What do WELS ticks mean?

WELS ticks: what the rating means

PUB's Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (WELS) grades products with a tick rating for water efficiency. Labelling has been mandatory since 2009, following a voluntary scheme that began in 2006, as PUB's WELS page explains. The more ticks a product carries, the more water-efficient it is.

The label is meant to be easy to spot. PUB's rules on the WELS page say products that are advertised, offered for sale or displayed must bear the water efficiency label, shown with prominence. The mandatory label also carries a registration number. So whether you are looking at a tap on a showroom shelf or a washing machine in an advertisement, the label should be there for you to read.

Ticks tell you about water use and nothing else. Compare them alongside the other things that matter to you, such as the size, the finish and how a tap feels to use. If two products of the same type look alike, the tick count is a quick way to see which one uses less water.

Which products carry the label

PUB's WELS page and its requirements list the products the mandatory scheme covers and the ratings each can carry:

• Taps and mixers: 2 or 3 ticks.
• Dual-flush low capacity flushing cisterns: 2 or 3 ticks.
• Water closet flush valves: 2 or 3 ticks.
• Urinal flush valves and waterless urinals: 2 or 3 ticks.
• Clothes washing machines for household use: 2, 3 or 4 ticks.
• Dishwashers for household use: 1 to 4 ticks, under PUB's requirements.

At home, the ones you are most likely to deal with are the taps and mixers in the kitchen and bathroom, the toilet cistern and the washing machine.

If you are planning a tap replacement, ask the company which tick rating the new tap or mixer carries, or check the label yourself if you are buying it. A replacement is also a chance to choose a 3-tick model if its lower flow suits you.

The numbers behind a 3-tick rating

PUB's water efficiency rating and requirements set out the flow rates and flush volumes behind the ratings. Here are the 3-tick figures.

Flow rate is how much water a tap or mixer lets out each minute. So a 3-tick tap at a bathroom basin lets out 2 litres per minute or less, while a sink or bib tap with the same rating can let out up to 4 litres per minute.

Cisterns are rated by flush volume instead. A 3-tick dual-flush cistern uses 3.5 litres or less on a full flush and 2.5 litres or less on a reduced flush, so using the reduced flush when it is enough saves water each time.

Washing machines use a different measure again: water per kg of wash load. PUB's requirements set 4 ticks at 6 litres per kg of wash load or less. Because each type of product has its own measure, compare ticks between products of the same type, not across types.

The 2-tick minimum

PUB's requirements allow only fittings of 2 ticks and above for supply and installation, a rule in place since 2019.

For you as a buyer, this means any new tap, mixer or cistern you buy locally should carry at least 2 ticks. Check the label before you pay. If a plumber is supplying the fitting as part of the job, ask which rating it carries. Choosing 3 ticks over 2 is up to you, since both meet the rule.

The price of a new tap depends on the fitting and the job. The tap replacement cost guide shows what companies publish for this work.

Ticks and your water bill

More ticks means less water per use, so a higher-rated tap, cistern or washing machine uses less water each time you turn it on or flush. How much that changes your bill depends on how much water your household uses, so look at your actual usage rather than expecting a set saving.

If your bill seems higher than it should be, the high water bill guide explains how to check your usage.

Vouchers and where to go next

If you are looking at vouchers, the Climate Friendly Households Programme's eligible products page lists 3-tick water closets, taps and shower fittings among its eligible products. For aircons, see our aircon vouchers post.

If your toilet cistern needs work, the toilet cistern repair cost guide shows published rates for the job. You can also browse plumbing companies in the directory and see the areas they say they cover.

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