If you are importing brass taps, mixers, or supply valves into Australia, WaterMark is not optional — it is a mandatory product certification for the plumbing products defined in the National Construction Code. In New Zealand, compliance is demonstrated through Building Code Clause G12 and its Acceptable Solutions, which reference the same AS/NZS standards. For NZ importers, sourcing fixtures that already satisfy AS/NZS 3718 — and carrying WaterMark or an equivalent third-party certification — is the lowest-risk route to market.
This guide explains the certification stack, what your supplier must prove, and the questions to ask before you place a container order.
WaterMark is a mandatory certification scheme for plumbing and drainage products installed in Australia. It is referenced by the National Construction Code (NCC), administered under the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) framework, and enforced by state and territory regulators. Products on the Schedule of Products Requiring Certification must carry a valid WaterMark licence before they can be lawfully installed.
Two points matter for importers:
WaterMark is a licence, not a one-off test. A licensed certification body (CB) audits the product, the factory, and the quality system, and the licence must be maintained with surveillance testing. When a supplier shows you "a WaterMark test report," ask for the licence number and confirm the product model is listed on it.
The mark must be applied to the product or its packaging, and the licence is traceable in the WaterMark product database. Unlicensed "certified" claims are a red flag that can cost you at customs clearance or during a regulator audit.
For taps, mixers, and related supply fittings, the core standard is AS/NZS 3718:2005 (Water supply — Tap ware). It sets requirements for materials, design, performance, and durability — including pressure tests, flow rates, temperature resistance, and endurance cycling.
But AS/NZS 3718 does not work alone. Two companion requirements frequently decide whether a brass product passes:
| Requirement | Standard | What it governs |
|---|---|---|
| Tapware performance & durability | AS/NZS 3718 | Body pressure, seat leakage, endurance, flow, temperature |
| Materials in contact with drinking water | AS/NZS 4020 | Taste, appearance, and extraction of metals and chemicals from the material |
| Dezincification resistance (brass) | AS 2345 (test method) | Resistance to zinc leaching in aggressive water — the reason DZR brass is specified |
The practical consequence: a beautifully finished faucet can still fail WaterMark if the brass body does not pass AS/NZS 4020 extraction limits or dezincification testing. That is why the alloy decision (see our guide to [brass grades CW617N vs CW602N vs CW511L](02-brass-alloy-grades-cw617n-cw511l-cw602n-en-12165.md)) is a market-entry decision, not just a cost decision.
New Zealand regulates plumbing products through the Building Act and Building Code Clause G12 (Water Supplies). There is no identical "WaterMark" regime for all products today, but G12's Acceptable Solutions and industry practice lean heavily on AS/NZS standards — including AS/NZS 3718 for tapware and AS/NZS 4020 for materials in contact with potable water.
In practice, most reputable NZ importers and specifiers treat WaterMark certification — or an equivalent third-party certificate against AS/NZS 3718 and AS/NZS 4020 — as the commercial baseline, because it de-risks compliance review and is expected by plumbers, councils, and project clients alike. Always verify the current certification requirements with a recognised certifier before committing, as the regulatory environment is actively evolving.
Before signing a purchase order for ANZ-bound brass fixtures, request this evidence pack from your OEM:
Our own engineering workflow at Xindong reflects what a compliance-ready factory looks like: the alloy and cartridge specification is fixed before tooling, sample batches are sent for full performance testing, and production lots are kept traceable to the certified configuration. We also flag honest lead times — certification programmes take time, so an OEM that helps you schedule testing into your product roadmap is usually one that has done this before.
Signs of a less experienced supplier are just as easy to spot: vague answers about who holds the licence, pressure to ship "uncertified samples for your local testing," or certificates in the buyer's name that the supplier expects you to arrange alone.
Confirm the product category needs WaterMark (most taps, mixers, and supply valves do).
Select the standard path: have your OEM's products certified under AS/NZS 3718 via a licensed CB, or import models that already carry WaterMark.
Verify DZR material for brass bodies, especially for warm, soft, or chlorinated supply areas.
Check packaging and marking requirements with your CB — the WaterMark must appear correctly on product or packaging.
Build compliance into the contract: change control, batch traceability, and re-test responsibilities.
Plan for surveillance: annual or periodic audits and testing are part of maintaining the licence.
WaterMark and AS/NZS 3718 are not paperwork hurdles — they are the passport that lets compliant brass fixtures move through Australian and New Zealand supply chains quickly, and the filter that keeps cheap, uncertified product out. For an importer, the winning move is choosing an OEM that treats certification as an engineering discipline rather than a last-minute expense.
About Xindong. Zhejiang Xindong Sanitary Ware Co., Ltd. (established 1999, Yuhuan, Zhejiang — China's valve-making heartland) manufactures brass faucets, thermostatic shower valves and kits, and related fittings across a 30,000+ m² facility with 380+ employees and 65+ patents. Our in-house laboratory supports performance testing, and our export team has decades of combined experience delivering regulated-market projects, including WRAS-referenced products for the UK market. Contact our export team at [email protected] to discuss certification-ready sourcing programmes.
*Note: certification requirements and standards revisions change. Always confirm current scheme rules, standards editions, and licence status with a recognised WaterMark certification body before importing.*
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The company, founded in 1999 and located in Yuhuan,specializes in taps, thermostatic shower valves and shower kits. With over 30,000 sqm of space and 380+ employees, we hold numerous certifications and 65+ patents.
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