Australia WELS Act product regulations FAQs

Australia’s Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005(WELS Act) sets up an urban water-saving regulatory program. WELS concerns several water-related products as well as water-using appliances, fixtures, and fittings (see the full WELS product list) and warrants proper labeling for compliance. 

IMPORTANT: Merchants listing products for sale on the Wish marketplace must comply with all applicable laws and Wish Policies. Items offered and sold to consumers in Australia must comply with federal, state and local laws, and regulations.

Wish holds the right to remove or geo-restrict any product listing found violating the WELS Act. Please examine your water-related products and associated listings to ensure they have the proper labeling. If you feel your products are compliant, please provide the appropriate labeling and documentation. 

The purpose of this FAQ is to assist merchants in complying with the regulations. 

Click on the question to be taken to the answer:

1. How is a Wish merchant impacted if their listing violates the WELS Act?

2. What products violate the WELS Act without proper labeling and display?

3. What are the labeling and display requirements?

4. What are the Registration Checks?

5. What are some examples where a product listing should comply with WELS? 

6. What are some resources for more information?

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1. How is a Wish merchant impacted if their listing violates the WELS Act?

Listings found to be in violation of Wish policies and all applicable laws and regulations are subject to various repercussions and/or removal without prior notice by Wish. If a merchant is found to violate Wish policies and all applicable laws and regulations, the merchant may be subject to other consequences, including (but not limited to) decreased impressions, account suspension, or account termination. 

2. What products violate the WELS Act without proper labeling and display?

Product	Includes	Excludes
Dishwashers	Electric dishwashers intended for household use	Not applicable
Faucets/taps	Tap equipment used over a fixed basin, sink, or laundry tub	Bidet taps Taps that are part of an appliance (e.g., chilled or boiling water dispenser) Thermostatic taps Taps used exclusively over a bath or spa
Flow controllers	Those for use in any tap equipment, shower, dishwasher or clothes washing machine that is a WELS-regulated product Those offered for supply separately from the product (whether or not they are also offered for supply as a component of the product)	Not applicable
Lavatory equipment	All lavatory equipment that uses water (e.g., cisterns, flushing devices, toilets, pans (i.e., the lower part of the toilet that sits on the floor))	Not applicable
Showers	Showers that are fixed and used exclusively for personal bathing	Emergency deluge showers Safety showers
Urinals	Equipment that uses water and associated flushing devices	Not applicable
Washing machines or washer/dryer (W/D) combinations	Electric clothes washing machines intended for household use and combination clothes washing machine dryers that use water to dry a load​ If the listing states or implies that it is intended for outdoor, road trips, or camping purposes only, then as such a “portable” washing machine or W/D is not a WELS-regulated, in-scope product. However, if the listing states or implies it can be used within households (e.g., apartment, home, etc.) then it is a WELS-regulated product and falls under the WELS Act with a need to display WELS information in order to be compliant. For more information, see “Examples of WELS-regulated in-scope products”	Not applicable

3. What are the labeling and display requirements?

Products must be labeled with the correct water efficiency information in accordance with Australian Standard 6400:2016. These requirements apply to products displayed in a store, online, or in a display unit, on product packaging and in brochures, advertising, catalogs, display cards, editorials, electronic displays, magazines, product specifications, and inclusions lists.

Example water rating label:

Details that must be included on the label depend on the type of product. 

A. Taps, showers, lavatory equipment, urinals, and flow controllers:

• Registered model name
• WELS water rating label for the registered product, including star rating and water consumption or flow rates
• License number
• Product-specific information in accordance with the standard

B. Dishwashers and washing machines:

• WELS water rating label for the registered product, including star rating and water consumption 
• Brand ID
• Model ID 
• Tested program setting
• Product-specific information in accordance with the standard

C. On packaging:

• Registered model name
• WELS water rating label for the registered product

D. Products displayed online, in store, catalogs, and other media:

• Registered model name or another model name together with the WELS product registration number
  • Note: The WELS standard was recently amended to require the registration number in all online listings, store displays, and advertising. This change took place in June 2022.
• WELS label for the registered product or text advice (e.g., WELS three-star nine-litres per minute).

Visit the WELS water rating label webpage for a better understanding of the label. 

4. What are the Registration Checks?

The registration status of products should be undertaken from the WELS registration database at Water Rating.

The following information is required to enable complete traceability of registration from a consumer.

• The model name on the packaging matches the registration.
• The subtype of the product in packaging matches the registration (e.g., shower head only, shower head with arm, tap outlet, etc.).
• The WELS organization license number on the packaging’s WELS water rating label matches the registration.
• The water rating and consumption on the packaging’s WELS water rating label matches the registration.
• The product in the packaging matches the image of the product on the registration.
  

5. What are some examples where a product listing should comply with WELS? 

• Examples of reported and potentially prohibited listing images (e.g., no evidence of WELS registration or conformity labeling).

Shower Heads

Faucets

• Examples of WELS-regulated in-scope product listings (requiring WELS registration and evidence of conformity marking/labeling)

Washing Machines 

If the listing states that it is intended for outdoor, road trips, or camping purposes only then such “portable” washing machine or W/D is not a WELS-regulated, in-scope product. However, if the listing states it can be used within households (e.g., apartment, home, etc.) then it is a WELS-regulated product and falls under the WELS Act with a need to display WELS information in order to be compliant.

In this washing machine product description example found on Wish, the product is demonstrated to be used in the home. Because of this description, this product would be a WELS-regulated product and thus falls under the WELS Act with a need to display WELS information in order to be compliant.

The merchant must then post a secondary image of the water rating label that meets the WELS Act washer/dryer standards (as shown in this example displaying a water rating label template, below).

6. What are some resources for more information?

• Wish’s "Prohibited product listings"
• Wish’s regional restrictions policy
• Wish’s "Misleading listings FAQ"
• WELS tracking product registration status
• WELS label and display requirements
• WELS register products
• WELS label and display products
• WELS guidebook

Note: We highly encourage (but do not require) merchants to rely on the WELS Public Registry database for using their images and links to registration numbers taken from the database, in order to better ensure accuracy and validity.