What it does
The Water and Sewerage Act 2000 establishes the regulatory framework for plumbing and sanitary drainage work in the Australian Capital Territory. It creates a system of plan approvals, certifier appointments, and licensing obligations that govern how water supply plumbing, sanitary plumbing, sanitary drainage, and related work (including fire sprinkler services) are designed, approved, and executed. The Act applies expressly to chemical toilets, flushing toilets discharging into septic systems, and connections to septic systems (s 4), removing any doubt about its scope over such installations.
At its core, the Act mandates that owners of premises where certain plumbing or drainage work is proposed must appoint a certifier (s 5(1)), unless the work falls within specified exceptions such as a single residential building, work on a pipe less than 50mm in diameter, basic maintenance like replacing taps or toilets, or work costing not more than $1,000 (or a higher prescribed amount) (s 5(2)). The certifier then assesses plans for compliance with the plumbing code and approvals required from the responsible utility and, where radioactive materials are involved, from the chief health officer (s 8). The Act also requires licensees to give advance notice to the construction occupations registrar before starting certain types of work, and it sets out offences for failing to do so (ss 11, 15, 16). Enforcement powers are comprehensive: the construction occupations registrar can require information and documents (s 20), direct rectification of defective work (s 22), and inspectors have powers of entry, search, seizure, and inspection (ss 27-38), subject to warrant requirements and consent protocols. The Act incorporates the Plumbing Code of Australia, including the ACT Appendix, as the technical standard (s 44C), and allows regulations to prescribe offences with penalties up to 10 penalty units (s 49(3)). Part 5 establishes a framework for reviewable decisions, with applications for review to the ACAT (ss 44A-44B). Overall, the Act creates an integrated system of upfront plan approval, notification, enforcement, and rectification designed to ensure that plumbing and drainage work meets health, safety, and environmental standards.