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Technical Solution Sheet 7.02: Cooling Towers
Technical Solution Sheet 7.02: Cooling Towers
Technical Solution Sheet 7.02: Cooling Towers
02
7: Mechanical Services (including duct fixing)
Cooling Towers
AIM
The aim of this technical solution is to inform Who is eligible to perform this work?
practitioners on the standards and regulations Licensed mechanical service plumbers may perform
relating to work on cooling towers, and the the work as described above. Other parts of the
relevant obligations and responsibilities of work may be performed by licensed refrigeration
and air-conditioning personnel or others who
contractors, land owners and regulators.
possess the relevant knowledge and experience and
whose work is incidental and peripheral to the
PLUMBING REGULATIONS 2008 installation, servicing and maintenance of cooling
The Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA) is adopted towers.
by and forms part of the Plumbing Regulations
2008. Part E1 of the PCA specifies the objectives Contractor’s obligation
and performance requirements related to the All personnel working on the mechanical
installation of heating, ventilation and air- components of cooling towers as described
conditioning systems. AS/NZS 3666.1: Air- above under the heading of Scope of
handling and water systems of buildings - Mechanical Services Work will be required to be
Microbial control Part 1: Design, installation registered or licensed with the Victorian
and commissioning, is a “deemed to satisfy” Building Authority.
document listed in Part E1 of the PCA and
contains a section on “Design, installation and All work within that definition, no matter what
commissioning of cooling water systems”. dollar value, will require a compliance certificate
to be issued by the licensed practitioner. It will
SCOPE OF MECHANICAL SERVICES WORK be the responsibility of both registered and
The definition of work that will require a licensed practitioners to perform work which
compliance certificate: “In relation to a cooling ensures the tower performs in accordance with
tower, the construction, installation, the requirements and the intent of the
replacement, repair, alteration, maintenance, regulations. All new cooling tower mechanical
testing or commissioning of any water pipe, components as defined in the Scope must
valve, pump, automated dosing device or comply with the requirements of AS/NZS 3666.1
automated bleeding device or any other and AS/NZS 3666.2: Air-handling and water
mechanical component that affects the cooling systems of buildings - Microbial control Part 2:
tower’s cooling water flow rate or wastewater Operation and maintenance.
disposal.”
LAND OWNER’S OBLIGATION
Note: Drift eliminators are required on all new The Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 and
cooling towers and strongly recommended on Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2009
all cooling towers, but they are not regarded as came into operation on 1 January 2010.
plumbing work.
b. at least once each month a sample of the c. at least once every three months a sample
recirculating water of the cooling tower system of the recirculating water of the cooling
tower system is taken and delivered to a
laboratory for testing and reporting for
Legionella.
STANDARDS RELEVANT TO COOLING TOWERS
AS/NZS 3666.1 AS/NZS 3666.2 AS/NZS 3666.3
This Standard specifies This Standard specifies minimum This Standard outlines a
minimum requirements for the requirements for the operation performance-based approach to the
design, installation and and maintenance of air handling maintenance of cooling water
commissioning of air-handling and water systems of buildings for systems with respect to the control
and water systems of buildings the purposes of microbial control. of microorganisms, including
for the purposes of microbial It does not include requirements Legionella, within such systems. This
control. It does not include for refrigerated room air approach combines automatically
requirements for refrigerated conditioners and non-ducted split regulated water treatment with
room air conditioners and non- systems. monitoring, assessment and control
ducted split systems. strategies to help create a low risk
Requirements specified in this environment within the cooling
Standard are not intended for water system. The provisions of this
the control of the wide range of Standard are an alternative to the
discomfort symptoms that may prescriptive requirements of AS/NZS
afflict the occupants of some 3666.2 for the maintenance of
buildings. cooling water systems.