EPA
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Water SeTlSe Draft Water-Efficient Single-Family New Home Specification
Draft Water-Efficient Single-Family New Home Specification
1.0 Scope and Objective
This specification establishes the criteria for water-efficient new homes under the United States
EPA WaterSense® Program. It is applicable to newly constructed single-family homes and
townhomes, three stories or less in size. A new home must meet all of the identified criteria to
be labeled as a WaterSense home by a Builder Partner of the WaterSense Program.
The intent of this specification is to reduce indoor and outdoor water usage in new residential
homes and encourage community infrastructure savings. This specification is not intended to
contravene local codes and ordinances. Unless indicated, criteria for individual components do
not constitute criteria for a WaterSense label for that component or product category. Individual
component criteria are valid only in the context of this specification.
2.0 Summary of Criteria
New homes must meet criteria in three areas:
• Indoor water use including plumbing and plumbing fixtures and fittings, appliances, and
other water using equipment;
• Outdoor water use including landscape design and irrigation systems, if installed; and
• Homeowner education.
3.0 Indoor Water Efficiency Criteria
3.1 Service Pressure - The static service pressure shall be 60 pounds per square inch
(psi) (4.2 kilograms per square centimeter (kg/cm2)) or less. Compliance shall be
achieved by use of a pressure-regulating valve (PRV) downstream of the water
meter. All fixture connections shall be downstream of the pressure regulator.
3.2 Toilets - All toilets shall be WaterSense labeled high efficiency toilets.
3.3 Bathroom and Kitchen Faucets
3.3.1 All bathroom (lavatory) faucets shall be WaterSense labeled high
efficiency faucets.
3.3.2 Water efficiency criteria have not been developed for kitchen faucets.
These faucets shall comply with Federal standards for maximum flow rate
of 2.2 gpm @ 60 psi (8.3 Ipm @ 4.2 kg/cm2).
3.4 Showerheads - Water efficiency criteria have not yet been developed for
showerheads. These showerheads shall comply with the 1992 EPAct standard for
maximum flow rate of 2.5 gpm @ 80 psi (9.5 Ipm @ 5.62 kg/cm2). Showers shall be
equipped with an automatic compensating valve that complies with ASSE 1016 or
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ASME A112.18.1/CSA B125.1 and specifically designed to provide thermal shock
and scald protection at the flow rate specified above.
The total allowable flow rate from all showerheads flowing at any given time,
including rain systems waterfalls, bodysprays, and jets, shall be limited to 2.5 gpm
per shower compartment, where the floor area of the shower compartment is less
than 2,500 in2 (1 .61 m2). For each increment of 2,500 in2 (1 .61 m2) of floor area
thereafter or part thereof, additional showerheads with total allowable flow rate from
all flowing devices equal to or less than the allowable flow rate specified above are
allowed.
Exception: Recirculating showers.
These criteria will be revised after the release of the final specification for
WaterSense labeled showerheads. A copy of EPA's notice of intent to develop draft
performance specifications for showerheads and related devices can be found at
http://www.epa.gov/watersense/docs/showerhead noi508.pdf.
3.5 Hot Water Delivery System - All hot water pipes, both above and below ground, shall
be insulated to a minimum of R4. In addition, each home shall be equipped with at
least one of the features described below to minimize water loss in delivering hot
water. Compliance will be measured through performance testing. The features
described below can be combined as appropriate.
3.5.1 Demand-initiated hot water recirculating system - System should optimize
both water and energy efficiency and shall be designed such that less
than 0.13 gallons (0.49 liters) of water are in the piping between the
recirculating loop and any hot water fixture.
3.5.2 Whole house manifold system - System shall be designed such that less
than 0.38 gallons (1 .44 liters) of water are in the piping between the hot
water source and any hot water fixture.
3.5.3 Core plumbing system - System shall minimize pipe volume between the
hot water source and any hot water fixture to 0.38 gallons (1.44 liters) or
less.
3.6 Appliances - If the following types of appliances are offered, financed, installed, or
sold as upgrades through the homebuilder, they shall meet these criteria:
3.6.1 Dishwasher - Dishwashers shall be ENERGY STAR® labeled.
3.6.2 Clothes washer - Clothes washers shall be ENERGY STAR labeled with
a water factor of less than or equal to 6.0 gallons of water per cycle per
cubic foot capacity.
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3.7 Other Equipment - If the following pieces of equipment are offered, financed,
installed, or sold as upgrades through the homebuilder, they shall meet these
standards:
3.7.1 Evaporative air conditioners - Shall use a maximum of 5 gallons (18.93
liters) of water per ton-hour of cooling when adjusted to maximum water
use. Blow-down shall be based on time of operation, not to exceed 3
times in 24 hour period of operating (every 8 hours). Reservoir discharge
outlet should be easily visible so the user can see when refill valve is
leaking.
3.7.2 Water softeners - All devices shall be certified to meet the NSF/ANSI 44
standard. All water softeners shall be demand-initiated regeneration. If
the device uses an ion exchange technology, it shall be capable of using
potassium rather than sodium salt. Devices that use auto-initiated
regeneration (fixed schedule) do not meet this specification.
3.7.3 Drinking water treatment systems - Drinking water treatment systems
must be certified to meet applicable NSF/ANSI certifications. Such
systems shall have an efficiency rate of not less than 85 percent.
4.0 Outdoor Water Efficiency Criteria
4.1 Landscape - The goal of the water-efficient landscape criteria is to reduce or
obviate the need for supplemental irrigation. EPA has developed two options for
designing the landscape of WaterSense labeled new homes, builders shall
choose and implement one of the options. Option 1 provides a turf allowance and
Option 2 allows the builder/landscape professional to design a landscape that is
sustainable with a specified amount of water, i.e., a water budget.
The entire yard shall be landscaped to meet the criteria in either option.
4.1.1 Landscape Design
4.1.1.1 Option 1 -Turf shall not exceed 40% of the landscapable area.
Turf shall not be installed on slopes greater than 4:1.
4.1.1.2 Option 2- Develop the landscape design using a water budget
approach. The evapotranspiration (ET) limit on the
landscapable area shall be no more than 60 percent of the
reference ET (ET0) for cool-season grass. For purposes of
the ET calculation, the available precipitation shall be no
more than 25 percent of the average annual rainfall
amount. Turf shall not be installed on slopes greater than
4:1. Builders keeping a natural landscape that requires no
supplemental irrigation would meet the requirements of this
option.
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4.1.2 Mulching - Non-turf, non-hardscape areas shall include a 2 to 3-inch
layer of mulching material.
4.1.3 Pools/spas - If installed prior to owner occupancy, the water surface area
shall be deducted from the turf allowance under Landscape Design
Option 1 and included as landscapable area under Landscape Design
Option 2.
4.1.4 Ornamental water feature - Builders shall not install or facilitate the
installation of ornamental water features.
4.2 Irrigation System Design - Irrigation systems, if installed, shall meet the following
criteria:
4.2.1 Design and Installation
4.2.1.1 All irrigation systems shall be designed, installed, and audited by a
WaterSense Irrigation Partner. A listing of Irrigation Partners by
State can be found at http://www.epa.gov/watersense/pp/irrprof.htm
4.2.1.2 Irrigation systems shall be designed to sustain the landscape
without creating flow or spray that leaves the property during a
minimum continuous operating duration. This will be measured
during the irrigation audit and the minimum continuous operating
durations shall be 7 minutes for pop-up, fixed-spray sprinklers; 10
minutes for subsurface irrigation; 10 minutes for flood bubblers; 20
minutes for rotor sprinkler heads; and 30 minutes for drip
irrigation.
4.2.1.3 Sprinkler heads shall not be used to water plantings other than
maintained turf grass.
4.2.1.4 Microirrigation shall be used for planting beds and turf installed in
strips of less than 8 feet wide.
4.2.2 Irrigation Controller
Irrigation controllers shall contain the following features:
• Multiple programming capabilities - shall be capable of storing a
minimum of 3 different programs to allow for separate schedules.
• Multiple start times (cycling, cycle/soak, stackable start times) - shall
be capable of a minimum of 3 different start times to allow for multiple
irrigation cycles on the same zone for areas prone to run off.
• Variable run times - shall be capable of varying run times, for
example from 1 minute to 1 hour.
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• Variable scheduling - shall be capable of interval scheduling
(minimum of 14 days) to allow for watering on even day scheduling,
odd day scheduling, calendar day scheduling, and interval scheduling.
• Percent adjust (water budget) feature - shall include a "Percent
Up/Down Adjust" feature (or "Water Budget" feature) such as a button
or dial that permits the user to increase or decrease the run-times or
application rates for each zone by a prescribed percentage, by means
of one adjustment without modifying the settings for that individual
zone.
• Capability to accept external soil moisture and/or rain sensors.
• Non-volatile memory or self-charging battery circuit.
• Complete shut off capability for total cessation of outdoor irrigation.
These criteria will be revised if and when EPA develops a final
specification for weather-based or sensor-based irrigation control
technology. Information on the development of a draft specification for
these technologies can be found at
http://www.epa.gov/watersense/specs/controltech.htm.
4.2.3 Sprinkler Heads - Sprinkler heads shall have a 4 inch or greater pop-up
height and matched precipitation nozzles.
4.2.4 Microirrigation Systems - At a minimum, microirrigation systems shall be
equipped with pressure regulators, filters, and flush end assemblies.
4.2.5 Schedule - Two seasonal water schedules shall be posted at the
controller. One schedule shall be designed to address the initial grow-in
phase of the landscape and the second schedule shall be designed to
address an established landscape.
5.0 Homeowner Education
5.1 Operating Manual - The builder shall develop and provide to the homebuyer a
written operating and maintenance manual for all water-using equipment or controls
installed in the house or yard. If clothes washers or dishwashers are not provided,
information about water-efficient appliances shall be included.
6.0 Definitions
Core plumbing system - Hot water distribution system where water volumes in the pipes are
reduced by a combination of smaller pipe diameters and shorter pipe runs due to a centrally
located water heater.
Demand-initiated recirculatinq hot water delivery system - Recirculating hot water delivery
systems use a pump to rapidly move water from a water heater to the fixtures. In this
system, a recirculating pump rapidly pulls hot water from a water heater while
simultaneously sending cooled-off water from the hot water lines back to the water heater to
be reheated. Demand-initiated hot water recirculation systems can be activated by the push
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Draft Water-Efficient Single-Family New Home Specification
of a button or motion sensor. Hot water recirculation systems generally consist of a pump,
an integrated electronic controller, and a zone valve. When the activation button is pushed,
the pump starts recirculating cooled water that's been sitting in the hot water line and sends
it back to the water heater through a dedicated return line or the cold water line. When the
water reaches a desired temperature a control closes the zone valve and turns off the pump.
It is much like turning on the hot water faucet and letting the water run until it gets hot, but
instead of the water going down the drain it is simply returned back to the water heater.
When the hot water faucet is turned on, hot water is readily available.
ENERGY STAR dishwashers - A listing of these dishwashers can be found at
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=dishwash.pr dishwashers
ENERGY STAR clothes washers - A listing of these clothes washers can be found at
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=clotheswash.pr clothes washers
ET limit (ETJ - ET0 is defined as the reference evapotranspiration rate from an extensive,
uniform surface of dense, actively growing, cool-season grass with an approximate height of
4.7 inches and that is not short of soil water. Calculation of ET values should be performed
using generally accepted equations and methods such as the ASCE Standardized
Reference Evapotranspiration Equation (American Society of Civil Engineers, 2005). The
Irrigation Association lists sources of ET information at
http://www.irriqat.ion.orq/qov/default.aspx?r=1&pq=et connection.htm
Evaporative air conditioners - Also called "swamp coolers" cool the air using water
evaporation. There are two types of evaporative coolers: direct and indirect (all called two-
stage). In a direct evaporative cooler, a blower forces air through a permeable, water-
soaked pad. As the air passes through the pad, it is filtered, cooled, and humidified. An
indirect evaporative cooler has a secondary heat exchanger which prevents humidity from
being added to the airstream which enters the home. Cooling systems are defined by the
temperatures they can "hold" either in the space and/or the process or equipment, and the
amount of heat they can remove at full capacity. This heat removal is normally expressed in
tons of cooling (or refrigeration) capacity. One ton of cooling equals precisely 12,000 Btu
heat removal per hour (abbreviated Btu/h) and comes from the way air handlers were
originally rated - that is, how many pounds of ice would have to be loaded into them to
provide the required space cooling. When melting, ice gives up 144 Btu per pound.
Therefore, one ton of cooling provides the same amount of cooling energy as melting one
ton of ice in 24 hours.
Hardscape - The part of a house's grounds consisting of structures, such as patios, decks,
retaining walls, and walkways, made with hard materials.
Landscapable area - The area of a site less the building area, driveways, paved walkways,
pools and spas, natural water features, and hardscapes such as decks and patios.
Manifold system - Also called parallel pipe or home run systems have a manifold connected
to the water heater from which individual pipes are connected to each water fixture.
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Draft Water-Efficient Single-Family New Home Specification
Microirrigation system - The application of small quantities of water directly on or below the
soil surface, usually as discrete drops, tiny streams, or miniature sprays through emitters
placed along the water delivery pipes (laterals). Microirrigation encompasses a number of
low-flow, low-volume irrigation systems with any type of emission device, including surface
drip irrigation systems, subsurface drip irrigation systems, and pop-up surface microirrigation
systems. These systems shall have flow rates of no more than 25 gallons per hour.
Mulching material - Covering placed around plants to reduce water loss and erosion, and to
help regulate soil temperature. Permeable artificial turf is considered to meet this definition.
Ornamental water feature - Includes fountains, ponds, waterfalls, man-made streams and
other decorative water-related constructions provided solely for aesthetic or beautification
purposes.
Recirculating shower - Showers designed to recirculate the water used in a shower by
pumping water captured in a basin through the shower system. Most of these systems are
designed to be switched on after initial cleaning is performed using a conventional
showerhead and may include a filtering process.
Sprinkler head - A component in an irrigation system where pipes are buried underground.
Sprinkler heads are spaced at desired intervals to deliver the water. Pop-up sprinkler heads
pop-up when the water is on and recess into the ground when the water flow is off.
Static water pressure - The pipeline or municipal water supply pressure when water is not
flowing.
Water budget - A water budget is used to calculate the amount of water a landscape needs
taking into account the inputs and outputs of water to and from the root zone. Inputs, such
as precipitation, are subtracted from outputs, such as evapotranspiration, to calculate the
water needs of the landscape. Many factors are taken into consideration when calculating a
water budget, such as plant type and irrigation system efficiencies. Specific methodology
and worksheets will follow the release of this draft specification. Methodology will be based
on the Irrigation Association's "Landscape Irrigation Scheduling and Water Management."
WaterSense bathroom (lavatory) faucets - These faucets have a flow rate that does not
exceed 1.5 gallons per minute (gpm) (5.7 liters per minute) at a pressure of 60 psi (4.2
kg/cm2) at the inlet, when water is flowing; and is not less than 0.8 gpm (3.0 liters per
minute) at a pressure of 20 psi (1.4 kg/ cm2) at the inlet, when water is flowing. The
specification can be found at http://www.epa.gov/watersense/specs/faucet final.htm.
WaterSense high-efficiency toilets - These toilets have a flush volume that does not exceed
1.28 gallons (4.8 liters), a solid waste removal of 350 grams or greater, and conform to the
adjustability and other supplementary requirements included in the specification. The
specification can be found at http://www.epa.qov/watersense/specs/het.htm and a list of labeled
toilet models can be found at http://www.epa.gov/watersense/pp/find het.htm.
WaterSense irrigation partner - These professionals are certified through WaterSense
labeled programs for their expertise in water-efficient irrigation technology and techniques. A
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listing of Irrigation Partners by State can be found at
http://www.epa.gov/watersense/pp/irrprof.htm
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