NCC Volume Three (PCA) - Plumbing Code of Australia
Volume Three of the National Construction Code, known as the Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA), establishes nationwide plumbing standards. It regulates water supply, sanitary plumbing, and drainage systems across all Australian states and territories.
Overview
Volume Three of the National Construction Code (NCC), commonly referred to as the Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA), provides uniform technical requirements for plumbing and drainage systems throughout Australia. Administered by the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB), the PCA sets performance requirements and acceptable construction practices for water services, sanitary plumbing, sanitary drainage, stormwater drainage, and on-site wastewater management systems. The code adopts a performance-based approach, specifying required outcomes while allowing alternative solutions with appropriate verification. Volume Three works in conjunction with referenced Australian/New Zealand Standards (AS/NZS 3500 series) which provide detailed technical specifications. The PCA addresses Australian-specific considerations including water scarcity, sustainable water use, bushfire protection, flood resilience, and tropical climate requirements. Updated regularly, the code ensures consistent plumbing standards across state and territory jurisdictions while allowing for local amendments where necessary.
Key Features
- Performance-based objectives for plumbing system outcomes
- Water supply system design and installation requirements
- Sanitary plumbing and fixture installation standards
- Sanitary drainage and venting provisions
- Stormwater drainage and on-site detention systems
- On-site wastewater treatment and disposal requirements
- Water efficiency and conservation mandates
- Heated water services safety including tempering valve requirements
Applicability
NCC Volume Three (PCA) is primarily used by:
- Licensed plumbers for compliant installations across Australia
- Plumbing designers and hydraulic consultants for system specification
- Building surveyors and certifiers for compliance assessment
- State and territory plumbing regulators for code enforcement
- Plumbing product manufacturers for Australian market compliance
- Hydraulic engineers for commercial and industrial plumbing design
- Developers and builders for meeting NCC requirements
Geographic Application: Applies nationally across all Australian states and territories. Adopted with some jurisdictional variations and local amendments. Coordinates with state plumbing legislation.
Comparison Notes
- Performance-based like IPC - Specifies outcomes rather than prescriptive methods, allowing innovation
- Works with AS/NZS 3500 - NCC sets performance; AS/NZS 3500 provides deemed-to-satisfy solutions
- Water conservation emphasis - Stricter than many US codes due to Australian water scarcity
- Tempering valve requirements - Mandatory hot water temperature limitation for scalding prevention
- National consistency - Single code for entire country unlike US state-by-state variation
Official Source: https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/