WATERMARK PRODUCT CERTIFICATION
IAPMO Oceania certifies plumbing and drainage products to use the WaterMark® symbol
IAPMO Oceania is a JASANZ accredited WaterMark Conformity Assessment Body (WMCAB). WaterMark® is a certification trademark and used in relation to water supply, sewerage, plumbing and drainage products. The plumbing industry in Australia supports the use of the WaterMark® which, when used properly, is an excellent way of helping Australian consumers be confident about the quality of the plumbing product to which it is applied. The Plumbing Code of Australia, or the PCA, requires certain products to be certified and authorised through the WaterMark Certification Scheme. It references the WaterMark Schedule of Products, which lists the products and materials that are required to be certified in accordance with the Scheme. Products not requiring WaterMark certification are identified in the WaterMark Schedule of Excluded Products
An example of products listed in the WaterMark Schedule of Products, therefore requiring WaterMark certification for legal installation include:
- Tapware
- Showers
- Toilets
- Water heaters
- Pipe and fittings for pressure applications
- Sanitary drainage pipe and fittings
- Valves
In addition to WaterMark certification, IAPMO is accredited to assess products against the WaterMark Lead Free (WMLF) regulations. The WMLF assessments are based on the American standards, ANSI/NSF/CAN 372, with modifications to suit the Australian market and WaterMark certification scheme.
THE REQUIREMENTS OF WATERMARK
Plumbing and Drainage products used in Australia and supplied under the WaterMark Certification Scheme (WMCS) shall bear the WaterMark logo once they have been certified by IAPMO Oceania. Applying the WaterMark logo to the product provides evidence that the product is
- Manufactured under a nationally recognised certification scheme and certified by a WaterMark Conformity Assessment Body (WMCAB)
- Supplied and warranted by the supplier as complying with the appropriate specification or standard
- Easily recognized by the designers, specifiers, regulators, installers, distributors, retailers, and purchasers as being certified
The WaterMark Scheme ensures the plumbing and drainage materials and products are fit for purpose and that their use in a plumbing or drainage installation is sustainable and does not create significant risks or any likely outcome of:
- Personal illness, loss, injury or death;
- Environmental degradation;
- Contamination of the water resource;
- Adverse impact on infrastructure (Private and Public);
- Contamination of the water supply
MARKING
Once products are certified by IAPMO Oceania, they can be marked with a WaterMark™ certification logo. The Standard Marking applies to the following Australian certification trade mark registrations.
Plumbing and drainage products used in Australia and supplied under the WMCS should bear the WaterMark once they have been certified by IAPMO Oceania. Applying the WaterMark to the product provides evidence that the product is:
- manufactured under a nationally recognised scheme and certified by IAPMO Oceania.
- supplied and warranted by the manufacturer as complying with the appropriate Specification; and
- easily recognised by the regulator, tradesmen, distributors and retailers as being certified.
All applicants must submit a marking proposal to IAPMO Oceania showing the form and manner in which the certification mark is to be used. Licencing / certification cannot take place until the marking proposal has been accepted.
WATERMARK FAQS
As a WMCAB, IAPMO Oceania will undertake a thorough evaluation, and can be simplified as follows:
- Review the design documentation (Drawings, BOMs, Specification) and provide the applicant a detailed laboratory test schedule
- Testing is then completed at an accredited laboratory
Our global network of IAPMO inspectors are able to attend sites anywhere in the world.
The type testing required by the standard varies between product types, so the timelines can vary anywhere from a few months to 12 months plus.
More information on the WELS Scheme can be found here: https://www.waterrating.gov.au/register
Note that for plumbing products requiring a WELS registration, a valid WaterMark is required.
For more information on the WELS and WaterMark Schemes contact IAPMO Oceania:
Office Address
17-11 Fullard Road
Narre Warren, Victoria 3805 Australia
Telephone (+61) 3 8684 9580