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Water on a North Shore block, a guide by Dotto

Plumbing and drainage on Sydney’s North Shore, New South Wales

The six guides

Guide · Water ratings

Water ratings on taps, showers and toilets

The star rating on the WELS water rating label tells you how water efficient a tap, shower or toilet is: the more stars, the more efficient. State and territory plumbing regulations require at least 3 stars for showers, taps and toilets in new buildings, the minimum the National Construction Code sets.

A schematic of the three parts of a water rating label, stacked top to bottom: the star rating, the rate of water use, and the registration and product details. Star rating1 More stars, more water efficient Rate of water use2 Litres per minute, or litres per flush Registration and product details3 Licence number and registration number
  1. 1Star rating: more stars, more water efficient
  2. 2Rate of water use: litres per minute, or litres per flush
  3. 3Registration and product details, including the licence number and registration number
A schematic of the label’s three parts, drawn for this guide after the WELS regulator’s description. The real label looks different: look for it on the product or its listing.

What the label is

The Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) scheme is run by the Australian Government together with the states and territories. Seven types of product are regulated under it: taps, showers, toilets, urinals, flow controllers, dishwashers and clothes washing machines. Each must be registered and labelled with its water rating, in store and online, either with the label or with text advice.

Taps are covered when they are used over a fixed basin, sink or laundry tub. Taps used only over a bath or spa, and taps built into an appliance, for example a chilled or boiling water dispenser, are excluded, as are second-hand products.

The label has three parts. The star rating sits at the top. The middle shows how much water the product uses, such as litres per minute for a tap or shower, or litres per flush for a toilet. The bottom carries the registration and product details, including the licence number and registration number.

What the stars mean

A product’s rating comes from standardised testing of its water use by an accredited laboratory. Each star band covers a range of flow, reflecting how the product performs across a range of water pressures. A product with an extra water-saving feature can earn a bonus star: a 3 star tap with a sensor that turns it on becomes a 4 star tap.

For taps and showers, each extra star means a lower band of flow. At 3 stars a fitting uses more than 7.5 and up to 9 litres a minute, the minimum the National Construction Code requires. Showers stop at 5 stars, while taps go on to 6 stars, which allows up to 4.5 litres a minute. These are the bands as at October 2026. The full table is on the WELS regulator’s page.

Showers rated 4 or 5 stars must also pass extra performance testing, so that the spray has enough coverage and force.

Toilets are rated on their average flush, worked out from four half flushes and one full flush a day. The regulator gives a typical 6 L / 3 L dual flush toilet as 3 stars, the National Construction Code minimum, and a 4.5 L / 3 L dual flush as 4 stars. Its 5 star example has a hand basin built into the cistern, and its 6 star example is a specialised system, such as a toilet connected to a vacuum system. These ratings are as at October 2026. The full table is on the WELS regulator’s page.

An older toilet, particularly a single flush one, could use 9 litres or more a flush. The WELS regulator says swapping it for a 4 star dual flush model could more than halve the water it uses.

The 9 litre limit

For taps and showers in Australia, the most water a fitting may deliver under plumbing regulations is 9 litres a minute, which is a 3 star rating. Nearly all showerheads are designed with a flow controller, in the showerhead or elsewhere in the line, which keeps the flow rate steady by adjusting to the water pressure. The regulator warns against removing one: it can void the warranty, change how the product performs, and waste water and energy.

If a new tap or shower seems weak, the regulator suggests a licensed plumber check for debris or blockages in the fitting, pipes that were not flushed properly, the pressure reducing valve settings, and whether the product suits your plumbing and water pressure.

Check a product is registered

You can confirm the details on a label by searching the WELS product database by model name or registration number before you buy. A product missing from the database is not registered, supplying one is against the law, and the rating shown on it may be false or misleading. The database is the WELS public product register.

Renting in NSW

A NSW landlord who wants to charge a tenant for water usage must make sure the property meets set water efficiency measures. The requirement for toilets applies from 23 March 2025. In the NSW Government’s words, for a rental property to meet the measures, “it must have:”

  • “for all toilets on the property – dual flush functionality and a minimum 3-star WELS rating”
  • “for cold water, and single mixer taps – a maximum flow rate of 9 litres per minute for internal kitchen sinks and bathroom hand basins. Taps for the bathtub, laundry sink, washing machines, dishwasher and outdoor taps are exempt from the 9 litre per minute flow rate requirement”
  • “for shower heads – a maximum flow rate of 9 litres per minute”
  • “no leaking taps or toilets anywhere on the property at the start of the tenancy and whenever the other water efficiency measures are installed, repaired or upgraded.”

The NSW Government suggests a simple check for taps and shower heads: run the tap fully for one minute into a bucket, and the bucket should hold no more than 9 litres.

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