Overview

From 1 July 2008, plumbers licensed to install domestic water heaters in South Australia need to comply with greenhouse gas and flow rate performance rules for water heater installations. The rules are implemented as an SA Water Direction under the Waterworks Regulations 1996 and, for new homes, under a SA variation of the Building Code of Australia.

 Important changes to these requirements commence 1 July 2009. A summary of these changes is available to download. The following information describes the requirements from this date.
For information on how these requirements applied up to 30 June 2009 please call the plumbers information line on 1300 883 019.

If you are licensed to install water heaters into South Australian homes, these requirements may see you change the type of hot water systems you install. As such, you may need to source new models of hot water systems and become familiar with their installation.

For the majority of homes in South Australia, when you are asked to install or replace a water heater, you will need to determine the type of water heater that can be legally installed. In most homes, you will need to install a water heater that meets a Full Standard. For others, a Reduced Standard is available. A small number of installations are exempt from these requirements.

Also, when you install or replace a water heater, you will need to ensure that all shower outlets connected to the installed water heater have a flow rate of 9 litres per minute or less.

This site will help you:

• Determine which standard an installation needs to meet, or whether it is exempt;
• Understand the types of water heaters that meet the Full Standard and Reduced Standard; and
• Understand how to meet the flow rate requirements.

Tools available include:

• An updated plumbers guide will be available soon;
• Information on electric heat pump noise;
• A Step by Step Guide to allow you to quickly determine which types of water heaters can be installed into a particular home (note that established dwellings owned by the SA Housing Trust need to meet the Reduced Standard); and
• Frequently Asked Questions.

Note: You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view some of these tools.