tables of the frequency of use, they changed that the verification methods itself.
So practitioners shouldn't rely on their all the tables or they printed anywhere and they have must go back and to the NCC 2025 and download the latest copy.
Michael Beirouti:
Thanks Anwar for that. Now I believe you have a question for me.
Anwar Gayed:
Yes, it's your turn now to answer questions. Now anything relevant to trade waste?
Michael Beirouti:
No, not really. There isn't many changes to trade waste. The plumbers and designers need to ensure they meet the requirements of the network utility operator. In that way, when the design is completed an installed it aligns with their requirements.
Now moving on to sort of a general questions. Are there any other changes that may not make a difference for practitioners in their day-to-day?
Anwar Gayed:
Well, in this video we have covered most of the major changes, but there is some changes that it just a relocation of the technical requirement. So some of the technical requirement that was previously in the Plumbing Regulation 2018 has moved now to the NCC 2025 Victorian variances.
Michael Beirouti:
Can you please explain what this might look like?
Anwar Gayed:
Yes. A good example for this is in rainwater services. So the technical requirement to provide continual water supply and the interchange device and the rain water services now has moved, has been moved from Plumbing Regulation 2018 to the NCC 2025.
Michael Beirouti:
There's been some editorial changes. Can you explain if these are all technical or if there are grammatical changes?
Anwar Gayed:
Yes, there is some changes in the NCC 2025, whether it is in the national clauses or in the Victorian edition, relevant to the improving the language and the wording to provide consistency across all provisions and also to improve the structure of the NCC 2025. But that does not mean there is any change on the technical requirement in this editorial changes.
Michael Beirouti:
Are you able to give a quick example of that to share with the viewers?
Anwar Gayed:
Yes, I will share an example regarding the access technical requirement.
So it has been changed from ‘a cold water surface must ensure access for maintenance of mechanical component and operational controls’ has been now changed to the wording ‘access must be provided to component of a cold water surface that require maintenance or replacement including mechanical devices and controls.’ So as you notice, Michael, the many changes here is instead of starting the sentence by a cold-water surface, we started by access.
Michael Beirouti:
Just as in our last topic, which relates to resources.
Where can plumbers and practitioners go to learn more about the NCC 2025?
Anwar Gayed:
Well, Michael, there are multiple pages in our website that's dealing with NCC 2025.
There is a web page for NCC 2025. Another web page for lead-free.
There is a web page for the Victorian variances and additions.
And also there is a Practitioner Education Series, which is talking about Volume 1 and 2.
Michael Beirouti:
Excellent. Sounds like there's a fair bit there. Probably something that we could mention is the QR code where you can sign up to our newsletter to get industry updates.
Thank you so much for your time and well today I appreciate talking to you and it's been great.
Anwar Gayed:
Thank you, Michael.