Compliance: Understanding WELS & WaterMark

You’d be excused for not paying too much attention to a couple of labels on the packaging of a new showerhead or set of taps, but these two stickers are more important to your health, safety and wallet than you might realise. WaterMark and WELS are proof of a product’s quality and efficiency. Here’s what you need to know.

WaterMark

The WaterMark Certification Scheme is a mandatory accreditation schedule that ensures plumbing and drainage materials and products are fit for purpose and can be installed safely in Australia.

It is important that consumers are aware of the certification programme. If a product doesn’t carry a WaterMark certificate, plumbers cannot legally install it in this country. However, retailers may still sell non-certified products, so always check for a label.

WELS

WELS (Water Efficient Labelling Standard) is a scheme which requires manufacturers of plumbing products, sanitaryware and white goods to label their products with a star rating, which denotes their water efficiency in accordance with the regulatory standard AS/NZS 6400. 

WELS is designed to encourage lower water consumption and help consumers make informed decisions when choosing water-using appliances. The Water Rating website sums it up best: ‘the more stars on the WELS label, the less water that product will use, and the more money you will save.’

Note: WELS and WaterMark are separate schemes – WELS relates to water usage, while WaterMark is proof that a product is high quality, suitable for Australian conditions and can be installed legally in your home.

Cost and environmental impact

The reduction of water usage could mean tangible changes in the next few years. A study found that by using water efficient products, Australians will help to:

- reduce domestic water consumption by more than 100,000 megalitres a year;

- save more than 800,000 megalitres (that’s more than in the Sydney Harbour!); and

- save more than a billion dollars in water and energy bills.

Savings will come from water-efficient showers (more than a third), washing machines (34%) and toilet and urinal usage (23%).

Perrin & Rowe - WaterMark

All Perrin & Rowe tapware sold by The English Tapware Company fully complies with the WaterMark Scheme. The products meet the requirements of the Australian Standards AS/NZS 3718:2005 – Water Supply – Tapware, and AS/NZS 3662:2005 - Performance of showers for bathing (see license number WMKA02818).

Gaining this certification involved a comprehensive review of the company’s factory, supply of materials and manufacturing process. In fact, Perrin & Rowe have a dedicated foundry in their UK plant specifically casting in the Australia brass formula to ensure that every product complies with Australian WaterMark standards.

Read: Perrin & Rowe brassware manufacturing process

Perrin & Rowe – WELS

Look for WELS labels on the packaging of Perrin & Rowe products purchased from The English Tapware Company.

According to Water Rating, having a water-efficient showerhead (WELS rating: three stars) saves about 14,500 litres per household every year! This means real savings on hot water costs too – standard showerheads cost about $1,500 in gas heating over 10 years, while the costs for a water-efficient shower over the same period is nearly halved, on average about $790.

Perrin & Rowe shower fittings have a three-star rating, and use just 9 litres of water per minute (unrestricted showers can use over 25 litres per minute).

Perrin & Rowe taps are rated three stars (license number: R000372), and use just 7.5 litres per minute (typically taps discharge between 15 and 18 litres).

Using a water efficient dual flush lavatory reduces domestic water use by between 30,000 and 40,000 litres a year, and can mean savings of up to 67% over 10 years than old-style single flush toilets, the Water Rating website says. Perrin & Rowe WC flush mechanisms carry a three-star rating and use just six litres per full flush (inefficient toilets can use over 12 litres).

It’s important to be aware of how the products we use every day stack up in terms of environmental impact, efficiency and compliance with Australian standards. Click here to check if the product you’re buying is WaterMark Certified. And click here to search the WELS product database.