On December 18, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the Draft WaterSense Specification for Flushometer-Valve Water Closets. The draft specification is designed to ensure that flushometer-valve toilets that earn the WaterSense label in the future are water-efficient while still performing well. With this draft specification, EPA is proposing a maximum flush volume of 1.28 gallons per flush (gpf) for both single- and dual-flush flushometer-valve toilets.
In the future, replacing one old, inefficient flushometer-valve toilet with a WaterSense labeled model could save more than 5,400 gallons of water per year. If we replaced all old, inefficient flushometer-valve toilets across the country with WaterSense labeled models, we could save more than 41 billion gallons of water annually—equivalent to the amount of water that flows over Niagara Falls in 24 hours! EPA invites manufacturers, retailers, and distributors that produce or sell flushometer valves and/or water closet fixtures to partner with WaterSense.
Manufacturers that become WaterSense partners commit to labeling products that meet the final specification within one year of its release. Retailers and distributors are eligible for partnership if they sell publicly to customers without requiring installation or consulting services along with the products. WaterSense partners gain access to a free online suite of tools and resources to promote their partnership, WaterSense labeled products, and water efficiency in general. Please visit the WaterSense website to learn how to join. All interested parties are welcome to comment on the proposed requirements in the draft specification until February 20, 2015. Send any comments or suggestions to watersense-products@erg.com.
For more information on submitting comments, including the comment submission template and how to submit confidential business information, visit the WaterSense website.
In addition, on January 15, 2015, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Eastern, EPA will host a stakeholder teleconference and webinar to discuss the draft specification. Call-in information and other meeting details will be emailed upon registering, and registered participants will receive meeting materials via email closer to the meeting date. Please register to attend.
Promoting water-efficient products to consumers and other purchasers will help preserve water supplies for future generations, save on water and energy bills, and protect the environment. We look forward to receiving your input on the Draft WaterSense Specification for Flushometer-Valve Water Closets! If you have questions about the draft specification, stakeholder meeting, or WaterSense in general, please contact the WaterSense Helpline at (866) WTR-SENS (987-7367) or watersense@epa.gov.
