QBCC issues new plumbing and drainage laws
by Water Source
The Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) has issued new legislation preventing the manufacture, distribution and use of non-conforming building products (NCBP) on all Queensland building sites, in a bid to improve safety.
According to the QBCC, a product is deemed a NCBP when it is either unsafe, does not comply with regulatory provisions or the performance does not meet the claimed standard.
For the plumbing industry, the new legislation means the only accredited products fit for use are those obtaining the WaterMark certification granted by the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB).
Following the announcement, Gold Coast pipe repair manufacturer Nuflow Technologies is urging the use of certified products on Queensland building sites when installing plumbing and drainage products.
Nuflow Technologies Founder and Director Ed Ahern said the new laws now make it the responsibility of the entire supply chain to ensure the correct, accredited products were being used, as acknowledged under the National Construction Code and Plumbing Code of Australia.
“Non-conforming building products are compromising on quality and can cause safety issues – for example, non-certified material in plumbing systems can not only become a health hazard if they fail, but in extreme cases, can lead to contamination of water supplies,” he said.
Ahern said the move is about ensuring safety within the home or commercial developments, and not putting lives at risk by using non-conforming products in plumbing and drainage systems.
Among those who have turned to Nuflow for its pipe relining solution are Australian commercial building company, Hansen Yuncken, that recently appointed Nuflow to fix several council identified defects at the Carrara Indoor Sports Stadium.
Hansen Yuncken Services Manager Troy Pastoors said the defected pipes ran under roads and car parks, and had to be fixed ahead of the stadium’s use for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
“Rather than digging up the cark parks and roads, we needed a non-destructive method of pipe rectification,” Pastoors said.
Additional projects completed by Nuflow include the relining of several pipe systems at the frozen meal manufacturer Snap Fresh’s facility, repairing of sewerage and stormwater lines at several hotels on the Gold Coast and the relining of a copper waste line at Brisbane’s Mater Hospital.
