Plumbing and Drainage Bill 2017

Overview

This bill replaces Queensland's Plumbing and Drainage Act 2002 with a new Plumbing and Drainage Act 2017, modernising how plumbing work is regulated. It streamlines how plumbing work is approved, toughens penalties for unlicensed work, and creates a new mechanical services licence that covers heating, air-conditioning and medical gas work in large buildings and hospitals.

Who it affects

Licensed plumbers and drainers continue to operate under largely familiar rules but with updated processes, while mechanical services workers (including in hospitals and large buildings) will need a new occupational licence. Homeowners, consumers and local governments also deal with updated rules for permits, inspections and product standards.

Key changes

• Repeals and replaces the Plumbing and Drainage Act 2002 with a new Plumbing and Drainage Act 2017
• Divides plumbing work into four categories (permit, notifiable, minor and unregulated) with clearer approval rules
• Creates a new mechanical services occupational licence covering heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and medical gas work, responding to fatal medical gas incidents interstate
• Raises maximum penalties for unlicensed plumbing and mechanical services work to 350 penalty units or 1 year's imprisonment for repeat offences or grossly defective work
• Allows regulations to prohibit unsafe WaterMark-certified products and creates new offences for false advertising of plumbing products
• Establishes a new Queensland plumbing code consolidating technical standards in a single document