Hydraulic Design Australia

PJ Wright & Associates is an Australian hydraulic design consultancy providing hydraulic services design for commercial, residential, institutional & multi-unit developments nationwide. Established in Perth in 1976, the practice has spent 50 years designing water, sanitary drainage, stormwater, gas, trade waste & fire protection systems for Australian projects — from city-centre commercial buildings to remote & regional sites, & selected overseas work.

Every design is prepared under ‘Best Practice’ principles with reference to the National Construction Code (NCC) & the applicable Australian Standards, & is documented for tender & construction so architects, builders, developers & project managers can procure hydraulic services with confidence.

What Is Hydraulic Design?

Hydraulic design — also called hydraulic services design — is the engineering discipline that plans the water-related services within a building or development. It covers potable & non-potable water supply, sanitary plumbing & sewer drainage, stormwater & roof drainage, natural gas, trade waste, water recycling & reuse, & water-based fire protection systems such as fire hydrants, hose reels & drenchers.

A hydraulic design consultant sizes these systems, coordinates connection requirements with water, gas & fire authorities, & documents the design in drawings & specifications suitable for tender & construction. On most Australian building projects, hydraulic design is a distinct consultancy discipline engaged alongside structural, mechanical & electrical engineering.

Hydraulic Design Services, Australia-Wide

PJ Wright & Associates provides the full scope of hydraulic services design from a single consultancy:

• Water Services Design — Potable & non-potable supply, pressure & flow analysis, hot & cold water reticulation.
• Fire Services Design — Fire hydrant, hose reel & drencher system design documented with reference to AS 2419.1 & AS 2441.
• Gas Service Design — Natural gas reticulation & appliance supply designed with reference to AS/NZS 5601.1.
• Stormwater Management & Design — Detention, retention & infiltration strategies, roof drainage & site stormwater documentation.
• Sanitary & Sewer Drainage — Gravity & pumped drainage design, authority liaison & trade waste provisions.
• Independent Reporting & Expert Witness Services — Independent forensic reporting for legal matters involving plumbing & hydraulic failures.

National Coverage from a Western Australian Base

PJ Wright & Associates delivers hydraulic design for projects throughout Australia. The practice is based in Mount Hawthorn, Perth, & has designed hydraulic services for developments in metropolitan, regional & remote locations nationally — including mining, institutional & multi-unit projects in areas where site conditions, water availability & authority requirements differ markedly from capital-city norms — as well as selected overseas commissions.

Modern documentation & digital collaboration mean location is no barrier to engagement: east-coast architects, builders & developers work with the practice on the same terms as Western Australian clients, with deliverables issued electronically to suit each project team’s workflow.

Designed to the NCC & Australian Standards

Hydraulic services in Australia are regulated by the National Construction Code, including Volume Three (the Plumbing Code of Australia), supported by referenced standards including the AS/NZS 3500 Plumbing & Drainage series, AS 2419.1 for fire hydrant installations, AS 2441 for fire hose reels & AS/NZS 5601.1 for gas installations, together with the requirements of local water, gas & fire authorities.

Importantly for national projects, the NCC edition in force varies by state & territory & by project approval date — as at 2026, some jurisdictions have adopted NCC 2025 while others continue under NCC 2022 during transition. PJ Wright & Associates prepares each design with reference to the code edition & authority requirements applying in the project’s jurisdiction, & identifies jurisdiction-specific requirements early so they are resolved in design rather than discovered in construction.

When to Engage a Hydraulic Consultant

The most effective time to engage a hydraulic consultant is at concept or schematic design. Early involvement allows authority connection requirements, stormwater management strategy, plant space, riser locations & fire service provisions to be resolved before the architecture is fixed — reducing redesign, coordination clashes & cost escalation later in the programme. PJ Wright & Associates also joins projects at later stages, including design development, tender documentation, & independent review of existing designs.

What a Hydraulic Design Package Includes

A typical PJ Wright & Associates hydraulic design package includes:

• Design drawings & schematics for each hydraulic service, staged from schematic design through to construction documentation
• Technical specifications & schedules suitable for tender
• Documentation to support water, gas & fire authority applications
• Coordination with the architectural, structural & building services disciplines
• Construction-phase support, including responses to requests for information & review of contractor submissions

Why Specifiers Choose PJ Wright & Associates

• 50 years of Australian hydraulic design — The practice has operated continuously since 1976 — half a century of hydraulic design across changing codes, standards & construction methods.
• End-user-focused ‘Best Practice’ design — Designs are developed around how buildings are actually used & maintained, not just minimum compliance.
• Full-scope capability — A single consultancy for water, fire, gas, stormwater & drainage simplifies procurement & coordination.
• Expert witness capability — Rare in the market: independent forensic reporting for hydraulic & plumbing failures, giving the practice first-hand insight into how designs fail — & how to prevent it.
• National reach — Perth-based, delivering nationally, including remote & regional Australia.

Request a Proposal

To engage PJ Wright & Associates for hydraulic design anywhere in Australia, request a fee proposal through the online quotation form [Link: /online-quotation] or email Tony at tony@pjwaa.com.au. Provide the project location, building class & anticipated services, & the practice will respond with a scoped proposal.