Sanitary plumbing is any work involved in fixing or unfixing any pipe, plumbing fixture or appliance including; any trap, waste or soil pipe, ventilation pipe, or overflow pipe and any pipe that supplies or is intended to supply water.

When you turn on the tap to get a drink of water or have a shower, you probably don't give the quality of the water a second thought. Nor do we consider where water ends up when we've finished using it.

But without regulatory control, poor sanitary plumbing can result in sickness and even death. So plumbers are considered at the forefront of New Zealand’s primary health protection.

It takes no less than six years for a certifying plumber to become qualified in safe water management. All sanitary plumbing must comply with the Building Code and, where a building consent is required; the work must be checked by the building inspector from the council.

Sanitary plumbing does not include the installation of appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines; the replacement or repair of taps, ball valves and plugs.

See this guide on who can carry out sanitary plumbing