Inspection and cleaning aligned with applicable New Zealand requirements

Valmar uses these requirements to help define an appropriate inspection and cleaning methodology; we do not present a tank clean or ROV inspection as a stand-alone statutory compliance certificate.

Drinking water tanks and reservoirs

• Water Services Act 2021 - including drinking water supplier duties and Drinking Water Safety Plan obligations.
• Water Services (Drinking Water Standards for New Zealand) Regulations 2022 - which set maximum acceptable values for drinking-water determinands.
• Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules 2022 (Revised 2024) - current until 1 July 2027. The Water Services (Drinking Water Quality Assurance) Rules 2026 have been published and commence on 1 July 2027.
• Applicable Drinking Water Safety Plan, water storage management plan, standard operating procedures and asset-owner hygiene/disinfection requirements.

For large networked supplies, the current rules include specific requirements for storage management plans incorporating inspection and cleaning, annual storage security and contamination inspection, written disinfection procedures, cleaning and disinfection after drain-down maintenance, suitable ROV/material contact characteristics and pre-entry disinfection of equipment. How we work on drinking water assets.

Fire water tanks

• NZS 4541:2020 Automatic fire sprinkler systems - where applicable to the installed sprinkler system and its maintenance regime.
• NZS 4510:2022 Fire hydrant systems - where applicable to the installed hydrant system.
• The building's site-specific compliance schedule and Building Warrant of Fitness inspection, maintenance and reporting procedures where the fire system is a specified system.
• Approved design documentation and fire-system contractor / IQP requirements.
• Manufacturer operation, maintenance and warranty requirements relating to the tank, pumps, valves, suction arrangements, stored capacity and associated equipment.

Valmar's inspection and cleaning records can support the asset owner and relevant fire-system specialists, but do not replace IQP certification or other prescribed system testing. How we work on fire water tanks.

Associated water-service and access references

• AS/NZS 3500.1:2021 Plumbing and drainage, Part 1: Water services - where relevant to water-service, storage, pipework or plumbing interfaces. The current NZ Building Code G12/AS3 compliance pathway cites the 2021 edition, even though AS/NZS 3500.1:2025 has since been published.
• NZS/AS 1657:1992 Fixed platforms, walkways, stairways and ladders - where it is the applicable New Zealand-referenced standard for fixed access.
• AS 1657:2018 Fixed platforms, walkways, stairways and ladders - an Australian Standard that may be referenced where a project specification, asset owner or designer has specifically adopted it. It is not the New Zealand joint standard.

Reporting - evidence for better maintenance decisions

The value of remote inspection is the record it creates. Depending on the scope and visibility conditions, Valmar can provide inspection video, before-and-after footage, photographs, sediment or sludge observations, cleaning records, visible-condition observations, areas requiring further investigation, maintenance recommendations, and asset-specific findings and limitations.

Reports clearly distinguish between observed conditions and conclusions that require specialist engineering, fire-system, water-quality or material assessment.

Safety

Remote technology can reduce the need for personnel to enter tanks, reservoirs and other potentially hazardous submerged environments, and can provide visibility of internal conditions before any conventional entry is planned. It does not eliminate site hazards. Each project requires suitable site safety, isolation, contamination, water-quality, electrical, lifting, access and operational controls.

If you are working out what a particular asset needs, ring 027 313 0280 or send us an enquiry - a short conversation about the asset, its owner and its compliance schedule is usually enough to scope the right inspection.