When a new or replacement water heater is installed in a home any shower outlets connected to the water heater must have a flow rate of nine litres per minute or less.
This can be achieved by installing water efficient shower heads or flow restrictors that have a three star rating under the
water efficiency labelling and standards (WELS) scheme.
Gravity fed water heaters meet the water flow rate requirements and do not require a water efficient shower head or flow restrictor to be installed.
If you already have shower outlets with three star rated shower heads no change is needed.
Most new water heaters are compatible with water efficient shower heads, but if you are unsure check with the manufacturer.
If your
water heater installation is exempt from the water heater requirements these water flow rate requirements do not apply.
Savings made by a water efficient shower head
An average shower head can use up to 20 litres per minute. For a four minute shower, that's 80 litres of water.
By installing a water efficient shower head with a flow rate of nine litres per minute, you can cut down your shower's water usage from 80 litres to 36 litres.