Labelling

The Mandatory Water Efficiency Labelling Regulations 2026

A key aim of the Regulations is to reduce public water use in order to adapt to the changing climate, its subsequent impacts on water availability, and to ensure we leave enough water to preserve the environment. Water labelling and wider water demand reduction efforts are being introduced with a view to achieving significant environmental and social 

benefits. Reducing individual water use not only strengthens the resilience of UK’s water supplies, but also preserves more water within the environment, reduces energy consumption, lowers carbon emissions, and contributes to the affordability of both water and energy bills.
Water companies in England and Wales have a statutory duty to prepare Water Resources Management Plans every 5 years to show how they will manage their supply/demand balance over a minimum of 25 years. The latest plans state the UK will need an additional 4880 million litres of water a day (Ml/d) by 2050. Nationally, water companies expect government policies to save over 1000 Ml/d of water by the same year. This reflects the significance and importance of these policies, including the launch of mandatory water labelling which is expected will save 23 billion litres of water over 10 years.
The introduction of a label is forecast to result in a number of positive environmental impacts including a saving per person of 1.5 litres/per person/per day (l/p/d) after 10 years, reaching 13l/p/d at 25 years, reducing the amount of water abstracted and so leaving more to support the natural environment. It will also support savings of 492,924 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions (tCO2e) through reduced use of hot water in homes over ten years.
The measure aims to foster a better understanding of water efficiency and promote water saving measures across the country, a goal which is highly compatible with the EU's Water Resilience Strategy