AS/NZS 3500 Series - Australia/NZ Plumbing Technical Standards
The AS/NZS 3500 series are joint Australian/New Zealand technical standards for plumbing and drainage systems. These detailed standards provide deemed-to-satisfy solutions for water supply, sanitary plumbing, and drainage design across both countries.
Overview
The AS/NZS 3500 series comprises joint Australian and New Zealand standards that provide comprehensive technical requirements for plumbing and drainage installations. Published by Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand, this series includes: AS/NZS 3500.0 (General requirements), AS/NZS 3500.1 (Water services), AS/NZS 3500.2 (Sanitary plumbing and drainage), AS/NZS 3500.3 (Stormwater drainage), AS/NZS 3500.4 (Heated water services), and AS/NZS 3500.5 (Domestic installations). These standards provide deemed-to-satisfy solutions for compliance with the performance requirements of the NCC Volume Three (Plumbing Code of Australia). They specify pipe sizing methods, installation details, materials, testing procedures, and design calculations for plumbing systems. The standards address both countries' requirements while noting jurisdiction-specific variations. They cover residential, commercial, and industrial applications and are essential references for plumbing practitioners throughout Australia and New Zealand.
Key Features
- Part 0: Definitions, referenced documents, and general requirements
- Part 1: Cold water services, hot water services, and heated water temperature control
- Part 2: Sanitary drainage, venting, grease traps, and sewage pumping
- Part 3: Rainwater drainage, subsoil drainage, and stormwater disposal
- Part 4: Heated water services including solar, heat pumps, and storage systems
- Part 5: Simplified domestic plumbing requirements for residential buildings
- Detailed pipe sizing tables and hydraulic calculation methods
- Materials specifications and installation requirements
Applicability
The AS/NZS 3500 series is primarily used by:
- Licensed plumbers and drainlayers for day-to-day installations
- Hydraulic consultants for detailed system design and calculations
- Plumbing designers for commercial and industrial projects
- Building certifiers for assessing deemed-to-satisfy solutions
- Plumbing inspectors for verifying installation compliance
- Apprentice plumbers for training and technical education
- Product manufacturers for ensuring materials meet standard requirements
- Engineers for complex or large-scale plumbing systems
Geographic Application: Joint standard used in both Australia and New Zealand. Specific clauses identify jurisdiction-specific variations. Widely adopted across both countries with some regional amendments.
Comparison Notes
- Deemed-to-satisfy for NCC - Provides prescriptive solutions for NCC performance requirements
- Joint AU/NZ standard - Harmonized across both countries unlike separate US/Canada codes
- Metric and detailed - Comprehensive metric sizing tables and calculation methods
- Coordinates with NCC Volume Three - Technical companion to performance-based code
- Similar role to UPC in US - Provides specific installation requirements and sizing methods
Official Source: https://www.standards.org.au/