How to Get WaterMark Certification: Step-by-Step Process

Getting WaterMark certification for a bathroom product is a structured process with testing, certification and ongoing surveillance. Whether you are a manufacturer adding new models or a buyer helping your factory navigate certification, this guide explains the steps, the standards involved and the documents you will need to prepare.

Step 1: Confirm Your Product Is in Scope

Before starting, confirm the product falls within the declared scope of the Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA). Sanitary ware such as toilets, basins and taps are in scope; some products are excluded. If the product is out of scope, no certification is needed, but the decision should be documented and confirmed with the certification body.

Step 2: Identify the Relevant Standards

The certification body will map your product to the applicable Australian/New Zealand standards. Common standards for sanitary ware include:

• AS/NZS 5200.001-5200.002: plumbing and drainage products (general and specific requirements)
• AS 1172 series: toilet pans and cisterns
• AS/NZS 6400: water efficiency products
• AS 1683/AS 3500 series: referenced installation requirements

Confirm the standards with the certification body before testing so the test plan matches what will be assessed.

Step 3: Prepare the Product and Technical File

Certification bodies require a technical file covering:

• Product drawings and specification sheets
• Component and material declarations (including any hazardous substances declarations)
• Marking and labelling plan
• Instruction manuals and installation documents
• Previous test reports (if any)

A complete technical file accelerates the process. Incomplete files are the most common cause of delay.

Step 4: Testing at a Recognised Laboratory

The product must be tested by a laboratory recognised by the certification body. Tests cover dimensions, performance (flush volumes, flow rates), material properties and safety aspects as defined in the standard. The laboratory issues a test report that becomes the evidence base for certification.

Step 5: Certification Body Assessment

The certification body reviews the test report and technical file, and typically conducts a factory audit to confirm quality control and production conformity. Some certification bodies accept existing factory audits (such as ISO 9001) as supporting evidence, which reduces the audit burden for manufacturers who are already certified.

Step 6: Issue of Certificate and Marking

Once the assessment passes, the certification body issues the WaterMark certificate naming the manufacturer, the models and the standards. The manufacturer may then apply the WaterMark logo to the certified products. The certificate is registered and visible in the relevant registers, which is what buyers check when verifying compliance.

Step 7: Ongoing Surveillance

WaterMark certification is not a one-off event. Certified products are subject to periodic surveillance: annual factory audits and retesting on a defined cycle. Manufacturers must keep production conforming to the certified specification and report material or design changes to the certification body for re-assessment.

Costs and Timeline

The cost depends on the product type, the number of models in a family, the laboratory rates and whether the manufacturer already holds a quality management certificate. Timeline depends on test lab availability; a new certification commonly takes from several weeks to a few months from technical file submission. For buyers, the key question is not the abstract cost but whether the supplier already holds certificates for the models you want to order.

Working with a Certification Consultant

Many manufacturers use a certification consultant to manage the WaterMark process, and for good reason: the consultant handles the technical file, coordinates the laboratory, manages the certification body’s questions and tracks the surveillance schedule. This is a cost-effective route for factories that plan to certify multiple models, because the consultant’s knowledge of test requirements and documentation is reused across the whole model family. When choosing a consultant, ask for references from factories that certify similar sanitary ware, confirm their relationship with recognised certification bodies, and agree on the deliverables before starting: the certificate, the technical file structure, the marking plan and the surveillance calendar. For buyers, understanding that your supplier may be using a consultant is also useful, because it means the certification pathway can be repeated when you request new models.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

The most common pitfalls in the WaterMark process are avoidable with planning. Testing the wrong models wastes laboratory budget, so confirm the exact models and finish variants with the certification body first. Incomplete technical files cause rework, so prepare drawings, material declarations and instructions before engaging the laboratory. Changing production materials after certification breaks compliance, so freeze the certified specification and notify the body of any change. And forgetting the surveillance schedule lets certificates lapse, so mark the audit dates on the calendar. Factories that treat certification as a process to be managed, rather than a document to be obtained, keep their Australian market access clean and uninterrupted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can one certificate cover several models?

Yes. A single certificate can cover a family of models that share the same design and materials, subject to the certification body’s rules on model families. Confirm which models are listed on the certificate before ordering.

Do I need a factory audit for WaterMark?

Most certification bodies require a factory audit as part of initial certification. Manufacturers with ISO 9001 certification can often use it to simplify the audit, but the certification body makes the final determination.

Can a buyer apply for WaterMark instead of the factory?

The certificate is issued to the legal entity responsible for the product, which is normally the manufacturer. Buyers can sponsor certification, but the manufacturer’s facility and production line are still assessed.

How long is a WaterMark certificate valid?

Certificates are maintained through ongoing surveillance. As long as the product continues to comply and the manufacturer passes surveillance audits, the certificate remains current. The certification body sets the surveillance cycle.

What happens if a certified product is changed?

Design or material changes must be notified to the certification body for re-assessment. Using the WaterMark mark on a product that no longer matches the certified specification is a compliance breach.

Which certification bodies issue WaterMark certificates?

WaterMark certificates are issued by certification bodies accredited for the scheme, typically JAS-ANZ accredited bodies. The ABCB’s scheme documentation lists the recognised certification bodies.

Sourcing Already-Certified Products

If you are a buyer, the fastest path to the Australian market is sourcing products that already hold WaterMark certificates. YINGJIE holds WaterMark certification for its sanitary ware ranges, including basins and toilets. Ask our export team for certificates matched to your chosen models, or see our basin collection and toilet range to shortlist products for Australia.

**Request a quote** with your target models and destination port, and our export team will confirm certification coverage within one working day.