Water saving appliances
In your home, the appliances that use most water will usually be the shower, toilet and washing machine.
Water efficient appliances can save you a lot of water and money in the long term. You can also make a big difference to Australia's overall use of purified tap water.
Water saving appliances
By 2021 Australians could save more than $600 million on our water and energy bills just by using more water efficient appliances and products.
More than a third of these savings will come from using more water efficient showerheads, another third from more efficient washing machines and over 20 per cent from water efficient toilets.
You could be making some big savings:
- Save up to two-thirds of the water you would usually use by replacing an old washing machine with a water efficient model.
- Save around three quarters of the water you would usually use in a full flush toilet by installing an efficient dual flush mechanism in your old style single flush toilet. This can save you up to 9 litres every time you use a half flush.
- Save around 18 litres of water a minute in the shower by replacing an old inefficient showerhead with an efficient showerhead.
- Install low flow taps or tap aerators to reduce your tap water use from 18 litres per minute to 2 litres per minute.
See Your home technical manual - Reducing water demand for more information.
WELS ratings
The Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) Scheme helps you to compare the water efficiency of a range of products so you can choose the most efficient model for your needs.
WELS rated products can have up to six stars. The more stars the appliance has, the more water efficient it will be - each extra star could save you between 15 to 30 per cent in running costs.
The WELS labels also show a water consumption or water flow figure to help you understand how much water the appliance will use.
The number of stars can make a big difference even on low cost solutions like showerheads. A 3-star showerhead might not cost any more than a lower star product but you can save around $100 on your energy and water bills each year.
Rebates
You may be eligible for rebates or other assistance to help with the cost of buying water saving appliances. You should also check with your local water authority to see if they offer rebates on water efficient appliances.
More information
See these resources about water-saving appliances:
Rebates & assistance
As a home owner, renter or landlord, you could be eligible for financial assistance and home assessments to help you start saving energy and water sooner.
Find out about government rebates and assistance.
Why do it?
- Reduce your water bills and water use
- Help save this sought after and valuable resource
- Reduce the need for treating and transporting purified tap water
Did you know?
By 2021 Australians could save more than $600 million on our water and energy bills just by using more water efficient appliances and products. The amount of water we can save by then is about 800,000 megalitres which is more than the whole of Sydney Harbour.
What can I do?
Take Action
Page last modified: 25 Feb 2010