Was this page helpful?
Your rating will help us improve our website.
Search BPC
Search for content, licensing, rules, regulations, building issues or anything else.
Log in
-
Log in to BPC Online
- Apply for and manage building permits (replaces BAMS)
- Apply for and maintain registration
- Keep insurance up to date
-
Log in to BAMS
- Apply for building permit numbers (BPNs)
- Process levy payments
- Submit relevant building surveyor monthly reports for prescribed events
- Amend BPN records and building permit details
- Advise changes to the cost of buildding work
-
Log in to VBA360
- Purchase and manage compliance certificates
- Create and amend drain inpection bookings
- Submit and track a building or plumbing complaint
- Submit, manage and track an owner-builder application
-
Log in to eToolbox
- Apply for a plumbing licence and/or registration
- Renew a plumbing licence or registration
- Update plumber persional details
- Request a plumber ID card
-
Log in to BuildVic
- Purchase domestic building insurance (DBI)
- View certificates of insurance
- Access your DBI letter of eligibility
- Check current job limits and premium rates
Cold Water Plumbing Practice Note
Purpose
The purpose of this practice note is to provide guidance on installation requirements when connecting drinking water supply at dental consoles.
For guidance on the plumbing regulatory framework, refer to Plumbing Practice Note RF-01 Regulatory Framework.
Installation requirements
To minimise contamination of any part of the drinking water supply and to eliminate impact on building occupants, water services installation must be carried out in accordance with Part B5 of the National Construction Code (NCC), Volume 3.
Where one or more dental consoles are required to be installed in a dental surgery, attention must be given to ensure the installation does not compromise the drinking water service or supply.
Three types of cross-connection protection may need to be considered, depending on the application:
- containment protection
- zone protection
- individual protection.
NCC Volume 3, Part S41C4 (2) (b) identifies the individual protection hazard rating for dental consoles as medium, and Part S41C5 (3) (d) identifies the zone protection hazard rating for dental procedure rooms as high. Therefore, the appropriate cross-connection control device relevant to the hazard must be installed.
The containment protection is ultimately determined by the local network utility operator. The Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA), Part S41C6, states a building class of 9a – healthcare buildings such as hospitals and day surgery clinics - as a high hazard for containment protection purposes. Also, properties identified in the Application High hazard properties for the purpose of containment protection (b), (vi) ‘dental surgeries’.
Each of these hazard ratings associated with the dental surgery must be considered, and installation of dental consoles must comply with Section 4 of AS/NZS 3500.1.
Figure 1 shows a typical cold water supply arrangement serving 2 dental consoles connected to a common branch. It includes high hazard containment protection at the property boundary, as determined by the local network utility operator, and high hazard zone protection installed on the common branch within the property.
A medium hazard individual protection assembly
Figure 1. Demonstrates a medium hazard individual protection assembly
Note: This is an example only. Site specific may need additional backflow.
Related documentation
- Plumbing Regulations 2018
- National Construction Code
- AS/NZS 3500.1 Water services
List of amendments
- Amended for compliance with current Plumbing Regulations, NCC and Australian Standards
- Update format and content review format update
- Minor amendments to improve readability.
Contact us
If you have a technical enquiry, please email plumbingtechnicaladvice@bpc.vic.gov.au or call 1300 067 088.
Version history
Sector
Plumbers
Category
Cold water plumbing
This version
3.0
This version published
26 April 2026
