The duties of a Hydraulic Services Consultant includes but are not limited to the design, documentation and supervision of all hydraulic services in the building and construction industry as well as fire services.

It is an important role as it is involved with ensuring appropriate health standards and regulations are maintained within new and existing buildings and sites as well as ensuring that the building or site adheres to all fire standards and regulations.

A Hydraulic Services Consultant will be presented with architectural plans or a problem, which he will then design the appropriate solution. They ensure the overall system will be efficient, effective and compliant with all relevant regulations and standards.

The consultant may have to liaise with various other professionals. A Hydraulic Services Consultant with predominately liaise with builders, architects, private clients, government and private organisations, other trade consultants and trades. This will enable the project to progress with minimal conflicts.

The design aspect involves the sizing, positioning, specifying and descriptions of
hydraulic services such as;

- Sanitary and trade waste drainage
- Soil and water management
- Stormwater drainage including gutters, downpipes, catchments and retention/detention systems
- Packaged sewerage treatment plants and pumping stations
- Cold water services including mains pressured, pumped systems, and backflow prevention
- Hot water services including pressurised systems, low pressure systems and circulation systems. This also includes the design of the hot water heating source such as gas powered, electric, solar, heat pump or a combination of two or more.
- Safety devices such as thermostatic mixing valves, tempering valves, pressure relief valves etc. - Gas services, whether LPG or Natural gas as well as their delivery system, such as two stage regulators, high pressure systems, storage cylinders or main reticulated.
- Fire hydrant, hose reel and drencher systems.
- Septic tanks, grey water and ATU systems and their disposal methods
- Product and material selection.

Documentation refers to the management, filing and organisation of all documents, correspondence and applications. It will also include all designs, calculations, notes and spreadsheets, working drawings, ‘as constructed’ drawings, inspections and reports. Specifications of products and procedures are also developed to ensure that the design is easy to understand by everyone involved.

Certain contracts may involve inspections of previous installations and systems, then compiling reports in relation to the findings. The reports may be singular, in order to determine specific findings or periodic, to establish patterns and irregularities within the system.

Hydraulic Services Consultants are involved with the supervision of projects not as a ‘day to day’ supervision of trades and installations but on an overall basis. The supervision in which they are involved is more concerned with periodical inspections to ensure that the installation adheres to the design and specification for that particular project.