A quiet change to Australian plumbing

From 1 May 2026 in Victoria, and 1 May 2028 across the rest of Australia, tapware that carries drinking water must meet a tighter standard for lead content. It is one of the most significant changes to Australian plumbing in a decade, and most homeowners will never notice.

The requirement applies to products that deliver water for human consumption:

• Basin mixers

• Kitchen mixers

• Pot fillers

• Outlet connected to drinking water

Products not used for drinking water, such as showers, bath outlets and bathroom accessories, are not affected.

What lead free actually means

Lead has been used in brass tapware for over a century. It is what makes brass easier to machine and gives the finished piece its weight and finish. The new standard aligns Australia with the United States and Europe, which moved to tighter lead limits in drinking water applications years ago. It removes lead from the surfaces that touch drinking water.

Why now

The Australian Building Codes Board confirmed that WaterMark certification would move to a Lead Free standard. Victoria chose to adopt the deadline earlier than the rest of the country. The federal timeline follows two years later.

The direction of travel is the same everywhere. By mid 2028, lead free will be the only legal option in Australian plumbing.

Victoria 1 May 2026 - Lead free manufacture required under state regulation.

Rest of Australia 1 May 2028 - Federal ABCB deadline for all WaterMark products.

Where Par Taps stands

We are certified. Our Conformity Assessment Body has signed off, and our WaterMark now carries the Lead Free mark across the range. We have been working toward this for years, not months. We source select premium components from trusted international suppliers who moved to lead free standards long before Australia required it. The craft side of what we do, the machining, the bespoke colours, the hand finishing, the decades of making tapware in Preston, has not changed. What is inside has.

If you are buying from us

You do not need to do anything differently. Our range is Lead Free WaterMark certified, so every order meets the new standard.

For project enquiries, speak to the Par Taps team at info@partaps.com.au