Lead Free Certification Trademark

• In recognition of the complexity of adopting the new Lead Free requirements in Australia, the Australian Buildings Code Board (ABCB) agreed (in June 2021) to monitor and evaluate progress of the implementation across the 3 year transition period, including the impacts on supply chains.

• The ABCB has experienced a significant setback with the registration of the new certification trademark for Lead Free WaterMark. Unfortunately, the Lead Free trademark is not expected to be available until the end of April 2023 at the earliest. Issue of Lead Free WaterMark certification by WMCABs, and use of the trademark by licensees/manufacturers, is not permitted prior to registration being finalised.

• The WaterMark Administration is conscious of the impact this delay is having on the 3 year transition. We’re also mindful of other supply chain pressures (extended period of travel restrictions into, and within, China [only recently loosened] and the Ukraine-Russia war) that were not known when the ABCB made its original decision.

• The WaterMark Administration Office is taking a proposal to the ABCB to consider resetting commencement of the 3 year transition period, until after the necessary administrative arrangements to support implementation have been finalised. The ABCB could then resume the transition period, at a future date deemed suitable by the ABCB, through a WaterMark Notice of Direction.

The WaterMark Administration Office will hopefully have some certainty about the transition period at the end of March 2023, once the ABCB has considered the matter.

The WaterMark Administration Office are very sorry about this situation, and the impact it’s having on WMCABs and your clients/stakeholders.