Plumbing Approvals

What plumbing or drainage work requires Town Authority approval?

All plumbing work in Queensland is regulated by state government legislative requirements and is categorised as:

• permit work
• notifiable work
• minor work
• unregulated work

Only permit work is approved by Town Authority. Information on permit work, how to lodge applications and the services offered by the Town Authority is provided below.

Permit work

Permit work is a type of plumbing and drainage work that requires a licensed person to perform. You can only perform the permit work covered by your license (for example, a licensed drainer can perform related permit work). All permit work must be assessed by Town Authority, and before commencing permit work, you must obtain a compliance approval for your proposed work. Once the permit work has been satisfactorily completed, Town Authority will issue a compliance permit.

Notifiable work

Notifiable work extends the amount of work a plumber or drainer can perform without Local Government approval or mandatory inspections. Notifiable work is defined in Schedule 2 of the Plumbing and Drainage Regulation 2019. 

It includes most plumbing and drainage work performed in existing homes including:

• kitchen and bathroom additions and renovations
• installing or replacing hot water heaters and including electric, solar or heat pump hot water heaters
• installing fixtures such as toilets, showers and sinks in an existing home
• extending or altering pipe work

For more information on notifiable work visit the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) website.

Lodgements and approvals

Plumbing Applications can be lodged by hand at the Weipa Town Authority or sent by email or mail to: 

Attention: Works Supervisor
Weipa Town Authority
PO Box 420
Weipa  QLD 4874

Email: admin@weipatownauthority.com.au

Applications for the approval of plumbing and drainage works should include the following:

• Completed Queensland Government Form 1 – Permit work application for plumbing, drainage and on-site sewerage work
• Completed Queensland Government Form 7 - Notification of Responsible Person
• Copies of the existing and proposed floor plans. Plumber to review and make markups of proposed work prior to submitting an application if plumbing plans are diagrammatic only
• Copy of site plan
• Drainage plan number
• Application fee payment

Applications are valid for two years from the approval date. If no plumbing inspections are completed within this timeframe, the plumbing application is closed and no longer valid.

Assessment of permit work

A minimum of four inspections are required for compliance assessable work, comprising the slab, sewer, pressure test and final stages.

Applicable mandatory inspections must be arranged with Weipa Town Authority at least 24 hours in advance.

Any amendments to the plans and plumbing work after the compliance permit date must be provided to WTA prior to any further works occuring.

For more information regarding Plumbing and Drainage, please contact Town Authority's Plumbing Inspector.