Water efficiency labelling to be introduced


Homeowners buying new bathroom fixtures should have a little extra help in making their minds up from June this year.

A new water efficiency labelling scheme is being introduced by the Bathroom Manufacturers’ Association (BMA) for domestic and commercial bathroom products.

It will help consumers judge which products are most environmentally friendly – and likely to keep their water bills down.

Membership will be voluntary and manufacturers selling water-efficient WCs, cisterns, taps, showers and baths will be encouraged to take part – as long as their products meet stringent water use standards.

The scheme is designed to help meet a government goal to reduce water consumption and follows a water efficiency consultation released by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in December last year.

It also aims to raise awareness of water-efficient bathroom products and promote the importance of reducing water consumption.

It comes in the wake of several similar schemes including energy efficiency labelling on fridges and freezers.

The BMA is now calling on the government to make sure water efficiency is at the centre of public awareness and says it would like to see incentives for people to buy water-efficient products, including grants and a zero rate of VAT.

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