WASA Code
WASA Code
WASA Code
WSA 032002-2.3
Version 1.0
WSA 032002-2.3
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The WSAA Board would like to express its appreciation to WSAA Members, Associates
and staff for their contributions to the revision of the first edition of the Code. Contributions
from other industry organisations and individuals are also gratefully acknowledged. In
particular the following contributors deserve special mention for their productive work and
commitment to the revision of this Code:
Kevin Dawson
Mike Hordern
Gordon Logan
Greg Moore
Barry Nelson
Greg Rosser
SA Water Corporation
Ian Wight
The Water Services Association of Australia Inc. and individual contributors are not
responsible for the results of any action taken on the basis of information in the Water
Supply Code of Australia, nor any errors or omissions.
The Water Services Association of Australia Inc. and individual contributors disclaim
all and any liability to any person in respect of anything, and the consequences of
anything, done or omitted to be done by a person in reliance upon the whole or any
part of the Water Supply Code of Australia.
PUBLICATION DETAILS
Published by:
Water Services Association of Australia Inc.
469 Latrobe Street
Melbourne Victoria 3000 Australia
ISBN 1 8760 8867 2
COPYRIGHT
Water Services Association of Australia will permit up to 10 percent of Parts 1 and 2 of this
Code to be copied for use exclusively in house by purchasers of this Code without payment
of a royalty or giving advice to Water Services Association of Australia Inc. Water Services
Association of Australia will also permit some or all of Parts 3 and 4 of the Code to be
copied for use in contract documentation.
Copyright 2002 by WATER SERVICES ASSOCIATION of Australia Inc. ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED.
JULY 2004
WSA 032002-2.3
FOREWORD
It gives me great pleasure to present the second edition of the Water Supply Code of
Australia. An initiative of the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA), this revised
edition brings together my members and associates collective experiences of adoption of
the first edition into their asset creation processes. This revised edition also now
addresses the design and construction of water supply, as distinct from reticulation only.
However, the clear benefits of this initiative extend beyond my members to the wider
Australian community. The performance of network infrastructure is fundamental to
achieving excellence in community health, customer service, environmental sustainability,
and delivering cost effective water and sewerage services. This revised Code will make a
practical contribution to better achieving those goals.
Cost savings in design and construction can deliver major benefits. Currently, water supply
networks accounts for 65% of the $26 billion current replacement costs of the total water
supply infrastructure in Australias major cities. Sewage collection systems account for
82% of the $28 billion current replacement cost of the total sewerage infrastructure. Water
utilities and the urban development industry are investing some $500 million annually in
water and sewerage networks.
Water supply and sewerage networks are made up of a multitude of components including
pipes, fittings, valves, connectors, access chambers and so on. Historically, Australias
urban water utilities have developed local standards and codes for the design and
construction of these networks. The wide variety of requirements for pipeline systems,
designed to achieve essentially the same objectives, has created small fragmented
markets for those components leading to higher costs. Standards have also focussed more
on prescription than the performance required. Costs are high, innovation is stifled and
export opportunities lost.
The Water Services Association of Australia is ideally positioned to provide national
leadership in actively prosecuting its National Codes Initiative. As an industry association
of the major urban water utilities in Australia, WSAAs 22 members supply some 14 million
Australians with water and sewerage services. In developing Codes of practice, WSAA is
working to provide a complete asset management framework to support the total life cycle
of our network infrastructure.
Best practice and strategic standardisation are the principal drivers to delivering living
codes and ensuring that water and sewerage assets are fit for purpose and cost effective.
Materials and product specifications, quality assurance policies, certification programs,
design and construction codes, research and development initiatives and competencybased training schemes will support and form a total package of industry practices that can
deliver the outcomes for an internationally competitive Australian water industry.
Dr John Langford BE (Ag) PhD FTSE FIE Aust
Executive Director of the Water Services Association of Australia
JULY 2004
WSA 032002-2.3
CONTENTS
PREFACE
INTRODUCTION
13
II Abbreviations
25
28
IV Other References
32
36
1 General
42
2 System Planning
52
3 Hydraulic Design
66
4 General Design
76
5 Structural Design
95
6 Appurtenances
105
123
132
134
145
PART 3: CONSTRUCTION
Contents
152
9 General
157
10 Quality
159
11 General Construction
162
173
13 Excavation
177
180
182
189
17 Fill
192
18 Swabbing
194
19 Acceptance Testing
196
20 Disinfection
203
JULY 2004
WSA 032002-2.3
205
207
23 Restoration
209
211
214
25 Introduction
216
218
220
224
229
232
STANDARD DRAWINGS
235
JULY 2004
WSA 032002-2.3
PREFACE
THE NEED FOR TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION
The Water Supply Code of Australia, together with a Water Agency supplement and other
referenced documents, sets an Agencys requirements for:
Minimum acceptable technical criteria for design and construction of water supply and
reticulation networks; and
facilitates efficient design and construction i.e. it obviates the need for Water Agencies
to develop and maintain their own standards;
provide a common technical reference for the development of industry training and
skills accreditation programs for private sector suppliers;
enhance the mobility of suppliers e.g. designers and constructors by reducing parochial
technical impediments to trade; and
improve the Australian water industrys interface with international water companies.
WSAA members and associate members have adopted the first editions of the Codes with
supplementary requirements and technical variations. The second editions of the Codes
address many of the supplementary requirements and variations such that the extent of the
Agency supplements is expected to decrease markedly.
The Codes are presented in performance based terms together with deemed-to-comply
solutions. Alternative solutions may be accepted provided it can be demonstrated that they
meet the performance requirements.
JULY 2004
WSA 032002-2.3
INNOVATION
The word innovation has become a euphemism for doing anything differently, though not
necessarily better.
Dictionaries variously define innovation as to introduce novelties i.e. anything new or
strange; to make changes. On closer scrutiny, many changes may be shown to be
technically inferior and/or more costly in life cycle terms.
Standardisation and innovation are somewhat conflicting but associated concepts, some
characteristics of which are outlined below. Standardisation may generate a number of
benefits; however, without innovation, standards can lock in historical practice at the
expense of best practice.
STANDARDISATION
INNOVATION
Genuine innovative ideas and methods that enhance functionality and reduce life cycle
costs are to be encouraged but must be considered and adopted through an appropriate
screening process.
Designs/Construction Practices: WSAA members have agreed to inform each other of
innovative trials, to share information and to work with one another and with industry in
challenging accepted standards and practices and achieving more effective and efficient
outcomes.
Products: WSAA has developed a national product appraisal system that provides a
single point of entry into the market for strategic product manufacturers, developers and
innovators. Whilst a successfully appraised product will generally have universal appeal, it
should be clearly understood that a finding by WSAA that a product is fit for purpose and
has acceptable life expectancy does not automatically mean it is authorised for use by a
Water Agency. Other considerations may necessitate restrictions being placed on the
number or type of products accepted for use in a particular network.
HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE OF THE USE OF THE WATER SUPPLY CODE
When an agencys administrative and process requirements are contractually coupled with
this Code, the scenario outlined below illustrates a typical use of the Water Supply Code of
Australia in asset creation.
Concept Plan
The Agencys Concept Plan defines the broad water supply management objectives and
states the available system to which the planned scheme will connect, allowable pressures
and flows and, if necessary, augmentation requirements. For a small development, the
Plan may simply state the point of connection for a nominally sized reticulation system.
JULY 2004
WSA 032002-2.3
Purchase Specifications
Technical Notes
JULY 2004
WSA 032002-2.3
INTRODUCTION
SCOPE OF CODE
The Water Supply Code of Australia covers the planning, design and construction of
transfer, distribution and reticulation mains and service pipes up to DN 1200 and larger.
The Code does not specifically address water reticulation used in private and community
title developments that are connected to a Water Agencys reticulation system. However,
where those mains are likely to be maintained by the Water Agency or its contractor, it is
recommended that the Water Supply Code be adopted as a deemed-to-comply solution
for the water services specified in the National Plumbing and Drainage Standard
AS/NZS 3500.1.1: Water supplyPerformance requirements.
CODE STRUCTURE
The Water Supply Code of Australia is made up of separate parts, which address the
technical requirements of the design and construction elements of the Water Agency asset
creation and renewal processes.
Each part of the Code is divided into sections and clauses with supporting figures and
tables. Part 4 of the Code also has commentaries relevant to each series of Standard
Drawings. A glossary of terms and interpretation of abbreviations is provided in Part 0,
together with a list of referenced documents.
CODE PURPOSE
The primary purpose of the Water Supply Code of Australia is to document technical best
practice for design and construction of quality water networks. The Code is an element of
the overall asset management framework that WSAA is developing for its members
network infrastructure. The Code focuses on asset creation, but it could be used for some
of the intervention options such as replacement and renewal that may be necessary with
aging assets.
The Code is intended for Planners, Designers and Constructors servicing the land
development industry and for contract work done on behalf of Water Agencies for asset
management.
The Code does not provide administrative or process guidance that is specific to each
Water Agency, which will be dependent on the nature of the works, whether they are
developer or capital works employing Deed of Agreement or contract documents.
The Water Supply Code of Australia Melbourne Retail Water Agencies Edition includes:
The Water Agencies requirements for specific detail which the Code anticipates
individual water agencies will address, and
additions, deletions and variations to the Code where the Codes requirements are
not compatible with the Water Agencies current requirements (due to local practice,
climatic, geographic and topographic conditions and statutory requirements, etc) or
where the Code is otherwise silent.
Any reference to the Water Supply Code of Australia (the Code) shall be deemed to refer
to the Melbourne Retail Water Agencies Edition of the Code. The Code specifies
mandatory requirements for the design and construction of water mains that are to become
the responsibility of the Water Agencies.
The Water Agencies reserve the right to specify or approve other design and/or
construction requirements for particular projects and/or developments.
Before
JULY 2004
WSA 032002-2.3
10
commencement of any construction, the Water Agencys approval shall be obtained to any
design and/or installation that does not comply with the Code.
MANDATORY AND INFORMATIVE
The Code provides a mixture of mandatory and informative statements.
The mandatory requirements are a mixture of both prescriptive and performance
requirements. Overall, the Code provides deemed-to-comply solutions to the planning,
design and construction of water supply and reticulation mains and service pipes. The
development of a fully performance-based code underpinned by a standard deemed-tocomply solution document is high on WSAAs agenda.
The information and guidance (informative text) contained in the Code has been
deliberately interspersed throughout the mandatory requirements to provide some context
and enable better understanding of the mandatory requirements. Informative text has been
italicised to enable clearer differentiation.
However, it is emphasised that the exact approach taken to all aspects of a particular
water supply or reticulation project is the decision of the Water Agency and Planners,
Designers and Constructors involved in each project. This Code provides technical
information to aid in that process.
PURCHASE SPECIFICATIONS
The WSAA materials network, in conjunction with product suppliers, has developed a suite
of default Purchase Specifications to assist with preparation of contract documentation.
The Purchase Specifications have been kept as clear and simple as possible and do not
repeat the need for requirements that are already covered by the relevant product
standard.
A range of quality assurance options based on international practice and commensurate
with the risk of failure have been adopted.
The Purchase Specifications have been placed on the WSAA website for ease of access
and to enable regular updating and improvements. Each Purchase Specification is freely
downloadable.
It is anticipated that Purchase Specifications will be revised over the life of this edition to
reflect changes in Standards and advice from users. Similarly, additional Purchase
Specifications may be published.
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS
WSAA invites users of this Code and its supporting documentation to propose
amendments. An amendment proforma can be downloaded from www.wsaa.asn.au.
To increase the likelihood of suggested amendments being adopted, it is recommended
that users of the Code seek preliminary review by and support of a WSAA Member or
Associate or other relevant organisation, for example, CSIRO, Civil Contractors Federation
or PIPA for inclusion with the submission.
Amendments will be published from time to time on the WSAA website. Users may register
their interest so that published amendments can be emailed directly. To register, please
submit your name, position, company and contact details, together with the WSAA Code
titles in which you have an interest, to [email protected].
Users of the Melbourne Retail Water Agencies Edition of the Code are invited to suggest
amendments or improvements to the technical content and format or style of the document
by emailing suggestions to:
City West Water [email protected]
MRWA EDITION VERSION 1.0
JULY 2004
11
WSA 032002-2.3
MRWA Standards are copyright and apart from any use as permitted under the
Copyright Act 1968, no parts of the documents may be sold, reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior
permission in writing of MRWA.
ii.
MRWA Standards are intended for use in connection with MRWA related projects
only.
iii.
iv.
The holder of MRWA Standards acknowledges that they may contain errors and/or
omissions.
v.
MRWA accepts no responsibility for any works or parts thereof which may contain
design and/or construction defects due to errors or omissions in any part of a MRWA
Standard which has not been prepared or formatted by MRWA.
vi.
JULY 2004
Version 1.0
JULY 2004
13
WSA 032002-2.3
I GLOSSARY OF TERMS
The purpose of this glossary is to assist in interpreting terminology used in the various
parts of the Water Supply Code of Australia.
The terms and definitions are adopted from various sources including:
A Guide to Testing of Water Supply Pipelines and Sewer Rising Mains, 1 st Edition,
June 1999, WRc plc
The Drinking Water Dictionary, 1st Edition, 2000, American Water Works Association
Term
Definition
access chamber
access cover
aggressive soil
alignment of mains
allotment
See lot
allowable operating
pressure, AOP
Authorised
COPYRIGHT
JULY 2004
WSA 032002-2.3
14
Term
Definition
Australian Height
Datum, AHD
average day
demand
The total water demand per year for a given area or category of
development divided by 365
backfill
balancing storage
bedding
boring
boundary
bulkhead
cathodic protection
carriageway
coating
common trenching
Concept Plan
Constructor
contaminated soil
controlled fill
COPYRIGHT
JULY 2004
15
WSA 032002-2.3
Term
Definition
control valve
corrosion
dead water
Water that is not useable. For example, water below the outlet
level of a reservoir or tank
demand
demand forecasting
Design Drawings
design period
design pressures,
DP
Designer
Developer
diurnal pressure
variation
COPYRIGHT
JULY 2004
WSA 032002-2.3
16
Term
Definition
distribution main
distribution
network
dog leg
drinking water
dual service
duplicate main
dynamic pressure
head
easement
A right held by one party to make use of the land of another for
certain purposes
embankment fill
Fill material placed over the overlay for the purpose of creating an
embankment
embedment
end of pipe
engineered fill
existing surface
level
fatigue de-rating
ferrule
finished surface
finished surface
level, FSL
fitting
COPYRIGHT
JULY 2004
17
WSA 032002-2.3
Term
Definition
flexible joint
flexible pipe
footpath
footway
A strip of land between the front boundary of a lot and the kerb or
carriageway. Also known as nature strip or verge in some regions
of Australia. See also carriageway
foundation
gravity system
haunch support
That part of the side support below the spring line of a pipeline
head, H
hold point
hydraulic grade
line, HGL
Improvements
joint
k-value
layout of main
lining
local planning
authority
COPYRIGHT
JULY 2004
WSA 032002-2.3
18
Term
Definition
local road
lot
major road
maximum allowable
operating pressure,
MAOP
maximum day
demand
maximum design
pressure
maximum hour
demand
maximum working
pressure
Melbourne Retail
Water Agency
Standards
minimum design
pressure
Lower limiting pressure that the Designer allows for in the design
of a pipeline system. This pressure is selected to ensure:
minor road
National Codes
network analysis
COPYRIGHT
JULY 2004
19
WSA 032002-2.3
Term
Definition
nominal size, DN
offset
operating pressure,
OP
operating pressure
limit
operating storage
overlay
Zone between the side support and either the trench fill or the
embankment fill
Owner
pipe
per capita
consumption
pipe barrel
COPYRIGHT
JULY 2004
WSA 032002-2.3
20
Term
Definition
pitot point
potable water
pressure creep
pressure rating
pressure surge
See surge
pressure zone
property service
pumped system
rated pressure
reduced level, RL
Regulator
remote terminal
unit, RTU
reserve storage
reserve storage
level, RSL
reservoir
reticulation main
storage
COPYRIGHT
supplying
to
transfer
and/or
JULY 2004
21
WSA 032002-2.3
Term
Definition
reticulation submain
rider main
rigid pipe
right of way
road
road reserve
Land set aside for the road pavement, footway(s) and verge(s)
roadway
See road
SCADA
service pipe
A water pipe that supplies water from the reticulation main to the
consumer. The portion of the service pipe under the control of a
Water Agency generally terminates at the water meter, or in the
case of fire services, the isolating valve of the fire protection
system
service pressure,
SP
side support
shared trenching
socket
Specification
specifications
spigot
COPYRIGHT
JULY 2004
WSA 032002-2.3
22
Term
Definition
splay corners
split service
spring line
standards
static head
static pressure
street alignment
support type
surge
surge pressure
Superintendent
system
system planning
temperature
de-rating
test pressure
Tester
COPYRIGHT
JULY 2004
23
WSA 032002-2.3
Term
Definition
trafficable area
transfer main
traverse line
trench fill
Fill material placed over the overlay for the purpose of refilling a
trench
trench width
trenchstop
trunk main
underground
services
useable capacity
valve
verge
Water Agency
water distribution
system
water supply
system
COPYRIGHT
JULY 2004
WSA 032002-2.3
24
Term
Definition
water hammer
working pressure
Work As
Constructed (WAC)
Works
witness point
COPYRIGHT
JULY 2004
25
WSA 032002-2.3
II ABBREVIATIONS
ABBREVIATION
INTERPRETATION
percentage
AC
asbestos cement
AHD
AICV
AMG
ANSI
AOP
AS
Australian Standard
AS/NZS
ASTM
AV
AWWA
BSP
CB
Certification Body
CBD
CCF
CFA
cfu
colony-forming unit
CI
cast iron
CL
cement lined
CP
cathodic protection
CWW
De
DI
ductile iron
DICL
DN
nominal size
DP
design pressure
EF
electrofusion
EPA
EPDM
FSL
g/m2
grams/square metre
GDA
COPYRIGHT
JULY 2004
WSA 032002-2.3
26
ABBREVIATION
INTERPRETATION
GIS
GRP
hour
ha
hectare
HGL
HP
hydrant path
HR
hydrant road
ID
Density Index
ISO
ITP
JSA
ks
kL
kilolitre
km
kilometre
kPa
kilopascal
kV
kilovolt
litre
LP
pipe length
metre
m/s
MAOP
MFB
mg/L
milligrams/litre
mL
millilitre
mm
millimetre
MPa
megapascal
MRWA
MSCL
NATA
degree
degree Celsius
OCEI
OD
outside diameter
OH&S
OP
operating pressure
COPYRIGHT
JULY 2004
27
ABBREVIATION
INTERPRETATION
PE
polyethylene
PHF
PIPA
PL
property line
PN
PRelV
PRV
PSV
PVC
polyvinylchloride
PVC-M
polyvinylchloride modified
PVC-O
polyvinylchloride oriented
PVC-U
polyvinylchloride unplasticised
RD
density ratio
RL
reduced level
RRJ
RSL
RTU
RV
reflux valve
second
spacing
Sc
scour
SCADA
SCL
SEW
SMP
SN
SP
service pressure
STP
SV
stop valve
TUP
UPCIC
UV
ultraviolet
VC
vitrified clay
WAC
Work As Constructed
WSAA
YVW
COPYRIGHT
WSA 032002-2.3
JULY 2004
WSA 032002-2.3
28
20.1
1100
Technical drawing
27.1
1199
A3.2
1281
WAT1403, WAT1404
1289
Methods for
purposes
1289.5.1
1289.5.1.1
1289.5.4
1289.5.4.1
1289.5.6
1289.5.6.1
Density index
material
1379
1432
1579
1906
1906.3
WAT1300
2124
9.1
2187
13.5
2200
3.2.5.2
2419
2419.2
6.8.5
2490
A3.2
2638
2638.1
6.2.1.2
2638.2
testing
soils
for
moisture
method
for
engineering
variation
and
cohesionless
gasfitting
COPYRIGHT
A4.3
and
JULY 2004
WSA 032002-2.3
29
STANDARD
TITLE
2700
WAT1300
3500
3500.1
Water supply
3600
Concrete structures
12.5.4
3610
12.5.3
3680
15.9
3681
15.9, WAT1102
3688
WAT1104, WAT1107,
WAT1109
3996
WAT1303, WAT1304,
WAT1305, WAT1306,
WAT1308, WAT1309
4041
Pressure piping
15.18.2
4087
4.13.4, WAT1313,
WAT1403, WAT1405,
WAT1409
4321
WAT1401, WAT1403
4799
1260
WAT1308
1477
8.4.1
1554
1554.1
1554.6
WAT1401
2280
2566
2566.1
2832
2832.1
4.12.3
2832.2
4.12.3
2845
2845.1
COPYRIGHT
2.5.2
JULY 2004
WSA 032002-2.3
STANDARD
30
TITLE
3500.1.2
Acceptable solutions
12.6, 22.4
3678
WAT1401, WAT1402,
WAT1405
3679
Structural steel
3679.1
4020
4360
Risk management
2.7, 4.1.5
4536
8.6
4801
10.1.1
4853
4.3.11
WAT1311, WAT1312
POP006
3.5.3.2
POP010A
POP010B
3.5.3.2
295
295-4
8.4.3
545
8.4.1
9000
9001
A2.1, 10.1.1
9002
A2.1
14001
10.1.1
WSA 01
WSA 06
4.7
WSAA
COPYRIGHT
JULY 2004
WSA 032002-2.3
31
PUBLISHER
TITLE
DIPRA
CLAUSE
COPYRIGHT
Iron
5.9.3
JULY 2004
WSA 032002-2.3
32
IV OTHER REFERENCES
The following documents are published on the WSAA website. While not necessarily
specifically referred to in this Code, they may be used in process documentation permitting
the adoption of this Code and/or preparation of Contract documentation. The list of
documents is not complete as other documents may be published from time to time.
TITLE
201
202
203
Steel Pipe
204
Steel Fittings
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
261
262
263
Butterfly Valves
264
265
266
267
Hydrants (Spring)
268
SURFACE FITTINGS
292
ANCILLARY PRODUCTS
310
COPYRIGHT
JULY 2004
33
311
312
313
318
319
320
WSA 032002-2.3
CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
Piles
357
358
360
Embedment/Concrete Sand
361
362
TITLE
PE squeeze-off
COPYRIGHT
JULY 2004
WSA 032002-2.3
34
NOTES
COPYRIGHT
JULY 2004