DWV (drain, waste, vent)
What DWV pipework is, the three jobs it does, and where the standard for it lives.
Ask Chalkline about this →DWV stands for drain, waste and vent. It is the above-ground sanitary plumbing system inside a residential building that takes wastewater from fixtures (basins, baths, showers, sinks, toilets, washing machines) to the boundary trap or sewer, and vents the system to atmosphere so traps stay sealed and drains run freely. The three letters cover the three jobs in one pipework set.
DWV is governed by AS/NZS 3500.2 (Sanitary plumbing and drainage). Minimum falls, fixture connection methods, vent sizing and termination heights, and pipework materials are all set by Part 2. A common minimum fall is 1:60 for 100 mm DN below ground; verify the gradient required for the actual pipe size and run before quoting.
DWV is plumber and drainer scope. The boundary trap (where the building drainage connects to the authority sewer) is the line that separates plumbing from drainage in some states.
Also known as: sanitary plumbing, sanitary drainage, soil and waste, soil stack.
Category: Plumbing.
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Last updated: 2026-05-05. Verified: 2026-05-05.