EPA
WaterSense
Frequently Asked Questions
WaterSense® Product
Certification and Labeling
How does a product earn the
WaterSense label?
The first step toward obtaining the WaterSense
label is for the product manufacturer to enter into a
WaterSense partnership agreement with EPA. A
copy of the WaterSense partnership agreement is
available on the WaterSense Web site at
. Manufacturers can
sign a WaterSense partnership agreement with EPA
once a draft specification has been released for a
product they produce/carry or manufacture under a
private label. Under the partnership agreement,
manufacturers will have 12 months to obtain certifi-
cation for a product that conforms to the relevant
WaterSense specification.
The second step is to have the product certified for
conformance to the WaterSense specification by a
licensed certifying body either accredited by the
American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in
accordance with the WaterSense certification
system, or otherwise approved for that purpose
by EPA.
Manufacturers apply directly to the licensed
certifying body for certification.
Who will authorize the use of the
WaterSense label?
The licensed certifying body will authorize the
use of the WaterSense label. This will lessen the bur-
den on manufacturers by reducing the layers of
approval and associated wait time for product label-
ing. In addition, the licensed certifying body will
also include its name in close proximity to the
WaterSense label, which will aid in tracking the use
of the label in the marketplace. The licensed
certifying bodies will authorize the use of the
WaterSense label in accordance with requirements
specified by EPA.
What criteria must a licensed
certifying body meet in order
to certify products?
Initially, EPA will approve a licensed certifying
body to certify products and authorize the use of
the WaterSense label, provided it meets each of the
following criteria. Each licensed certifying body:
Shall demonstrate that it is accredited by ANSI
in accordance with ISO/IEC Guide 65, General
requirements for bodies operating product certifi-
cation systems
Shall have plumbing products or other product
categories directly related to WaterSense speci-
fications included in its scope of accreditation
Shall declare that the laboratories used by the
product certification body have the compe-
tence and capability to conduct tests in accor-
dance with relevant WaterSense specifications
Shall declare that it has the technical expertise
required in the evaluation of relevant products
for WaterSense
Shall declare that its ongoing surveillance
requirements for WaterSense labeled products
will be equivalent to current surveillance
requirements for the certification of similar
products
Shall indicate which WaterSense specification(s)
are relevant to its current ANSI accredited scope
Shall sign a licensing agreement with EPA relat-
ed to the conditions for authorizing the use of
the WaterSense label
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Which licensed certifying
bodies are accredited by ANSI
or otherwise approved by EPA to
certify products?
A listing of approved licensed certifying
bodies that meet WaterSense criteria is posted
on the WaterSense Web site, or can be
obtainable from the WaterSense Helpline at (866)
WTR-SENS (987-7367). EPA anticipates that
licensed certifying bodies currently approved to
certify plumbing products will be on this list.
The relevant WaterSense specifications for which the
product certification bodies are approved will also
be identified on this list. Products may be certified
by any licensed certifying body accredited for the
relevant WaterSense specification.
What is generally involved in
product certification?
At a minimum, a sample of the product will be
selected and tested for conformance to the relevant
WaterSense specification. Certification may also
include factory visits, periodic retests, or other
approaches to monitor ongoing conformance. These
details are still being evaluated for specific product
categories.
How will consumers know that a
product has been certified?
Only products certified to WaterSense specifications
are allowed to bear the WaterSense label. In addi-
tion, EPA will maintains a list of WaterSense labeled
products on the WaterSense Web site.
Will this certification process apply
to all products?
EPA will require all WaterSense labeled products to
be certified by a licensed certifying body. EPA may,
however, adjust the specific certification require-
ments as appropriate for individual product cate-
gories.
Are there licensed certifying
bodies that can certify all
products?
There are licensed certifying bodies that are cur-
rently ANSI accredited to certify a majority of the
products for which EPA is interested in developing
specifications. EPA anticipates that more licensed
certifying bodies will obtain accreditation to certi-
fy products as additional WaterSense specifications
are developed.
Why did EPA choose ANSI accred-
ited third-party certification?
EPA wants to ensure the WaterSense program's
integrity and sustainability. EPA also wants to ensure
consumer confidence in the products that bear the
WaterSense label.
Licensed certifying bodies, independent of EPA
and the product manufacturers, will certify product
conformity to the specifications, authorize use of the
WaterSense label, and conduct periodic surveillance
of a product's continued conformance. ANSI accred-
ited certification is the already established frame-
work in the United States to verify that products in
the marketplace meet specifications and standards.
What is the cost of certification to
product manufacturers?
The cost structure for product certification is deter-
mined by the licensed certifying bodies. EPA antic-
ipates that the testing fee and cost for certification
of products, which may include opening a new certi-
fication file or adding models to an existing file, will
be in line with the current cost structure for plumb-
ing product certification by an ANSI accredited licensed
certifying body.
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How will this certification process
impact smaller manufacturers of
products?
EPA is in the process of developing the requirements
for certification, and is considering the impact on
small businesses in doing so. At the same time, EPA is
receiving input from interested stakeholders. While
there will be some cost impact on all manufacturers
to submit a product for certification, the strength of
the WaterSense label should help products stand out
in the marketplace. This should be of particular value
to small business partners.
Will the development of the
certification program delay
specifications?
No, specifications for the initial WaterSense labeled
products and development of the certification
approach are proceeding at the same time.
How long will the process take
from the time 1 submit my product
for certification until the time
when 1 can apply the WaterSense
label to products?
The exact process and timing will be determined by
the product certification body conducting the certifi-
cation. Product certification bodies recognize that
time to market is an important consideration and will
compete for a manufacturer's business in this area.
EPA anticipates that the time to achieve product cer-
tification to WaterSense specifications will be similar
to the time it currently takes to get plumbing prod-
ucts certified to American Society of Mechanical
Engineers (ASME) and other relevant standards.
How will EPA know that a product
has been certified?
Product certification bodies are required to maintain
a listing of all products they certify on their Web sites.
They will periodically submit an updated list to EPA
so the WaterSense Web registry remains as current as
possible. Using the WaterSense product notification
form that is available on the WaterSense Web site,
manufacturers should also notify EPA directly when a
new model is certified. This will ensure that EPA has
the most current list of certified products on the
WaterSense Web site.
How do stakeholders provide input
on the specification development
and certification development
processes?
EPA is interested in input from all stakeholders in the
specification development and certification develop-
ment processes. EPA has established a mailing list to
notify interested persons when various programmat-
ic elements are developed and released for public
input. Please visit to be added to the WaterSense e-mail and
mailing list, and specify your interest in becoming
part of the specification and certification develop-
ment processes in the "Message" field.
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