Standards & schemes
Australian Government (with New Zealand participation)
In brief
WELS — the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards scheme — is Australia's mandatory water-efficiency rating regime, established under the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005 (Cth), with New Zealand participating through a separate regulator arrangement. Unlike voluntary labels, WELS registration is a legal precondition of sale: showers, taps, toilets, urinals, dishwashers and washing machines offered in Australia must be registered and display the star-rating label showing water consumption. Registration requires testing to the applicable Australian/New Zealand standard by an accredited laboratory, and the public product database allows claims to be checked against the registered rating. Because the label is mandated and regulated, misuse is a compliance offence rather than merely a misleading-claim exposure. The star band and consumption figure must appear at point of sale and in online listings, which is why the label is a common reference in consumer-comparison and regulatory enforcement. New Zealand applies materially the same product requirements under its own regulator, so a single registration supports claims in both markets. WELS substantiates the rated water-efficiency performance of the registered product model; it does not by itself substantiate broader environmental claims or performance in categories the scheme does not cover.
Conditional relationships
A relationship does not mean that the standard proves or validates every use of a claim.
Recognition & legal context
No reviewed law references are published.
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