Taps and showers sold in Australia carry two sets of numbers: a WELS star rating with a flow in litres per minute, and a WaterMark licence. Most stores print them. Few explain them.
This guide does both: what the schemes are, what each number means for the tap in your bathroom, and how to read the specification table on every Invogue tapware page. It ends with the full list of our products' ratings and licences, exactly as they appear on our product pages.
- WELS stars tell you water efficiency: more stars, less water. For taps, 5 Star means more than 4.5 and up to 6 litres a minute. WELS describes 3 Star (up to 9 L/min) as the minimum the National Construction Code requires.
- L/min is the tested flow rate. Our basin mixers are 5 Star at 6.0 L/min; our Porto kitchen mixer is 4 Star at 6.5 L/min.
- WaterMark is the certification a plumbing product needs before a licensed plumber can install it in Australia. The licence number lets anyone check it on the public register.
- Every Invogue tap, shower and waste lists its WELS rating (where it has one) and its WaterMark licence in its specification table. See them all below.
What WELS is
WELS is the Australian Government's Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards scheme. Taps and showers it regulates must be registered and labelled with their water rating, and that applies online as well as in store: the seller has to show the label, or the same details in text.
A WELS label shows three things:
- The star rating, to compare efficiency at a glance.
- The water use. For taps and showers, that's litres per minute.
- Registration details: the licence number, the registration number and the standard used to test the product.
On our tap and shower pages, these are the first rows of the Details & specifications table.
What the stars mean
Each star band covers a range of flow, because a tap's flow changes with your water pressure. The more stars, the less water it uses. If a new tap feels weaker than the old one, our weak flow and leaking tap guide shows how to measure it with a jug. On low-pressure or gravity-fed hot water, expect less than the rated flow (low-pressure hot water explained).
| Taps | Water use | What WELS says |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Star | more than 1.1, up to 4.5 L/min | Highest efficiency |
| 5 Star | more than 4.5, up to 6 L/min | Very efficient |
| 4 Star | more than 6, up to 7.5 L/min | Efficient |
| 3 Star | more than 7.5, up to 9 L/min | Minimum required by the National Construction Code |
| Showers | Water use | What WELS says |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Star | more than 4.5, up to 6 L/min | Very efficient. The maximum for showers |
| 4 Star | more than 6, up to 7.5 L/min | Efficient |
| 3 Star | more than 7.5, up to 9 L/min | Minimum required by the National Construction Code |
Every rated tap and shower we sell is 3 Star or better.
What L/min means for you
The flow on the label is how much water the tap or shower uses each minute. Lower means less water and less hot water to heat. The right number depends on the job:
- Bathroom basin. WELS suggests 5 or 6 Star, because you only wash hands and faces. Our Vienna Short, Vienna Tall and Milano wall spout and mixer are 5 Star at 6.0 L/min.
- Kitchen and laundry. WELS notes that a 3 or 4 Star tap gives enough flow to fill a pot or sink. Our Porto pull-out is 4 Star at 6.5 L/min, and the Como is 5 Star at 6.0 L/min (compare them in our kitchen mixer guide).
- Shower. Our shower outlets are 3 Star: 8.0 L/min for the Corsica, Bordeaux and Lyon, and 8.5 L/min for the Versailles hand shower.
Why do some mixers have no star rating? A wall mixer such as our Milano Wall Mixer or Cannes diverter has no outlet of its own. Water leaves through the shower or spout it supplies, so the rating belongs to that outlet. WELS also notes that bath spouts don't need a rating, because they need to fill quickly.
What WaterMark is
WaterMark is Australia's certification scheme for plumbing and drainage products, run by the Australian Building Codes Board. The National Construction Code requires any product of a type on the WaterMark Schedule of Products to be certified before it can be installed. Taps, showers and wastes are on that schedule.
A certified product is marked with the WaterMark, its licence number and the product standard it meets. On our pages you'll see it written as, for example, WM-022467 · AS 3718:
| Our licence | Standard | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| WM-022467 | AS 3718 (tap ware) | Basin, kitchen and wall mixers, and the Cannes diverter |
| WM-022555 | AS/NZS 3662 (showers) | Corsica, Bordeaux, Lyon and Versailles |
| WM-040211 | AS 1589 (waste fittings) | Lisbon waste, Firenze trap and Granada floor waste |
You can check any licence on the public WaterMark product database. Search by licence number, brand, model or licensee.
Why your plumber needs it
It's legal to sell plumbing products without WaterMark in Australia. But if the product type is on the schedule and isn't certified, a licensed plumber isn't allowed to install it. If one is installed anyway, the local plumbing authority may not accept the work, and the ABCB warns of replacement costs and possible problems with insurance.
So before you buy online, find the WaterMark licence on the page. If a store doesn't show one, ask. Ours is in the spec table of every tap, shower and waste, and on the spec sheet you can download from the same page.
Our products' ratings and licences
Copied from the specification table on each product page. Every model is the same in all six finishes.
Swipe the table sideways to see every column →
| Product | WELS rating | WELS registration | WaterMark licence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vienna Short Basin Mixer | 5 Star · 6.0 L/min | T29238 | WM-022467 · AS 3718 |
| Vienna Tall Basin Mixer | 5 Star · 6.0 L/min | T29239 | WM-022467 · AS 3718 |
| Milano Wall Spout Plus Wall Mixer | 5 Star · 6.0 L/min | – | WM-022467 · AS 3718 |
| Como Kitchen Mixer | 5 Star · 6.0 L/min | T28127 | WM-022467 · AS 3718 |
| Porto Pull-Out Kitchen Mixer | 4 Star · 6.5 L/min | T42469 | WM-022467 · AS 3718 |
| Milano Wall Mixer | No rating: no outlet of its own | – | WM-022467 · AS 3718 |
| Cannes Shower Mixer and Diverter | No rating: no outlet of its own | – | WM-022467 · AS 3718 |
| Corsica Twin Shower Set | 3 Star · 8.0 L/min | S17320 | WM-022555 · AS/NZS 3662 |
| Bordeaux Wall Shower Arm and Head | 3 Star · 8.0 L/min | S17311 | WM-022555 · AS/NZS 3662 |
| Lyon Ceiling Shower Arm and Head | 3 Star · 8.0 L/min | S17311 | WM-022555 · AS/NZS 3662 |
| Versailles Hand Shower | 3 Star · 8.5 L/min | S17309 | WM-022555 · AS/NZS 3662 |
| Lisbon Pop-Up Basin Waste | Not a WELS product | – | WM-040211 · AS 1589 |
| Firenze Basin Bottle Trap | Not a WELS product | – | WM-040211 · AS 1589 |
| Granada Tile Insert Floor Waste | Not a WELS product | – | WM-040211 · AS 1589 |
| Accessories, shower screen and door hardware | Not a WELS product | – | Not a plumbing product |
How to read our spec tables
Every tapware page opens its Details & specifications section with the same kind of table. Here is the Vienna Tall basin mixer, row by row:
Swipe the table sideways to see every column →
| Row | Vienna Tall | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| WELS rating | 5 Star · 6.0 L/min | Water efficiency. The stars are the band; 6.0 L/min is the tested flow rate. A 5 Star tap uses more than 4.5 and up to 6 litres a minute. |
| WELS registration | T29239 | The product's number on the government WELS register. Search it on waterrating.gov.au. |
| WaterMark licence | WM-022467 · AS 3718 | The certification licence and the standard the tap is certified to. Your plumber needs this to install it. |
| Overall height | 305 mm | From the bench to the top of the tap. Check it against a shelf, sill or mirror above. |
| Spout reach | 180 mm | From the centre of the tap hole to the outlet. The water should land near the basin's waste. |
| Clearance under spout | 200 mm | From the bench to the spout outlet. It must be higher than your basin's rim; we allow at least 50 mm above the rim so hands fit. |
| Tap hole | Ø35–38 mm | The hole the tap needs in the bench or basin. |
| Body | DZR brass | Dezincification-resistant brass: a brass made to resist losing its zinc in water. |
| Cartridge | Citec ceramic | The valve inside the lever that mixes hot and cold. Ceramic discs replace the old rubber washer. |
Other products add the rows that matter for them:
- Wall mixers show valve depth in wall (45–70 mm for the Milano, 55–85 mm for the Cannes). That's how far the finished wall face can sit in front of the valve. Your plumber sets it before the wall is lined.
- Showers show the connection (½″ BSP) and the arm or head size: the Bordeaux arm projects 384 mm and the Lyon drops 200 mm.
- Wastes show the hole and outlet: the Lisbon needs a Ø45 mm basin hole, clamps a basin 25–50 mm thick and has a 32 mm (1¼″ BSP) outlet.
Under the table you'll find the downloadable spec sheet and installation guide for that model. Send both to your plumber before rough-in.
The warranty, in one table
Every Invogue tap and mixer carries the same parts warranty:
| Tap and mixer part | Covered for |
|---|---|
| Tap body | 15 years |
| Cartridges, valves & aerators | 7 years |
| Surface finish | 3 years |
| Washers & O-rings | 2 years |
Our picks
BasinVienna Short Basin Mixer5 Star · 6.0 L/min · T29238Antique Brass $249 · other finishes from $179View details →
Vessel basinVienna Tall Basin Mixer5 Star · 6.0 L/min · T29239Antique Brass $310 · other finishes from $189View details →
KitchenPorto Pull-Out Kitchen Mixer4 Star · 6.5 L/min · T42469Antique Brass $560 · other finishes from $409View details →
ShowerCorsica Dual Shower Head3 Star · 8.0 L/min · S17320Antique Brass $879 · other finishes from $499View details →
Prices at the time of writing. The product page always shows the current price.
Shop by finish
Every tap, shower, waste and accessory in our range comes in the same six finishes.
Choosing a basin mixer? Answer two questions and see which of our taps clear your basin.
With the tap chosen, the next decision at the basin is the mirror above it.
FAQs
What does a 5 Star WELS rating mean for a tap?
It means the tap's tested flow is more than 4.5 and up to 6 litres per minute. More stars means less water.
What is the minimum WELS rating for a new home?
WELS describes 3 Star, up to 9 litres per minute, as the minimum required by the National Construction Code for taps and showers.
Is a higher star rating always better?
Not for every job. WELS suggests 5 or 6 Star for bathroom basins, and notes that a 3 or 4 Star tap gives enough flow to fill a pot or sink in the kitchen or laundry.
What is the WELS rating of the Porto kitchen mixer?
4 Star, 6.5 L/min, WELS registration T42469.
Why don't the Milano Wall Mixer and Cannes diverter have a WELS rating?
They have no outlet of their own. The rating belongs to the shower or spout they supply.
What is a WaterMark licence?
It shows that a plumbing product is certified under Australia's WaterMark scheme, run by the Australian Building Codes Board. The licence number and product standard are marked on the product and can be checked on the WaterMark product database.
Can a plumber install a tap without WaterMark?
Not if the product type is on the WaterMark Schedule of Products. In that case a licensed plumber isn't permitted to install an uncertified product, even though it is legal to sell one.
Are Invogue taps WaterMark certified?
Yes. Our mixers carry WM-022467 (AS 3718), our showers WM-022555 (AS/NZS 3662) and our wastes WM-040211 (AS 1589).
What warranty do Invogue taps have?
Tap body 15 years; cartridges, valves and aerators 7 years; surface finish 3 years; washers and O-rings 2 years. It is a parts warranty: we supply the replacement part at no cost, and installation labour isn't included.
Need help? Ask us with a photo.
Send a photo of your basin, wall or plans and we will tell you what fits or call 1300 221 495.
