Two marks, two different jobs
WaterMark and WELS show up throughout the Bluegum range — on valves, tempering valves, basin mixers, bubbler taps — and it's easy to assume they're measuring the same kind of thing. They're not. WaterMark is a safety and performance certification confirming a plumbing product has been independently tested against the relevant Australian Standard and is legal to install on regulated plumbing. WELS (Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme) is a star rating (typically 1–6 stars) measuring how much water a fixture uses per operation, with no bearing on whether it's safe or compliant to install.
Why both matter, separately
A product can be WaterMark certified at any WELS star rating — certification doesn't imply efficiency. Conversely, a high WELS star rating says nothing about whether a product is legal to install on regulated plumbing; that's WaterMark's job. Across the Bluegum range you'll see pairings like a WaterMark-approved tempering valve (no WELS rating applies, since it's not a flow fixture) alongside a WELS 5 or 6 Star basin mixer or bubbler tap that's also WaterMark certified — the two marks are doing different, complementary jobs on the same product listing.
What to actually check before buying
For anything touching the potable water supply (valves, mixers, check valves), confirm WaterMark certification first — it's generally the legal baseline for connecting to regulated plumbing. Then, for flow fixtures specifically (taps, mixers, showerheads), check the WELS star rating if water efficiency and running cost matter for the project, as covered in our basin mixer WELS and warranty guide.
Where these marks don't apply
Non-flow fittings like access panels or leaf guards won't carry either mark, since they're not plumbing fixtures subject to those specific certifications — that's expected, not a gap in compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is WaterMark the same thing as a WELS star rating?
No — WaterMark certifies a product is safe and compliant to install on regulated plumbing; WELS separately rates water efficiency on a star scale. A product can carry one, both, or neither depending on what it is.
Do all plumbing products need WaterMark certification?
Products connected to regulated water supply or drainage generally need WaterMark certification to be legally installed in Australia — check the specific requirement for your product category and jurisdiction.
What's the highest WELS star rating available?
WELS ratings commonly run from 1 to 6 stars for tapware and fixtures, with 6 Star representing the most water-efficient rating currently available in the scheme for that product category.
Why don't all Bluegum products show a WELS rating?
WELS only applies to water-using flow fixtures — valves that simply isolate or regulate (rather than deliver a user-controlled flow) and non-flow items like access panels don't fall under the scheme.