Who should apply?
The program is designed for anyone who has a product that may be suitable for use in the Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand water sectors, this may include:
- Manufacturers
- Suppliers
- Importers
- Distributors
- Agents.
How does the appraisal work?
The WSAA National Product Appraisals program provides a single coordinated product appraisal. Water businesses will provide input into testing requirements and trialling conditions and a review of the quality management system (under which the product is manufactured and supplied) will be conducted. The applicant is then provided with a report and recommendations. Appraisal reports are accepted by individual water businesses and can be used by manufacturers and suppliers for marketing purposes.
There are three levels of appraisal:
- An Initial Assessment is a preliminary review to provide direction to the manufacturer
- A Standard Appraisal is suitable for established, well-understood products manufactured to recognised standards and similar types of products that have been through the appraisal process
- A Comprehensive Appraisal is for new systems or products that require assessment of complex test reports, detailed field trials and/or development of new test procedures.
WSAA does not undertake any assessment of intellectual property rights or rights in relation to confidential information. These matters are beyond the scope of appraisal reports.
All appraisal certificates are public documents and are freely available through this public website and to all WSAA members through the members portal. WSAA reserves the right not to publish reports in relation to particular products or types of products (for details, see Product Appraisal Terms and Conditions).
Final authorisation, approval or acceptance for use of the product lies with the individual water businesses.
For new systems or products that require assessment of complex test reports, detailed field trials and/or development of new test procedures.
WSAA or its members may receive notice of allegations that the importation, manufacture, sale or use of certain products infringe intellectual property rights or other proprietary rights. WSAA's policy is not to refer to such allegations in its reports or to take any other steps to put recipients on notice of such allegations, unless and until it is aware that the allegations have been admitted or proved in court.
What you get
The scheme provides manufacturers and suppliers with:
- a one-stop shop for product appraisal;
- a single point of reference to the Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand water businesses and their associates;
- savings in time and money by streamlining the assessment and review process; and
- consistent standards across the whole water sector.
Appraisal reports give a quality and technical basis of product appraisal which is accepted by the individual water businesses, manufacturers and suppliers can use them for marketing purposes. The scope and content of an appraisal report is limited to assessing the quality and technical characteristics of a product, and does not address other issues, for example, whether importation, sale, or use of the product the subject of the Appraisal report is likely to infringe intellectual property rights or rights in relation to confidential information or breach any laws.
WSAA or its members may receive notice of allegations that the importation, manufacture, sale or use of certain products infringe intellectual property rights or other proprietary rights. WSAA's policy is not to refer to such allegations in its reports or to take any other steps to put recipients on notice of such allegations, unless and until it is aware that the allegations have been admitted or proved in court.