SRMTMPs are documents that must be prepared by electricity, gas, and water entities by law.

An SRMTMP includes work, health and safety (WHS) issues and issues relating to technical standards, operation, maintenance and emergency procedures and management practices with the intention of continuing review and improvement.

An SRMTMP describes how an entity will comply with the requirements of legislation as well as relevant standards and codes. These form the technical framework for ensuring high levels of safety and reliability in the operation of the electricity, gas and water industry entities. It provides a mechanism to compare safety and reliability expectations with actual performance. It also provides an auditable quality approach to each industry's safety.

An SRMTMP is a confidential document and is not available to the public.

Detailed guide documents

For a more detailed guide to preparing an SRMTMP:

• Electrical industry (including a format sample) - SRMTMP guide (PDF, 46.4 KB)
• Water industry entities - Preparing SRMTMPs guidance document (PDF, 1.5 MB)
• Water industry entities - Example SRMTMP guidance document (DOCX, 306.3 KB)

Who needs to prepare an SRMTMP

The Electricity Act 1996, Gas Act 1997 and Water Industry Act 2012 require all industry entities to prepare and periodically revise an SRMTMP at the request of the OTR and/or the Essential Services Commission of SA.

Some non-licensed entities may also be required by the OTR to prepare and periodically revise an SRMTMP.

Approvals

SRMTMPs and any revision to them are approved by the relevant authority. The OTR may make recommendations and comments to assist the entity in refining the plan before approval is granted.

• Guide to the approval and review process (PDF, 599.5 KB)

Complying with an SRMTMP

All entities are required to comply with their approved SRMTMP and conduct annual audits to ensure compliance with the plan. The results of these audits must be reported to the OTR.

The OTR may also independently audit the entities to confirm compliance with the SRMTMP and may make comments and recommendations to assist entities refining future audit reports.

Entity annual reporting to the OTR

Reporting requirements vary depending on the industry.

Generally, the report contains information on:

• unsafe, failed or malfunctioned infrastructure and the action(s) taken to rectify, prevent or minimise the risk of recurrence
• compliance with the safety, reliability, maintenance and technical management plan and whether the plan has been operating effectively.

For further information on entity annual reporting specific to your industry, please contact the OTR Infrastructure section.

Guide to preparing an SRMTMP

SRMPTMPS vary with the type of infrastructure covered by the plan. The below is not an exhaustive list but is rather intended as a guide.

Contents

An SRMTMP should make particular reference to the technical and safety standards used. These standards should be consistent with the requirements of the OTR as set out in legislation.

The SRMTMP should include policies for:

• protection of personnel
• protection of property
• protection of the public
• technical standards compliance.

The SRMTMP should also cover the life cycle of all elements of the technical infrastructure, including:

• planning
• design
• acquisition (construction, testing and commissioning)
• operation
• maintenance
• repair and modification
• decommissioning and disposal.

The SRMTMP should include evidence that appropriate systems have been established to ensure the SRMTMP is implemented. It should also address:

• the organisational structure and defined responsibilities
• competencies of persons appropriate to their responsibilities
• auditing of activities (key performance indicators)
• records and traceability
• any special notes.

Competencies of personnel

Design, construction, testing, commissioning and operation of infrastructure must be carried out by persons who are qualified or experienced in the work they do.

For construction, testing and commissioning, a relevant national competency standards certificate or other demonstration of competency that meets the operator's requirements would be sufficient proof of qualification.

The asset operator must ensure all persons have competencies appropriate to their responsibilities and sound knowledge of relevant standards and their application.

Records and traceability

Records must be kept and maintained to show the effective management of all significant risks throughout the operating life of the assets.

Records include (but are not limited to):

• design, construction, testing, commissioning and operation details sufficient to show compliance with relevant standards
• as-built details, verification of calibrations of equipment, readings taken during testing, results of testing on test pieces, competencies and all relevant information
• details of all relevant operational activities necessary to ensure gas safety
• details of all modifications to infrastructure
• up-to-date location details of buried assets with sufficient accuracy to guide the owner and others engaged in underground work
• details of decommissioned assets that may pose safety risks in the future to provide information to anyone needing the information for safety reasons.

Electricity infrastructure

Electrical generator planning approval

To obtain development approval, all proposals for new South Australian-based electricity generators with more than five megawatts of generating capacity must meet several technical requirements that relate to the state's energy system security and stability.

Development applications must be accompanied by a certificate from the OTR that confirms the proposed generator complies with the necessary requirements of the Development Regulations 2008. The Development (Electricity Generators) Variation Regulations 2017 were published in the Government Gazette, No. 33 Tuesday 23 May 2017, from page 1727.

Development applications are determined by the Development Assessment Commission or, where a state agency is undertaking or endorsing the development, the Minister for Planning.

Electricity (Principles of Vegetation Clearance) Regulations 2021

The Electricity (Principles of Vegetation Clearance) Regulations 2021 define the legal requirements for vegetation clearance around powerlines. This includes requirements for clearing vegetation around high-voltage transmission lines and lower-voltage distribution lines as well as legal safety limitations for planting trees near power lines.

The regulations aim to minimise the risk of bushfires, damage to power lines and electrical shocks without imposing excessive vegetation clearance.

More information can be found on the past consultation webpage

Water and sewerage infrastructure

Acts and regulations

The Water Industry Act 2012 provides a legislative framework to ensure that South Australian consumers have safe and reliable water and sewerage services and installations. The Act helps plan water supply and demand, and provides guidance for the water industry through:

• licensing
• price regulation
• regulating customer service standards
• informing technical standards for water and sewerage infrastructure, installations, and plumbing
• performance monitoring of the water industry
• other measures relevant to using and managing water.

The OTR is appointed by the Minister under the Water Industry Act 2012 to:

• develop technical standards for the water industry
• monitor and regulate technical standards for water and sewerage installations
• provide safety and technical advice to water entities, ESCOSA, and the plumbing industry
• fulfil any other assigned function under the Act.

The Water Industry Regulations 2012 under the Water Industry Act 2012 further defines licensing, technical, and safety requirements, for water industry entities. The regulations also address the protection and use of water and sewerage infrastructure and equipment, and water conservation measures.

Section 21 of the regulations also outline key criteria for Safety, Reliability, Maintenance, and Technical Management Plans (SRMTMPs) for water industry entities.

Installation trades acts, regulations, and standards

For the acts, regulations, and standards that apply to each specific installation trade, please visit the individual OTR Electrical trades, gas trades and plumbing trades pages.

Online enquiry

Fill out the online enquiry form to receive a call or email back from the OTR Infrastructure team.

Phone

Infrastructure - general enquiries

• 8226 5500 (Monday to Friday, 8.30 am to 4.30 pm)

Post

Office of the Technical Regulator
Infrastructure
GPO Box 320
Adelaide SA 5001

The OTR publishes technical standards for the water and sewerage infrastructure as defined by the Water Industry Act 2012. This includes but isn’t limited to design, installation, inspection, alteration, repair, maintenance, removal, disconnection, or decommissioning.

Infrastructure standard

The OTR has published an Infrastructure Standard that adopts the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) codes as the principle minimum Standard for water and sewerage infrastructure. The WSAA codes complement standards, codes, and guidelines in current legislation.

By formalising the WSAA codes as the Infrastructure Standard, the OTR recognises that the WSAA codes have gone through peer-review processes and are widely accepted for the requirements of water and sewerage infrastructure.

The OTR aims to see all water industry entity assets and operations comply with WSAA requirements. However, the intent is not for legacy assets to be updated; but for WSAA codes, supplementary notices, and supporting documents, that are equivalent to or exceed WSAA requirements, to be used.

• Copies of the WSAA codes are available for viewing if you contact the OTR Water Infrastructure section, or from the WSAA shop.
• The SA Water technical standards and guidelines can be viewed at the SA Water website.

Standard for Dual Reticulation Infrastructure

The OTR has published the Standard for Dual Reticulation Infrastructure (PDF, 266.6 KB). It details the minimum requirements and responsibilities of all parties involved in dual reticulation infrastructure to ensure the safety and reliability of the water services provided to South Australian consumers.

The Standard has been published after extensive consultation with stakeholders from the South Australian water industry.

The intent is not for legacy assets to be updated, but that going forward, the design, installation and construction of dual reticulation infrastructure including - up to the point of connection to a property - will be in accordance with the Standard.

This Standard is in addition to requirements set out in the WSAA codes.

Quick facts

• When did the Standard come into effect?

As of 1 July 2021 full compliance with the standard is expected.

• Is the Standard retrospective?

No, the Standard applies only to new dual reticulation infrastructure. However, replacement of existing infrastructure is expected to comply with the Standard.

• Why did the Technical Regulator decide to publish the Standard?

Numerous cross-connections incidents have occurred in recent years resulting in consumers being supplied non-drinking water instead of drinking water. Following one incident, a report was prepared by a consultant recommending that the Technical Regulator develop a Standard to normalise practices within the industry for dual reticulation infrastructure.

• Does the Standard apply to parks and reserves as well?

Yes, the Standard applies to any property, whether a building or an area of land, that is supplied by both drinking and non-drinking water.

• Will this Standard be incorporated in the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) codes?

The Technical Regulator has no objection in the Standard being part of the WSAA codes, however, it is outside the Technical Regulator’s authority to rule the WSAA to adopt the Standard.

• The Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) test described is in relation to work undertaken on services connected to the property. What about work carried out within the property by licensed plumbers?

The Standard applies to the Infrastructure side only, separate requirements are in place for all plumbing work.

• Can you clarify the definitions of non-drinking water and recycled water?

We recognise that there are multiple definitions for non-drinking water.

The Standard defines non-drinking water as derived primarily from sewage, greywater or stormwater systems and treated to a standard that is appropriate for its intended use.

The Water Supply Code of Australia defines non-drinking water as “any water other than drinking water including wastewater, stormwater, bore water, groundwater, lake or river water, which has been treated to meet a Standard (as defined by the Regulator), and which is satisfactory for its intended use(s)”.

The National Construction Code Volume Three (Plumbing Code of Australia) defines non-drinking water as “Water which is not intended primarily for human consumption”.

SA Health defines recycled water as any water generated from the following and treated to a standard that is appropriate for its intended use:

• sewage
• greywater
• stormwater
• rainwater
• industrial
• animal processes.

The intention of the Standard is to capture scenarios where there is the dual supply of drinking water and non-drinking water to prevent cross connections.

• What is the scope of application for the Guidelines for Non-drinking Water in South Australia and the Standard for Dual Reticulation Infrastructure? 

The scope of the Guidelines for Non-drinking Water in South Australia includes water infrastructure, plumbing, urban irrigation (e.g., parks, gardens, playgrounds, and BBQ areas) and non-building sites except where drinking water is not reticulated.

The scope of the Standard covers requirements for the safe design, installation and construction of dual reticulation infrastructure including up to the point of connection to a property. This Standard is in addition to requirements set out in the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) codes.

• Is the Standard for Dual Reticulation Infrastructure published in April 2020 intended for connections to properties only?

The Standard applies to any property, whether a building or an area of land, that is supplied by both drinking and non-drinking water.

• Is it necessary to use purple-coloured fittings and valves (i.e., ductile iron fittings and valves) for non-drinking water plumbing and infrastructure?

On-site Plumbing requirements are as per the Plumbing Code of Australia.

Infrastructure requirements are as per The Standard for Dual Reticulation Infrastructure which requires a permanent purple colour for the non-drinking water assembly and associated fittings. For other non-drinking infrastructure Table 4.1 of WSA 03-2011 3.1 applies which requires purple coating for a valve (spindle cap), but not for a fitting e.g., bend, coupling or for a valve (body).

• What is acceptable for marking and identification of non-drinking water pipelines where solid permanent purple colour is not feasible?

On-site Plumbing requirements for the correct colour of non-drinking water pipes are as per the Plumbing Code of Australia (DTS AS/NZS 3500.1 Purple coloured pipework), where pipework is not coloured purple it must be identified by purple coloured sleeving, netted, or spirally wrapped tape, fittings are not required to be purple. The Non-drinking water guidelines require water meter inlets/outlets and meter assemblies to be purple, the PLV valve on non-drinking water service should also be purple where it is connected against concealed pipework in a wall of building. The Office of the Technical Regulator (OTR) has set out the specific water meter requirements as several cross connections have arisen due to confusion between non-drinking water and drinking water inlet/outlet and meter apparatus.

Infrastructure requirements are as per The Standard for Dual Reticulation Infrastructure which states non-drinking water infrastructure pipework shall be permanent purple colour no darker than Jacaranda P24 or Purple P12 and no lighter than P23 Lilac and labelled as non-drinking water. Sleeving can only be used for large diameter pipes where short runs make solid purple unviable.

The Guidelines for non-drinking water in South Australia have been designed for the plumbing and water industries, water industry entities, and property owners with a non-drinking water supply.

The guidelines outline the requirements and responsibilities for installing, operating, and maintaining non-drinking water systems per the Water Industry Act 2012, Water Industry Regulations 2012, and appropriate technical standards.

There are three parts to the guidelines:

Part 0

• Part 0 - Glossary of Terms, Abbreviations and References (PDF, 541.1 KB)

Helps with interpreting terminology and abbreviations used in parts 1 and 2 of the guidelines.

Part 1

• Part 1 - Infrastructure (PDF, 834.1 KB)

Provides an overview of non-drinking water as an alternative water supply, and the requirements associated with non-drinking water infrastructure. This part includes legislative requirements, planning and design, implementation, monitoring, management, reporting and auditing for non-drinking water infrastructure.

Part 2

• Part 2 - On-site Plumbing (PDF, 1.8 MB)

Provides detailed information related to on-site non-drinking water installations. Please also visit our OTR Plumbing trades section for more information about on-site plumbing trades and installations.

Consultation on new guidelines

The OTR is seeking input on a new set of guidelines that's been drafted. Stakeholders are invited to review the proposed draft and provide comments or feedback to ensure that the updates of the guidelines remain relevant to the current needs and practices within the water industry.

• The consultation on the proposed guidelines closes 29 February 2024.

For further information, contact the OTR Infrastructure section.

Safety, Reliability, Maintenance and Technical Management Plan (SRMTMP)

All Water Industry Entities are required to comply with their approved SRMTMP and conduct annual audits to demonstrate compliance with the plan for the previous financial year.

The results of these audits through completion of the internal audit checklist must be reported to the OTR by 31 August each year.

Click the link to complete the Internal audit checklist

For any enquiries, please contact the OTR Water and Sewerage Infrastructure team by

• Email: DEM.OTRWSInfrastructure@sa.gov.au
• Phone: (08) 8226 5500

The notification and communication protocol (PDF, 425.1 KB) has been updated to give water industry entities (WIE) a clearer understanding of their notification and reporting requirements to the OTR.

This protocol does not remove any other responsibilities set in place by other agencies, such as those included in the water/wastewater incident notification and communication protocol established between the Department for Health and Wellbeing, SA Water and the Environment Protection Authority.

To report an incident:

1. Refer to the OTR's water and sewerage infrastructure notification and communication protocol to determine the type of incident (Level 1, Level 2, or Notifiable Event) and the associated notification requirements.
2. Complete verbal notification within the nominated timeframe, if applicable.
3. Complete and submit the incident notification form (DOCX, 72.0 KB) within the nominated timeframe.

Incident register

An incident register must be provided each year to the OTR with the annual internal audit checklist submission. WIE’s may use their own register or use the template  (XLSX, 13.1 KB) developed by the OTR.

Background

The National Performance Report (NPR) framework supports commitments made by states and territories under the National Water Initiative (NWI), to report publicly and independently on the performance of urban water utilities.

The NPR is published annually and prepared independently by the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), State and Territory governments, and the Water Services Association of Australia. Further information on the NPR can be found on the NPR webpage.

From 1 July 2021, the OTR became one of two South Australian Jurisdictional Coordinators for the NPR. The OTR is responsible for operational aspects of the NPR in SA, being a point of contact for the BoM, assisting with data coordination, auditing, and participation in Framework reviews. The other Jurisdictional Coordinator in SA is the Department for Environment and Water.

NPR framework review

A major review of the NPR framework was undertaken in 2019 and as a result a set of recommendations were delivered to ensure the NPR’s relevance and value into the future. In response to some of the recommendations an Indicator Review was undertaken in 2021 which sought to identify a set of nationally relevant and future focused themes, outcome areas and reporting metrics. The Indicator Review was undertaken by Hydrology and Risk Consulting (HARC) in partnership with Aither and Risk Edge Consulting.

Currently only service providers with over 10,000 connected properties are required to report to the NPR. The Indicator Review has recommended that all service providers, regardless of their number of connections, report under the NPR Framework.

The Government's Urban Water Reform Committee has oversight of the changes to the NPR, on behalf of the National Water Reform Committee who own the framework, and has approved the:

• updated set of reporting indicators.
• inclusion of entities with less than 10,000 connected properties that are captured under relevant regulations into the NPR framework, with the option for additional entities to opt in.

NPR updates can be found on The Bureau’s website.

Frequently Asked Questions for water and wastewater service providers with less than 10,000 connections

What is the NPR?

• The National Performance Report (NPR) benchmarks the pricing and service quality of Australian water and wastewater service providers by comparing a set of performance indicators. The report is published annually and prepared independently by the Bureau of Meteorology, State and Territory Governments and the Water Services Association of Australia. The report supports commitments under the National Water Initiative.

Who is required to report to the NPR in SA?

• Currently South Australian water industry entities with more than 10,000 connections report to the NPR. From the 1 July 2025 all water industry entities regardless of number of connections will be required to report to the NPR.

What indicators will I be required to report against?

• In 2023 work was undertaken by the Bureau of Meteorology and State and Territory Governments in consultation with water and wastewater service providers to determine a subset of indicators for entities with less than 10,000 connections. The subset of indicators can be found in the Guidance Memo (2024-25 reporting year). Please carefully read the Guidance Memo (2024-25 reporting year) in conjunction with the 2023 Handbook to understand your reporting requirements.
• The subset includes 85 performance indicators which is made up of 61 reported indicators and 24 derived indicators. Indicators that are derived will be calculated from reported indicators and are not directly reported by service providers.
• Depending on the type of service/s provided by your organisation you may not be required to report on all the performance indicators. Some indicators are specific to wastewater services, water supply services and/or recycled water services and therefore are only applicable to organisations providing those services.

When do I need to start collecting data?

• If you are a water industry entity with less than 10,000 connections, you will need to start collecting data from 1 July 2024 (for the 2024-25 financial year).

When do I need to start reporting data?

• Reporting for the 2024-25 financial year will commence on the 1 July 2025 and will close on 31 October 2025.

How do I report my data to NPR?

• You will be required to report through the NPR data collection portal, information on how to do this will be provided to all water and wastewater service providers.

What resources are available?

• General information on the NPR can be found on the Bureau’s website.
• Updates on the NPR can be found on the Bureau’s website.
• A list of the less than 10,000 connections indicator subset and further information can be found in the Guidance Memo (2024-25 reporting year).
• The NPR Framework – performance indicators and definitions handbook 2023 which contains definitions and supporting information for all water and wastewater service providers.

What are the benefits of reporting to NPR?

• The NPR is a key element for water reform, being a unique product that provides national coverage of wastewater and water service providers to inform decision making.
• Provides an overview of water and wastewater service providers under different themes.
• Performance indicators allow comparison on common standing and are used to compare service providers against peers to identify areas for improvement.
• As an independent and public report, it helps consumers and governments determine whether the water sector is operating efficiently and cost-effectively.
• A valued source of information and data for water and wastewater service providers, regulators and policy makers being Australia’s only national annual dataset of water entity performance.
• Supports the Australian population and industry in making informed decisions, taking innovative actions and economic growth.
• National-scale water information assists Australian governing bodies in management of water resources.
• Optimisation of operations through accurate water information.
• Publicly available and free information supports academia and researchers in assessment, analysis, and evaluation of water resources.
• Benchmarking informs customers and provides a catalyst to support industry innovation, improved service delivery and efficiency gains.

Who can I contact for further support?

• If you require further information on performance indicators or the NPR portal, the Bureau of Meteorology can be contacted at water@bom.gov.au
• If you require further information on SA reporting requirements or general enquiries the Office of the Technical Regulator (NPR Jurisdictional Coordinator) can be contacted at dem.otrwsinfrastructure@sa.gov.au or (08) 8226 5500.

NPR trials in SA

The OTR ran a two-part voluntary trial in conjunction with HARC. The purpose of the trials was to support the development of the indicator set for entities with less than 10,000 connections as well as trialling the data collection.

Phase one of the NPR trial ran from October 2021 through to December 2021 and focused on developing a shared understanding of the proposed reporting requirements and the ability of water industry entities to provide the information.

Phase two of the trial ran from February 2022 until May 2022 and focused on trialling data collection using the Queensland Water Directorate’s (qldwater) Statewide Water Information Management (SWIM) web portal.

A summary report of the trials is available below:

• Summary of the SA National Performance Report Trial - for Water Industry Entities with less than 10,000 connections (PDF, 620.8 KB)

SA consultation on NPR Draft <10,000 Indicator Set

In early 2023 the OTR undertook consultation on the proposed 'less than 10,000 indicator set' to understand what data would be used and to better understand the relevance of indicators.

The consultation report is available below:

• National Performance Report (NPR) SA Subset Consultation Report  (PDF, 755.9 KB)

As a result of the feedback received, a draft SA subset of indicators was developed and shared with BoM and other NPR jurisdictional coordinators. The feedback SA stakeholders provided was instrumental in shaping the final subset of indicators for service providers with less than 10,000 connected properties.

The final subset was published in September 2023 and can be found in the Guidance Memo (2024-25 reporting year).

Essential Services Commission of South Australia (ESCOSA)

The Essential Services Commission of South Australia (ESCOSA) is responsible for the economic regulation of water and sewerage services in South Australia. Their role includes:

• water industry entities licensing
• consumer protection
• retail pricing.

A water industry entity is defined by the Water Industry Act 2012 as an organisation or person that holds a licence issued by ESCOSA to provide a drinking water, non-drinking water and/or sewage service, operation or activity.

For further information visit the ESCOSA website.

Environment Protection Authority (EPA)

Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is South Australia's independent environment protection regulator. The EPA works to protect South Australian waters from the adverse impacts of pollution that might reduce their value to current and future generations. This includes our creeks, streams, rivers, coastal waters, groundwater and aquifers. EPA grants licences which outline the requirements are to be met. For example, discharge of treated wastewater to the environment (creek, aquifer, ocean) requires an EPA licence. More information about EPA can be found on the EPA website.

SA Health Water and Wastewater Regulation

SA Health ensures that drinking water is delivered to consumers according to the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act 2011 and the Safe Drinking Water Regulations 2012. All new drinking water providers must register with SA Health and implement a risk management plan prior to commencing supply.

SA Health also regulates wastewater and recycled water through approves for collection, treatment plant, storage and irrigation of recycled water, supply and use for dual reticulation schemes. SA Health also endorsed monitoring program for water and wastewater. More information about SA Health can be found on the SA Health website.

Water industry entities - explanatory note

The five South Australian water regulatory agencies (OTR, EPA, SA Health, DEW and ESCOSA) have collaborated to clarify the purpose of technical reporting requirements and provide greater transparency for water industry entities.

The OTR explanatory note (PDF, 39.7 KB) for technical reporting requirements highlights the legislative and practical reasons why the regulatory agencies request the data, what they do with it, and what benefits the data/information provides to the industry, customers and environment.

Explanatory notes from other regulators

• Essential Services Commission of South Australia
• Department for Environment and Water
• EPA SA
• SA Health

This course is aimed at water industry entities and contractors.

It was developed by the Queensland Water Directorate (qldwater) and the Water Skills partnership. The course educates the importance and requirements for maintaining public health, minimising environmental harm, as well as general workplace health and safety when working around sewerage and recycled water assets.

The OTR in South Australia (SA) has reviewed the Brown Card in conjunction with other SA state government departments to modify the training to include SA regulatory requirements. The training is supported by the South Australian Government and will be available at no charge to water industry employees and contractors working with wastewater and recycled water in SA.

The training consists of information slides and a short quiz. Once the training is complete a “Brown Card” certificate of completion will be issued to the participant, which is valid for three years. The Brown Card SA is a non-accredited course but a valuable learning resource for sewerage and recycled water workplace health and safety basics.

The Brown Card SA training is hosted by qldwater on the water training website

First, new users should select the Brown Card SA course on the home page. You will then be prompted to create a new account. Once completed, you will be emailed an account confirmation link to enrol in the Brown Card SA training. You can then begin the Brown Card SA course through your water training website account.

For any enquiries, please contact the OTR Water and Sewerage Infrastructure team below

• Email: DEM.OTRWSInfrastructure@sa.gov.au
• Phone: (08) 8226 5500

Certificate III in Water Industry Operations

TAFE SA offers Certificate III in water industry operations specialisations of networks, wastewater treatment, or water treatment. Certificate III offers the skills and knowledge required to monitor, operate, and maintain essential drinking water/wastewater operations. More information can be found on TAFE SA website.

Water Industry Operators Association of Australia (WIOA)

Water Industry Operators Association of Australia (WIOA) facilitates the collection, development and exchange of quality information between people undertaking operational roles in the water, wastewater and recycled water industries. WIOA membership provides access to newsletters, the journal WaterWorks and updates on training.

WIOA provides practical guides for water and wastewater including practical guides on management of water catchments, treatment processes, and distribution systems. Details on the practical guides can be found on the WIOA website.

Australian Water Association (AWA)

The Australian Water Association (AWA) is Australia’s biggest water network inspiring and driving a sustainable water future. AWA provides individuals with career enrichment and organisations with business opportunities through sharing information and knowledge, connecting members with industry and stakeholders. More information can be found on the AWA website.

Local Government Association of South Australia (LGA)

Local Government Association of South Australia (LGA) provides resources on Community Wastewater Management System (CWMS), such as CWMS design criteria, Septic tank effluent drainage schemes – technical specifications & standard drawings and best practice guidance for reducing health risk for workers handling sewerage, biosolids or recycled water.

Electricity entities must comply with important safety policies when switching high voltage electrical equipment. By law, a detailed internal switching manual must be prepared, that includes safe work procedures for staff, contractors, and for specific equipment.

Internal manuals must be developed in accordance with policies and safety principles set out in the Switching Manual (PDF, 464.2 KB) that is prepared and revised as required by the Switching Committee.

The committee is made up of representatives of licensed South Australian electricity entities, a high voltage customer representative, and the Office of the Technical Regulator.

In South Australia, electricity generation project developers must include power system security services as part of their project. This is to demonstrate how they will help ensure local power supply stability.

The OTR assesses all applications for generators above five megawatts, and has a range of technical requirements that generators must meet before seeking development approval (PDF, 377.4 KB)

For more information on the technical requirements, email generatorapplications@sa.gov.au or call 8226 5667.

A range of webpages, guides and information on building, working or planting near powerlines is available on the sa.gov.au website.

South Australia continues to experience significant increases in the distributed energy resources being connected to our electricity system.

Technical Regulator Emergency Standards (PDF, 810.6 KB) are published so South Australian infrastructure and installations can operate in a manner that facilitates emergency management and action when required.

Safety, Reliability, Maintenance and Technical Management Plan (SRMTMP)

All gas industry entities are required to comply with their approved SRMTMPs and conduct annual audits to demonstrate compliance with the plan for the previous financial year.

SRMTMPs and annual reporting, highlighting the performances of the entity for the current financial year, must be submitted to the OTR by 31 August each year.

Safety Awareness Plan (SAP)

All authorised gas retailers in South Australia, under National Energy Retail Law (NERL), must comply with the requirement of the Gas Act 1997 and Gas Regulation 2012. Under the Act gas retailers are required to:

• Prepare a SAP in accordance with the requirements of the Regulation 36A (2) and (3) and submit it for approval by the Technical Regulator
• Audit from time to time compliance with the plan and report the results of those audits to the Technical Regulator
• By 31 August in each year, lodge with the Technical Regulator a report relating to the previous financial year containing the information listed in Section 36A (2) (a) (v) of the Gas Regulations 2012
• By 31 August in each year, resubmit the SAP for re-approval by the Technical Regulator.

A  gas leak is when gas escapes from a container, such as a pipe or cylinder, into an area where it shouldn't be. Gas has a strong smell added to it so that leaks can be easily detected and recognised. A gas leak can be very dangerous, so if you smell gas don't ignore it.

A gas incident is an event that may be the result of a gas leak. It can range from carbon monoxide poisoning to a fire or explosion that causes damage to property, injury, or death of a person.

Before You Dig Australia (BYDA)

BYDA is a free national community service designed to prevent damage and disruption to underground assets that provide Australia with essential services such as electricity, water, communication and gas.

Drawings for inlet gas services can be found inside the gas meter box for homeowners to identify their location but it is important to read the guidelines from BYDA and lodge a free enquiry before you start undertaking work on your property that involves digging or excavating.

All contractors have legal duty and responsibility to take appropriate steps to identify, locate and protect gas pipelines and underground asset from damage and gas supply interference.

Request for plans can be lodged via the BYDA website.

Gas leaks

If you smell gas, report the leak by calling the Gas Emergency and Leak Reporting Service.

• Phone: 1800 GAS LEAK (1800 427 532). Lines are open 24 hours a day and the call taker will provide you with advice on what to do.

Gas incidents

All gas incidents must be reported to the OTR Gas trades section, by the gas fitter or the occupier of the premises where the incident occurred.

If the incident occurred in a workplace, you must also report it to Safework SA.

The OTR investigates all major gas incidents including gas fatalities, gas installation incidents and distribution network incidents. The OTR prepares reports for the coroner as required.

A gas industry entity must report a gas incident in accordance with section 58 of the Gas Act 1997. Under section 58 of the Act, the incident must be reported to the OTR withing the below timeframes:

• Death resulting from the incident - immediately by telephone
• An unplanned interruption to the gas supply of 100 or more customers - within 2 hours
• A person requiring medical assistance resulting from the incident - within 1 working day
• An unplanned interruption to the gas supply of between 5 and 100 customers - within 24 hours
• Property damage of more than $5000 resulting from the incident - within 10 working days
• Any injury to a person, damage to property, or a dangerous situation involving a gas infrastructure pipeline operating above 1050 kPa or involving the attendance of emergency services - within 1 month

Contact information for reporting

Phone

• 8226 5518 (Monday to Friday, 8.30 am to 4.30 pm)
• 1800 558 811 (24/7 - emergencies only)

Online

• Use our online form

Post

• Office of the Technical Regulator
  Gas trades
  GPO Box 320
  Adelaide SA 5001

Further information can be found in the reporting gas leaks and incidents section of the OTR Gas trades page.