VBA Plumbing Technical Bulletin – September 2023
I’m pleased to be connecting with you again in the latest Plumbing Technical Bulletin, where you will find information about initiatives from Solar Victoria, details about Victoria’s Gas Substitution Roadmap, guidance on working with recycled water and an important reminder about the installation and use of pot fillers.
Victoria’s Gas Substitution Roadmap
The VBA acknowledges the announcement by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Change (DEECA) that planning permits for new homes and residential subdivisions will only connect to all electric networks from 1 January 2024.
We are working to get more guidance for industry and will communicate any updates as they become available.
If you have any enquiries about this change, please visit the Victoria's Gas Substitution Roadmap webpage or email the gas roadmap team at DEECA.
Practice Note updates and archiving
You may have noticed that the VBA have begun using email to notify the relevant practitioners, along with VBA staff and industry stakeholders, every time a practice note is updated, or a new practice note is published.
This is a new initiative which aims to keep industry across new and updated plumbing practice notes to encourage compliance and best practice.
We’ve also initiated work to keep archived practice notes on our website, which were previously removed. This will help any practitioners or consumers with any disputes where they are required to access older versions of regulations.
Kind regards,
Andrew Cialini,
VBA State Building Surveyor
In this edition...
Working on sites with a recycled water service
Plumbers are reminded of the importance of identifying the source of all water supplies and to test for any cross-connections when carrying out any work on properties that also have a recycled water service.
Hot water rebate extended to registered plumbing practitioners
Following feedback from the plumbing industry, registered plumbing practitioners are now able to sign-up to participate in the Solar Homes Program hot water rebate stream, joining licensed plumbing practitioners.
Solar safety training opened to regional Victoria
Regional plumbing practitioners installing solar hot water systems under the Solar Homes Program can now complete VU22744 Work safely in the solar industry mandatory training closer to home.
Exercise caution when installing or using pot fillers
The VBA is urging builders, designers and homeowners to carefully consider the installation and use of a pot filler above a domestic gas cooking appliance.