The Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) scheme will celebrate its 20th anniversary this year on 18 March 2025.
For two decades, the scheme has been at the forefront of water conservation. It has made a significant impact on both the environment and the consumer’s hip-pocket.
The WELS star rating label helps consumers to easily identify and compare water-efficient products when considering purchases.
It mandates that taps, showers, toilets, urinals, dishwashers, washing machines, and flow controllers be registered and display their water efficiency. Nearly 25,000 products are registered under the scheme for the Australian market.
Since its start, the scheme is estimated to have saved:
over 1,800 gigalitres of water
equal to 735,000 Olympic swimming pools
or 3.5 times the amount of water in Sydney Harbour
This has led to savings of:
$16 billion in utility bills
29 megatonnes of CO2 equivalent of greenhouse gas.
The success of the WELS scheme has transcended borders, inspiring similar initiatives worldwide.
Shortly after its introduction, New Zealand:
implemented its own Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme,
regulating the same product range (except flow controllers) using the same testing and labelling standards.
The WELS scheme has also contributed to the development of the international standard for water efficiency labelling programs, the ISO standard 31600:2022. This enables other countries to establish their own water efficiency labelling programs like WELS.
Looking ahead, the WELS scheme will introduce minimum water efficiency standards in 2025. This ensures only the most efficient products are available for sale or installation in Australia.
The scheme is also considering expanding to include new products, particularly for the commercial sector, providing consumers with more choices for water-efficient products.
Join the millions of Australians saving water and money with WELS rated products. Discover how you can contribute to water conservation by choosing WELS rated products.