Department of the Environment and Heritage annual report 2005–06
Volume two
Department of the Environment and Heritage, 2006
ISSN 1441 9335
Legislation annual reports 2005-06 (continued)
In this section
Operation of the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005
This annual report is prepared in accordance with section 75 of the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005. It covers the operation of the Act from 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2006.
Purpose of the Act
The Commonwealth Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005 was passed in March 2005 and came into effect on 1 July 2005. The Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) scheme is a national regulatory system administered by the Department of the Environment and Heritage on behalf of the Australian Government. The scheme is funded from industry registration fees and contributions from federal, state and territory governments. Industry must register products that come under the scope of the scheme with the WELS regulator (the secretary of the Department of the Environment and Heritage).
From 1 July 2006 products identified under the WELS scheme must be tested for their water efficiency and display a water efficiency rating label for sale in Australia. The products identified under the scheme are:
- showers
- dishwashers
- clothes washing machines
- lavatory equipment
- tap equipment
- urinal equipment
- flow controllers (registration of flow controllers is optional at this stage).
This year, the WELS regulator worked with industry to ensure they were in compliance with the requirements of the WELS scheme in the lead up to the 1 July 2006 mandatory phase-in date. The Minister for the Environment and Heritage sent over 5 000 letters to Australian industry members in early April 2006 advising them of their obligations under the scheme.
Other communication and industry assistance activities included:
- holding 12 seminars in the capital cities in April, May and June 2006 targeting manufacturers and importers, retailers and wholesalers, builders, specifiers, plumbers and key associations. Over 450 industry representatives attended the seminars
- providing one-on-one advisory services in the capital cities to give tailored advice to companies to assist their compliance with the requirements of the WELS scheme. More than 100 companies received individual advice
- distributing resource materials (e.g. fact sheets about the WELS scheme) to key industry associations
- providing a WELS advisory service through the WELS phone and email help lines. This service has involved walking industry members through the registration process, the product, and the WELS standard to ensure they fully understand their obligations under the scheme
- placing advertising in key trade and industry publications including for electronic and general retailers, plumbers, Australian manufacturers, the building industry and importers from the Asian market
- meeting with key industry associations and large retailers
- speaking at key conferences (e.g. the Master Plumbers Conference in October 2005)
- meeting with key industry groups (e.g. the Australian Hydraulics and Specifiers Association).
Registrations
The WELS scheme has been open for product registrations since 1 July 2005. As at 30 June 2006 the WELS regulator had registered 4 000 products under the scheme.
Intergovernmental agreement and declarations
In March 2005, Environment Protection and Heritage Council ministers signed an agreement which outlined the roles and responsibilities of jurisdictions for the implementation of WELS.
The agreement encouraged each state and territory government to submit legislation to its parliament by June 2005 to form part of the scheme, in order to ensure that the scheme applies consistently to all persons, things and activities within Australia.
In 2005–06, Tasmania enacted WELS legislation, adding to the corresponding legislation enacted by New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory in 2004–05. Queensland’s WELS legislation has been proclaimed and will be declared shortly. The Western Australian parliament is currently considering corresponding WELS legislation. The Northern Territory is in the final stages of preparing legislation. South Australia is still to prepare legislation.
Determinations and standards
In 2005–06 the department facilitated a number of amendments to the WELS Standard (AS/NZ 6400: 2005 Water Efficient Products—Rating and Labelling). The amendments were finalised through the Standards Australia committee process in May 2006. These amendments were requested by industry and served to:
- clarify the registration requirements under the scheme
- refine the ratings to rate low flow showers
- revise the approach to labelling toilet pans and urinals
- provide new labelling options for plumbing and sanitary wares and for labelling in showrooms and display homes.
At 30 June 2006, the revised WELS Standard was in preparation.
Compliance activities
The WELS regulator has commenced surveillance activities as part of the implementation of the Act. The regulator has also investigated a number of minor non-compliances with the scheme and has agreed on remedial action with the companies involved.
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