Changes to plumbing processes by local government

Local governments may tailor the application of the plumbing and drainage laws to meet the needs of their communities. They can do this by making various declarations by resolution.

This may mean that your applications for permits may be fast-tracked, or that certain types of work can be exempt from inspection due to remote locations.

Fast-track work declaration

Local governments can make a fast-track work declaration that transfers standard application work to the fast-track application process.

Work that can't be fast-tracked includes:

• combined sanitary drainage, or a water supply system or drainage system installed as part of a community title scheme
• trade waste connections
• on-site sewage facilities.

Read the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019, section 39(1) for details.

Local governments must make sure that information about the declaration is made publicly available online and at a public office.

Find out more about permit application time frames.

Participating local governments—fast-track work declaration

• Contact your local government to confirm whether it has made a fast-track work declaration.

Fast-track opt-out declaration

Local governments may make a fast-track opt-out declaration. This means all permit applications are assessed under the standard application process, even if the work could be fast-tracked under normal circumstances. This ensures that local governments are working within their capacity and resources. They may opt back into the fast-track model at a later date.

Local governments must make sure that information about fast-track opt-out declaration is made publicly available online and at a public office.

Read the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019, section 40(1) for details.

Participating local governments

Contact your local government office to confirm whether it has made a fast-track opt-out declaration.

Remote area and eligible work declaration

Smaller, regional local governments listed in Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019, schedule 7 can make a remote area declaration that nominates remote parts of their areas where permit work won't be inspected due to the area's remoteness from the local government's public office.

The local government must:

• review the work and ensure that it isn't likely to adversely affect public health or safety, or the environment
• make sure that information about the declaration is made publicly available online and at public office.

Read the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019, section 71 for more details.

Compliance notice process

Once a regional local government passes a remote area declaration that nominates remote parts of their areas where permit work won't be inspected due to the area's remoteness from the local government's public office, you can submit a Form 6—Remote area compliance notice (PDF, 142KB).

Within 10 business days of the work being operational and fit for use, you must give this form to the local government, for all eligible plumbing and drainage in a declared remote area.

The notice must certify that the work is compliant, operational and fit for use.

You can authorise a suitably qualified person to prepare and send the form on your behalf.

Within 5 business days after receiving the form, the local government must deliver its decision on the compliance notice.

Within 2 business days of accepting the notice, the local government must issue a final inspection certificate for the plumbing or drainage work.

Read the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019, section 72 and section 73 for more details.