One could say there is a practical rule of thumb to the way Australian states regulate hot water temperature: heat it to some 60°C in storage to put a check on Legionella, and see to it that the temperature at the point of delivery for personal washing is restricted so as to avoid scalding. But the precise demands will be dictated by the building, the fixture in question, the plumbing involved and the rules of the particular state or territory where the installation is made.
My name is Oliver Hughes. I put together guides of a practical nature for those who prefer to have a firm grasp of the rules before the plumber turns up with his clipboard. Here I set out the national framework and how the various states and territories differ, and what a householder, landlord, builder or facility manager ought to look into prior to any change to a hot water system.
Australian Hot Water Rules At A Glance
In brief it is easy to recall. You will find the storage water heater put to 60°C or more as a rule, whereas in a typical residence the water coming from a hand basin, bath or shower in the bathroom is held to 50°C. In higher risk premises the maximum for delivery can be less.
Do not mistake these numbers for an open invitation to put your own hands to every valve. There is the Plumbing Code of Australia to consider along with local certification and the standards and legislation of the state. For more information, see tempering valve safety rules. It is best to have a licensed plumber make sure the arrangement is right, if the building is home to the elderly, children or people under care.
| Area | Common requirement or practice | Any important qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | Some 60°C for stored hot water | Provided you are following the manufacturer and the standard for the installation. |
| Residential delivery | 50°C is the norm at the bathroom fixtures | What applies will hinge on the state or territory and the classification of the building. |
| High-risk premises | A 45°C cap at personal washing fixtures | You will see this in hospitals, schools, early childhood centres, nursing homes and the like. |
| Kitchen sinks and laundries | Not necessarily the same as in the bathroom | Verify the local requirements; do not count on an exemption. |
| Valve work | A licensed plumber may be needed for testing or replacement | Have the service records to hand and the proper certified equipment. |
Why 60°C For Storage?
Hygiene is the reason for the 60°C storage figure. A correctly installed and looked after system running at a higher temperature will mitigate the risk of Legionella bacteria which warm water can harbour.
Then again, a hot cylinder does not mean the shower should be run at that heat. The tempering system is what prevents scalding by mixing in cold water before it is delivered. One setting is for the safe use of the tap, the other for the hygiene of the stored water; yet many conflate the two.
Maximum Delivery Temperatures
Take the average Australian home and the maximum at the shower or bath is 50°C. It may seem a matter of a few degrees but one need not be long in being badly scalded, particularly small children or anyone with limited mobility or sensation.
For the likes of aged care or a hospital, 45°C is often the maximum at such fixtures, though one must check the legal classification for the project.
The thing to do is measure at the outlet once the system is up to speed. Relying on the dial is no better than kicking a tyre to see if it is flat: it is not a test of compliance.
Rules By State And Territory
While they spring from national plumbing principles, each jurisdiction has its own way of administering and enforcing hot water temperature regulations through its regulators and laws. What follows is a guide to give some orientation, not a substitute for the advice you would get in the way of project-specific certification.
A good place to start to get a handle on the framework is the resources from the Plumbing Code and the Australian Building Codes Board. But before any work is done, make sure to consult the current edition of the standard and the relevant state regulator.
New South Wales Temperature Rules
NSW makes a distinction between an ordinary residential fixture and a premise with vulnerable occupants. In the case of a residential bathroom it is common to employ a tempering valve or something of the sort to ensure delivery does not exceed 50°C. In the case of a school, hospital, nursing home, early childhood centre or other facility of a higher risk profile, one will find the delivery temperature allowed is often less, in the region of 45°C for instance at washing fixtures. Then there are the licensing, certification and inspection requirements that any plumbing work in NSW has to meet.
Do not be under the impression that an older system is exempt by virtue of having been put in before the present rules; it is a mistake some make. But put in a new heater, do some bathroom renovations, alter the pipework and you have compliance issues to answer.
Victoria Temperature Rules
The safety split is much the same in Victoria: hot water is kept at a hygienic level in storage but what is delivered at bathing and washing fixtures is controlled. To keep the bathroom supply down to 50°C, a tempering valve is the usual fix in a home.
More care is called for on Victorian projects in sensitive surroundings such as aged care, schools or hospitals. The building classification can dictate the design and the limit may be lower than for a typical residence.
And Victoria is a good example of why a valve is not something to set and forget. Performance can be compromised by sediment, a check valve failure or poor adjustment. If there are complaints of water being too hot or unaccountably cool, a licensed plumber ought to be on hand to test the outlet after any repairs.
Queensland Temperature Rules
New or altered residential plumbing in Queensland will generally see the rules call for some form of temperature control at the bathroom fixtures. Showers, baths and the like are not to exceed 50°C as a rule of thumb.
One might get away with a hot tap in the humidity of a Queensland summer but it is not safe for an elderly person or a toddler, so the climate is no excuse. In the north, cyclone damage and wet season can mean temporary fixes to the plumbing are made; they should not be left in place.
With commercial or care premises a more thorough appraisal is in order. Have the plumber put forward the testing method, which fixtures are involved and the building classification for approval.
South Australia Temperature Rules
These are governed by the state and the national plumbing framework. For the most part, stored water is put aside for hygiene and in the home bathroom delivery is limited to 50°C.
An old Adelaide home may well have original pipework alongside a replacement heater and the odd renovation. It is something to take into account. A compliant arrangement of pipework and the right kind of tempering valve will be necessary if a new storage heater is to be tied into an old bathroom.
As for hospitals, care facilities and the like, the type of fixture is as important as the heater, so make sure of the lower temperature stipulations prior to installing.
Western Australia Temperature Rules
Here the requirement is usually to put a cap on the temperature at bathroom outlets fed by a storage water heater, 50°C being the practical maximum in many houses.
WA can be tough on your equipment. High summer heat, mineral build up and long runs of pipe are all things that can give rise to user complaints and affect the valve. What works in Fremantle is not necessarily the talk of the town in the Pilbara where access for maintenance is another matter.
On a remote property it is better to put servicing in the plan before the valve gives way. You do not want to be finding out the nearest licensed plumber is a few hundred kilometres off when the only shower is running dangerously hot.
Other Jurisdictions And Local Checks
Tasmania’s hot water temperature rules are in line with the national safety principles, with extra protection for those premises at greater risk and controlled delivery in the bathroom. The cold will tempt a person to crank up the heater but the outlet limit is still in effect.
In the Northern Territory one has to factor in the Top End, the logistics of the wet season and how remote the site is. Systems are put through their paces in the dry, then access for transport and repair can be a problem in the wet. An inspection of the valve is prudent for a remote facility ahead of the wet.
ACT requirements are no different, following the national framework with the requisite local licensing and approval. In a Canberra winter a household may have to contend with long pipe runs and a slow warm up but the answer is a design that is compliant, not to just put up the temperature at the bathroom.
Tempering Valve Safety Rules
One has to observe the safety rules for a tempering valve; after all, the valve is what stands between the user at the tap and the hot storage system. The onus is on it to mix the water with dependability, to react to any change in temperature and to put an end to or curtail flow should the cold supply give out, in keeping with the design of the product and its installation as approved.
In certain commercial, care or health environments a TMV (thermostatic mixing valve) will be called for or is the better option. For some residential work a conventional tempering valve will do. Then again, one has to judge the building, the risk, the system and the standard before making a decision.
If certification is a must, see that the product carries a WaterMark. Resist the temptation to put in some unverified valve from the internet on account of the price and next day delivery. You will find that inexpensive plumbing can come at a cost when the inspector comes round and the wall is already in place.
Maintenance And Retrofit Checks
Servicing a valve entails testing the temperature, looking for leaks, an examination of the strainers and non-return parts and to make sure no one has put the adjustment past where it was meant to go. How often this is done is a matter of the manufacturer’s instructions, the quality of the water and the risk profile of the building.
There are occasions when a retrofit is in order: a new heater has been put in for an old one, a bathroom has been done up, the property is being put to a different use or a complaint has made an unsafe delivery temperature apparent. In such cases the plumber will want to test the outlets in actual use, not just the pipe by the side of the heater.
- Confirm the type of heater and storage temperature.
- Take a reading of the delivery temperature at the hand basins, baths and showers.
- Determine if the premises are of a residential, commercial, educational or care nature.
- Service history, installation direction, certification and model of the valve need to be checked.
- Put the test results, invoices and certificates in the property file.
What People Commonly Get Wrong
It is an expectation that a 60°C heater will put 60°C out of every tap. But the reality is the water you store and the water you deliver have different safety imperatives.
Some would have you believe the 50°C limit does not apply to a kitchen sink. In fact, whether there is an exemption is down to the plumbing rules and the work being done. A sink may call for hotter water to get on with practicalities but that is no licence to flout a compliance requirement.
And while one might think a tempering valve is good for ever, they clog, drift and wear. A perceptible change in water temperature is a warning to heed on safety grounds, not something to fiddle with the dial over.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Temperature Should Hot Water Be?
As a rule of thumb stored hot water is kept to 60°C and what is delivered in a residential bathroom is limited to 50°C. At personal washing fixtures in a higher-risk location the limit is more like 45°C.
Is 50°C The Maximum Everywhere?
Not necessarily. That figure is typical for residential bathroom fixtures but jurisdiction and the type of building or fixture can dictate otherwise. Higher-risk premises may have a lower maximum and laundries or kitchen sinks are another matter.
Do All States Require A Tempering Valve?
You will not find identical trigger points in every installation. Still, where hot water is to be delivered to bathroom fixtures, especially in new or altered work and in buildings of higher risk, temperature control is generally expected.
What Temperature Must Storage Water Reach?
To deal with the risk of Legionella a storage water heater is usually set at 60°C or above. It still has to be run and installed in accordance with local requirements and the applicable plumbing standard.
Are Kitchens And Laundries Exempt?
Do not assume a blanket exemption from the rules that govern a shower or bath. What applies depends on the fixture, the building and the plumbing work.
When Is A TMV Required?
Higher-risk settings in the way of commercial, health or education will often require or prefer a TMV. Leave it to a licensed plumber to put his eye on the premises and specify the valve rather than make a swap on looks alone.
Does An Old System Need A Valve?
It may well do. Any retrofit work prompted by a renovation, a replacement or an unsafe temperature should be measured against the rules for the work at hand.
How Often Should A Valve Be Checked?
It varies from one property to the next. Heed the manufacturer and be more assiduous in your checks at nursing homes, schools, early childhood centres and the like. If there is a sudden change in temperature it calls for prompt action.
Safe Water Starts At The Outlet
The point is simple. Have a licensed plumber look over the system if the building use or heater changes, keep the stored water hot for hygiene and put a cap on the delivery temperature where people are bathing or washing.
New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the ACT all have their own way of doing things. If there is any question, check the current requirement and the risk of the building and measure the outlet before you put a hand to the valve. A little organisation now will spare you a very hot surprise later on.