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Press Release 5 May 2008

No drought of Laundry Water Savings

As New Zealand emerges from one of the most severe droughts on record, environmentally conscious Kiwis want to know how they can cut their water use to prevent continuing hardship in a warming world.

With laundries accounting for up to 20% of household water use, one of the easiest ways to conserve this increasingly precious resource is to use more water-efficient washers.

Leading household appliance innovator Electrolux has come to the rescue with its revolutionary Water-Aid Top Load Washer, which saves water without compromising your wash.

The new Electrolux Water Aid Top Load Washer, with a 4-star WELS(1) water rating, has a patented wash system that could save a household 21,000 litres of water a year compared with older machines (2).

If just ten percent of New Zealand households upgraded to a 4-star water-rated washer, the country could save up to 3 billion litres of water a year - the equivalent of more than 1200 Olympic-sized swimming pools. (For regional breakdowns, see table below.)

Electrolux has found a way for its top-load washers - which New Zealanders prefer over front-load washers - to be as water-efficient as most front-load machines. It simply minimises the amount of water sitting in the outer wash drum.

"The Electrolux Water Aid uses a unique system that minimises the amount of water sitting in the outer bowl by pumping it to the top of the washer and showering it over the wash," says Marketing Manager Rosalie Davison.

"With sustainability in mind, the Electrolux Water Aid has been designed to deliver water efficiency across all load sizes, large or small," she says. "A lot of washing machines on the market claim to be water efficient, but quickly loose efficiency if they are not fully loaded."

The Water Aid is a smart choice for any household that wants to conserve water without compromising on wash or ease of access. And consumers who prefer a warm or hot wash will also save on their power bills, and help the environment, by using less hot water.

WATER SAVINGS BY REGION

Regional council	Number of Private Dwellings(3)	Saving from 10% upgrading to a 4-star washer (litres)	# of Olympic swimming pools(4)
Northland	55,524	116,600,400	47
Auckland	437,985	919,768,500	368
Waikato	140,268	294,562,800	118
Bay of Plenty	96,165	201,946,500	81
Gisborne	15,663	32,892,300	13
Hawke's Bay	55,221	115,964,100	46
Taranaki	40,278	84,583,800	34
Manawatu-Wanganui	84,768	178,012,800	71
Wellington	168,846	354,576,600	142
West Coast	12,771	26,819,100	11
Canterbury	201,657	423,479,700	169
Otago	75,231	157,985,100	63
Southland	35,799	75,177,900	30
Tasman	17,268	36,262,800	15
Nelson	17,190	36,099,000	14
Marlborough	16,842	35,368,200	14
Total	1,471,746	3,090,099,600	1,236

Laundry Water Consumption Facts:
* Every summer, hose-pipe bans mean tens of thousands of New Zealand's households must curb their water use.
* The average household is estimated to use 20% of its water on laundry.
* The Water Efficiency Labelling & Standards (WELS) uses a star rating system on a blue label, similar to Energy Rating labels.
reference www.consumeraffairs.govt.nz
* Water efficiency labelling on new washing machines and dishwashers is mandatory in Australia and is proposed for introduction to New Zealand in 2009.
ref: www.consumeraffairs.govt.nz/policylawresearch/water-eff-label/
* Most Australian states offer a $150+ cash-back to encourage households to buy 4-star water-rated washing machines.
ref: www.sydneywater.com.au/SavingWater/InYourHome/WashingMachineRebate/
* Sydney's water use is still around 1974 levels, even though the population has doubled. Increased use of 4-star water-rated washers is one of the major contributing factors to this saving.
ref: www.sydneywater.com.au/savingwater/
* The most inefficient top-load washers on the New Zealand market use more than 25 litres of water per kilogram of clothes washed compared with 10.1 litres for the Electrolux Water Aid washers.
ref: www.waterrating.com.au

Key benefits of the Electrolux Water Aid include:

Water savings without compromising the wash -The Water Aid wash system minimises water in the outer wash bowl. Your clothes are still immersed in the same amount of water and receive a thorough clean.

Water Efficient across all load sizes - Available in both 8kg and 9.5kg load capacities, the Electrolux Water Aid is large enough for any family, while still being able to wash smaller loads in a water-efficient manner.

Fabric protection - Using a two-compartment detergent drawer, the Electrolux Water Aid distributes detergent and fabric softener at optimal times during the cycle, protecting clothes from detergent spotting. A filter minimises lint deposits on clothes or clogging waterways and an in-built electronic guide keeps stain removal advice to hand.

Ready when you are - The Electrolux Water Aid has delay start and wash time options, so you can ensure clothes are freshly washed and ready when you need them.

Easy to use - With two LCD displays and intuitive functions and programs, the Water Aid model EWT959SA is easy to operate and puts fabric care under your control.

Added extras - Unlike some front loaders, there is no lid-lock on the Electrolux Water Aid washer until the spin cycle, so you can add items after the cycle has started. Sensors will automatically detect if the extra items require more water.

The Water Aid is a smart choice for any household wanting to conserve water.

FEATURES EWT959SA EWT819SA
RRP $1,319 $1,159
Load Capacity 9.5kg 8kg
Water use per kg of clothes (litres) 10.3 10.3
Water Efficiency rating2 4 stars 4 stars
Energy Efficiency rating 3 stars 3 stars

For further details and stockists visit the Electrolux website at www.electrolux.co.nz.

ENDS

Released on behalf of Electrolux Home Products by Goode PR, Auckland. For more information, images or to arrange an interview, please contact: Petra Mihaljevich of Goode PR, Auckland on +64 9 480 9948 or email Released on behalf of Electrolux Home Products by Goode PR, Auckland. For more information, images or to arrange an interview, please contact: Petra Mihaljevich of Goode PR, Auckland on +64 9 480 9948 or email petra@goodpr.co.nz

Electrolux Home Products
* Electrolux Is a global leader in home appliances and appliances for professional use, selling more than 40 million products to customers in 150 countries every year. The company focuses on innovations that are thoughtfully designed, based on extensive consumer insight, to meet the real needs of consumers and professionals.
* Electrolux products include refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, vacuum cleaners and cookers sold under esteemed brands such as Electrolux, AEG-Electrolux, Simpson and Westinghouse. In 2007, Electrolux had sales of SEK 105 billion and 57,000 employees. For more information, visit http://www.electrolux.com/press

Footnotes

1. Water Efficiency Labelling & Standards (WELS) www.waterrating.gov.au
2. www.sydneywater.com.au/SavingWater/InYourHome/WashingMachineRebate/
3. 2006 NZ Census Data revised 27/7/07
4. Olympic-sized swimming pool is approximately 2.5 million litres

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