Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) Scheme

Water shortages and the longer-term security of water supply are serious concerns for Australia. The WELS Scheme labels a range of products for water efficiency, helping Australian households to save water and money.

This site contains information about WELS for:

• Australians wanting to buy water efficient products
• manufacturers and importers
• retailers and wholesalers
• plumbers and builders
• architects and specifiers
• local government

 

Why WELS?

Choosing more efficient products helps Australia save water.

By 2021 Australians could save more than $600 million through reduced water and energy bills by simply choosing more efficient products. By 2021 it is estimated that using water efficient products will help to:

• reduce domestic water use by five per cent or 87,200 megalitres each year; and
• save about 610,000 megalitres (more water than in Sydney Harbour).

Nearly half the water savings will come from more efficient washing machines, about 25 per cent from showers and 22 per cent from toilets.

By choosing to use more water-efficient products in the home, Australians will save water and reduce their water and energy bills.

Did you know?

• A water-efficient washing machine may use only one-third the water of an inefficient model.
• An old-style single-flush toilet could use up to 12 litres of water per flush, while a standard dual flush toilet uses just a quarter of this on a half-flush.
• A standard showerhead may use up to 25 litres of water per minute whereas water-efficient showerhead might use as little as seven litres per minute, which is less than a third.

 

About the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) Scheme

What is WELS?

WELS is Australia's water efficiency labelling Scheme that requires certain products to be registered and labelled with their water efficiency in accordance with the standard set under the national Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005.

The WELS Scheme excludes second-hand products and products imported into Australia for personal use.

What are the WELS products?

The water-using WELS products are:

• showers
• tap equipment
• flow controllers (optional)

Sanitary ware

• toilet (lavatory) equipment
• urinal equipment

White goods

• clothes washing machines
• dishwashers

It will be voluntary to label flow controllers, and a minimum efficiency standard will also apply to toilets. This means you cannot supply toilets that have a higher flow rate than 5.5 litres per average flush volume.

Waterless urinals are not currently included under WELS.