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An introduction to the New Zealand
Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme
The more stars the better
Contents
Information for consumers 2
Information for retailers 8
Other government ecolabels in New Zealand 10
This booklet provides information on
New Zealand’s new Water Efficiency
Labelling Scheme (WELS) for:
* consumers wanting to buy a new
water-using product
* retailers who sell water-using
products.
The New Zealand Water Efficiency Labelling
Scheme (WELS) is designed to provide
information, through labelling at the point
of sale, to consumers buying products that
use water.
The labelling provides clear information
on a product’s water efficiency and water
consumption in a standardised form, and
helps you to choose products that use less
water but are still functional.
The WELS applies to six product classes:
* clothes washing machines
* dishwashers
* lavatories
* showers
* taps
* urinals.
The WELS is mandated by Consumer
Information Standards (Water Efficiency)
regulations 2010 made under the Fair
Trading Act 1986.
2
An introduction to the New Zealand
Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme
Why is water efficiency important?
It’s important not to waste water,
particularly in parts of the country that
experience periodic water shortages.
Conserving water can reduce your water
rates if you live in an area that uses water
meters, and choosing a product that uses
less heated water will help to reduce your
energy bills. In other words, using water
more efficiently has both economic and
environmental benefits.
There are many factors that influence your
decision when buying a new product such
as cost, colour, brand, style, performance,
reputation, recommendations and past
experience. Saving water and saving on
your water bills can be a deciding factor
in determining the type of product you buy.
If you’re about to buy a water-using product
find out first how WELS water efficiency
ratings can save you money and help the
environment. It’s simple – the more stars
on the WELS label, the more water efficient
the product is.
3
What do the labels look like?
The WELS label displays two key pieces
of information:
* a star rating indicating
relative water efficiency
* a water consumption or
water flow figure.
Star rating
Each product label displays a star
rating out of six. The more stars the
more water efficient.
At the moment, showers will only have
a maximum rating of three stars, while
the other product types can achieve up
to six stars. This is because New Zealand
and Australia do not yet have a laboratory
test to ensure that very low-flow shower
products will deliver acceptable performance.
Water consumption
All WELS labels have a water consumption
or flow figure in:
* litres per minute (for showers and taps)
* litres per wash (for clothes washing
machines and dishwashers)
* litres per flush (for lavatories and urinals).
Labels on lavatories display figures
for litres per half flush, full flush, and
average flush (the average of four half
flushes and one full flush).
www.waterefficiency.govt.nz
For more information refer to:
The more stars the more water efficient
litres per minute
Intended for use in low/unequal pressure systems
[brand]
[model]
[X]
WATERRATING
Water Consumption
When tested in accordance with AS/NZS 6400
An example of a 3-star label for shower
or tap equipment.
4
An introduction to the New Zealand
Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme
Water pressure systems
The water efficiency rating of showers and
taps depends on if they were designed for
use in mains pressure systems or for use
in areas of low or unequal pressure. WELS
labels on showers and taps indicate the
water pressure system they are intended
for use in. Labels on the other product
types will not have this information.
Meeting the Standard
AS/NZS 6400 is the
Australia/New Zealand
Standard for Water efficient
products – Rating and
labelling. It sets out the
tests that must be
performed on products to
determine the information for the WELS
label. The Standard requires performance
tests, so that products tested for water
efficiency will also be tested for functionality.
A product is still allowed to be sold in
New Zealand if it fails any of the tests, but
it must carry a zero star-rated WELS label.
www.waterefficiency.govt.nz
The more stars the more water efficient
NOT WATEREFFICIENT
WATERWARNING
ZER
O STAR RATED
When tested in accordance with AS/NZS 6400
5
Australian WELS labels
Products with Australian WELS labels are
already imported for sale in New Zealand.
The New Zealand WELS regulations allow
this to continue. The Australian label is
similar in appearance to the New Zealand
label. The star rating and water consumption
information on an Australian WELS label is
the same as it would be on a New Zealand
label for any given model – this information
is determined through the same testing
regime outlined in AS/NZS 6400.
The main difference between the Australian
and New Zealand schemes is that in
Australia products must pay a registration
fee and be listed in an online national
database of products and their ratings.
New Zealand consumers can use the
Australian database to compare products
which are sold in both Australia and
New Zealand. See www.environment.gov.
au/wels_public/searchPublic.do
Water-using products which are sold only in
New Zealand will not be on this database.
The WELS labels are also similar in
appearance to the energy-rating labels
on appliances. Dishwashers and clothes
washing machines should carry both labels
because they use both energy and water. www.waterefficiency.govt.nz
For more information refer to:
When tested in accordance with AS/NZS 6400
The more stars the more water efficient
litres per washusing [stated wash] programme
[X]
WATERRATING
Water Consumption
To be printed as specified in AS/NZS 2040.2
6
An introduction to the New Zealand
Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme
An example of a combined energy/water
efficiency label for a clothes washing machine.
The WELS applies only to new products
and not second-hand products.
Products will be labelled when supplied
or offered for supply (either physically
displayed or available to buy online).
This will mainly be in the form of the
standard WELS label (see page 4) but
in some instances you may see a text
alternative to the label for unpackaged
products. More information on labelling
requirements for retailers can be found
on the next page.
Products imported or manufactured before
1 April 2011 are not required to be labelled
until 1 April 2013. All products imported
or manufactured on or after 1 April 2011
will require labels.
Be aware, however, that labels will start to
appear on various products in New Zealand
earlier than this.
How, where and when are the labels displayed?
7
Compliance and enforcement
Manufacturers, importers and retailers
of WELS products in New Zealand will
have responsibilities under the WELS
regulations. The regulations state that a
person must not supply or offer to supply
the regulated products unless they comply
with the regulations.
The Commerce Commission is responsible
for enforcement of Consumer Information
Standard regulations under the Fair Trading
Act 1986, including the WELS regulations.
Offences under the Fair Trading Act may
attract fines of up to $200,000 for a
company and $60,000 for an individual
per offence.
Anyone, including consumers and
competitors, is able to inform the
Commerce Commission if they
suspect breaches.
Additional information for the retailer
Who must display the labels?
The WELS applies to the supply or offers
to supply1 (either physically displayed or
available to buy online) of new clothes
washing machines, dishwashers, lavatories,
showers, taps and urinal equipment. It does
not apply to second-hand goods, or products
that are for export and that will not be sold in
New Zealand. New Zealand importers and
manufacturers are responsible for ensuring
any products they import or manufacture are
tested and meet the labelling requirements.
Retailers also have a role to play in ensuring
products they display and supply comply
with the labelling requirements. Anyone
supplying or offering to supply a product
covered by the WELS must ensure products
clearly display a legible and applicable
WELS label and in such a way that it is
clear which product the label applies to.
When does the WELS take effect?
The new WELS regulations allow for a
transition period before the labelling of
products is compulsory, so not all products
will be labelled right away. All products
manufactured in New Zealand or imported
into New Zealand on or after 1 April 2011
must comply with the WELS regulations,
and from 1 April 2013 all existing stock
must also be labelled.
8
An introduction to the New Zealand
Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme
1 As defined by the Fair Trading Act 1986,
“supply” includes gift, sale, exchange, lease,
hire or hire purchase.
Equipment Unpackaged Packaged Websites
Clothes washing machines
Dishwashers
Unpackaged clothes washing machines and dishwashers must either carry their WELS label on the product itself or on both sides of a swing tag affixed to the product.
If the product is packaged, the WELS label for that product must be displayed on the packaging.
For products offered for sale online, either a reproduction of the product’s WELS label must be displayed or text information may be used which:
* for products with one or more stars includes the phrase “water efficiency” together with the star rating and the phrase “water consumption” together with the water consumption (along with the intended water supply pressure for showers and taps, the rated load capacity for clothes washers, and rated capacity for dishwashers)
* for products with a star rating of zero stars includes the phrases “WATER WARNING” and “NOT WATER EFFICIENT when tested in accordance with AS/NZS 6400”.
The stated wash programme and rated load capacity/rated capacity for clothes washing machines and dishwashers must also be displayed online.
Lavatories
Showers
Taps
Urinals
The WELS label for these products must either:
*be on the product itself, or
*be on both sides of a swing tag affixed to the product, or
*be placed adjacent to the equipment on a display for the equipment, or
*be text information which:
» for products with one or more stars includes the phrase “water efficiency” together with the star rating and the phrase “water consumption” together with the water consumption
» for products with a star rating of zero stars includes the phrases “WATER WARNING” and “NOT WATER EFFICIENT when tested in accordance with AS/NZS 6400”.
Labelling requirements
Water-using equipment must, when supplied or offered for supply, have the following
displayed in a way that is easy to read, clearly visible and attributable to the equipment:
9
The WELS label supplements other
government labels that help consumers
choose products that will genuinely
benefit the environment and can often
result in lower running costs. For more
information on ecolabels refer to
www.sustainability.govt.nz/shopping/
ecolabels
Energy rating labels
provide consumers with
information on how much
electricity an appliance uses
in a year, plus a star rating
to show how energy
efficient it is.
www.energyrating.govt.
nz/standards-and-ratings/energy-rating-
labels
Energy Star is the global
mark of energy efficiency.
It is typically awarded to
the top 25 per cent most
energy efficient appliances,
home electronic products
and office equipment in each category.
Vehicle fuel
economy labels
help consumers
know how much fuel
a vehicle uses and
how much it costs to run. In New Zealand,
the label must be displayed on new and
late model used vehicles available for sale
by registered motor vehicle traders and on
internet listings.
www.energyrating.govt.nz/standards-
and-ratings/vehicle-fuel-economy-labels
Life cycle ecolabels are based on the
most significant measurable life cycle
impacts of a product group. In addition to
energy or water efficiency, these typically
include reduction of toxic materials,
post-consumer waste reduction, and
sustainable resource harvesting and
manufacture.
These are also called Type 1 or ISO 14024
ecolabels. Examples can be found at
www.globalecolabelling.net
10
An introduction to the New Zealand
Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme
Other government ecolabels in New Zealand
Environmental
Choice New Zealand
is New Zealand’s
voluntary Type 1 ecolabel.
Initiated and endorsed
by the New Zealand
Government, Environmental Choice
recognises genuine moves made by
manufacturers to reduce the environmental
impacts of their products and provides
a credible and independent guide for
consumers who want to purchase products
that are better for the environment.
www.enviro-choice.org.nz
More information on ecolabels:
Eco-labels: a short guide for New Zealand producers
www.landcareresearch.co.nz/research/
sustainablesoc/business/trade/documents/
eco_labels.pdf
Ecolabels and Sustainability Claimswww.med.govt.nz/ecolabels
The Fair Trading Act – Guidelines for Green Marketing www.comcom.govt.nz//Publications/
ContentFiles/Documents/The%20Fair%20
Trading%20Act%20-%20Guidelines%20
for%20Green%20Marketing0.pdf
Further information on water efficiencyFor more ideas on easy steps to
take to further reduce your household
water consumption please refer to
www.sustainability.govt.nz/water and
www.waterefficiency.govt.nz
Published in April 2010 by the Ministry for the Environment Manatū Mō Te Taiao PO Box 10362 Wellington Phone 04 439 7400 Fax 04 439 7700
ISBN: 978-0-478-33268-1 (print) 978-0-478-33269-8 (electronic)
Publication No: ME 1005
This publication is also available on the Ministry’s website at www.waterefficiency.govt.nz
11
The more stars the better
www.waterefficiency.govt.nz