Water Filters for New Builds and Renovations: What to Plan For

If you are building or renovating, water filtration is one of those details that is far easier to plan for upfront than to retrofit once walls and cabinetry are finished.

Plan Pipe Access Early

Deciding on a whole house filter location, ideally close to where the mains enters the property, before walls are closed up avoids costly rework later.

Consider Under-Sink Space

If you are installing an under-sink or reverse osmosis system, make sure cabinetry plans leave enough clearance for the housing, and consider a dedicated power point if you are also planning a boiling or chilled water tap.

Decide on Tap Style Before Benchtops Are Cut

Whether you want a separate filtered tap or an integrated 3-way mixer affects how many holes need to be cut into your new benchtop, so this decision needs to be locked in before fabrication.

Factor In Rainwater Tanks, If Applicable

For new builds including a rainwater tank, plan for first-flush diversion and filtration at the design stage rather than adding it as an afterthought once the tank is installed.

Getting Advice Early

Speaking with a filtration supplier during the planning phase, rather than after fit-out, generally leads to a cleaner installation and better long-term access for servicing.

Installation Considerations: Water Filters for New Builds and Renovations: What to Plan For

Getting water filters for new builds and renovations: what to plan for right starts before any tools come out — with confirming your incoming water pressure, the location of your water meter and mains isolation valve, and whether your plumbing configuration (copper, PEX, or poly) suits a push-fit or compression connection. In Victoria, any permanent alteration to household plumbing, including whole house filtration installed after the meter, must be carried out or signed off by a licensed plumber to comply with local regulations and to keep your home insurance and warranty valid.

All fittings and housings we supply and install are WaterMark certified, meaning they’ve been independently tested and approved for use in Australian plumbing systems under the Plumbing Code of Australia. This isn’t just a compliance checkbox — WaterMark certification is your assurance that a fitting won’t fail under normal household pressure and won’t contaminate your water supply.

Verified Standards & Further Reading

For homeowners who want to verify the certification claims made in this article, we encourage you to check the primary sources directly rather than taking any supplier’s word for it (including ours):

• Search any plumbing product’s WaterMark certification status directly on the Australian Building Codes Board’s official WaterMark product database.
• Verify NSF/ANSI certified water treatment products and the specific standard they are tested against via the official NSF certified product listings.
• Read the current Australian Drinking Water Guidelines published by the National Health and Medical Research Council for the official national standards on drinking water quality.

All AquaCo filtration systems supplied and installed by Vic Water Filters carry WaterMark Licence No. 23448 and are independently tested to the relevant NSF/ANSI standards for their stated contaminant reduction claims, including PFAS/PFOA and PFOS reduction where specified on the individual product datasheet.