How many labels do you think we read every week? They’re on the back of the food we eat, on the appliances we buy and on the medicine we take. We get a lot of our information from these labels because they contain advice and guidance from the experts, which is very important.

That’s why Plumb and Parts Center has joined forces with manufacturers and retailers throughout the industry to support the Bathroom Manufacturers Association’s water-efficiency labeling scheme, The Water Label.

This voluntary labelling scheme will help consumers identify the water efficiency of bathroom fittings such as taps, showers, WCs and baths and is similar to the energy-efficiency labels on our electrical appliances.

It’ll make it much easier for people to choose water efficient products when designing their bathrooms and kitchens and should also have happy repercussions for installers, as they can easily and accurately recommend which products are most efficient and best for the job.

In the UK, we’re using water at an unsustainable rate, and water stress is a big problem that will only get worse. Not only that, bills are also on the rise so people should be looking for ways to save their water and stop their hard-earned cash (literally) going down the drain.

Plumb and Parts Center is proud to be part of the Water Label initiative and it’s good to see the industry working together on this. It’s our job to work with installers to raise awareness of water stress and to promote responsible use of this precious resource.

So remember, whether it’s a box of paracetamol, a pizza or an eco-showerhead, always check the label.

Tim Pollard is head of sustainability at Wolseley UK.