Are you familiar with the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) scheme?
The WELS scheme allows us to compare the water efficiency of a range of house-hold products when choosing products for our new homes, in turn saving us money on our water and energy bills.
The scheme provides a national standardised star rating system for water-using appliances such as showers, tap equipment and toilets. Each product is given a score between 1 and 6 stars to indicate the products’ water efficiency. Additional water efficiency information is provided on the water rating label including the rate of water consumption and the registration and product details. An example water label is shown below.
Richard Noble & Company together with Gold Estates are committed to supporting home owners to achieve a waterwise outcome. As an environmentally sustainable development, Vivente requires all dwellings to include waterwise plumbing fixtures and fittings.
Comparing the water efficiency of different products is easy if you know what to look for. At Vivente we require a minimum star rating for water fixtures, to give you the best water and energy savings. We recommend you go beyond the minimum requirement and target a higher star rating.
At Vivente, the following minimum standards apply:
- Toilet: WELS 4 stars or higher.
- Showerhead: WELS 3 stars or higher.
- Tap fittings: WELS 4 stars or higher.
We also recommend you aim for a WELS 3.5 stars or higher for your household dishwasher and WELS 4 stars or higher for your washing machine.
The WELS scheme is projected to save Australians up to 800 000 megalitres of water by the year 2021, which amounts to approximately one billion dollars of water bill savings. For more information on Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS), refer to www.waterrating.gov.au