October 15, 2007—The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a product specification to enable consumers to identify high-performance, water-efficient lavatory sink faucets that use about 30 percent less water than conventional models.
In order to earn the WaterSense label, faucets must be independently tested and certified by a licensed certifying body to meet EPA’s water-efficiency and performance criteria. To meet the criteria, faucets and accessories such as aerators cannot flow at a rate of more than 1.5 gallons per minute (gpm), or less than 0.8 gpm. Working with stakeholders, EPA chose a rate that ensures both water savings and that the faucet flow rate will continue to meet the needs of the user.
WaterSense-labeled faucets not only save water, but have the added benefit of saving energy used to treat, pump, and heat water, says EPA. According to EPA, letting a faucet run for 5 minutes uses about as much energy as letting a 60-watt light bulb run for 14 hours.
Consumers can already find the WaterSense label on more than 60 high-efficiency toilets. WaterSense labeled toilets use 20 percent less water than standard models and are independently tested and certified to perform as well as or better than their market counterparts.
For more information and a list of WaterSense labeled plumbing products, visit the EPA Web site.
