From 1 May 2026, all plumbing products that come into contact with drinking water must meet the new lead-free requirement.
Under the National Construction Code (NCC) Volume 3 Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA), any copper alloy plumbing product must not contain more than 0.25% weighted average lead content.
Only products that are certified as lead-free can be installed after the 1 May 2026 start date.
Lowering allowable lead levels improves public health and reduces lead exposure through potable water systems. These changes set a stricter national benchmark for community safety.
The lead-free move is part of a raft of changes under NCC 2025 that Victoria will adopt on 1 May.
These include the removal of more than 50 redundant Victorian variations to the code to help provide clearer, more consistent national requirements.
The NCC 2025 also has stronger water management requirements for apartment buildings to improve waterproofing on exposed surfaces like balconies.
To further reduce mould and condensation in new homes, stronger building ventilation requirements will also be introduced.
