WaterSense
Frequently Asked Questions
A/VaterSense® Certification and Labeling of
High-Efficiency (Bathroom Sink) Lavatory Faucets
How does my high-efficiency
lavatory faucet or faucet accessory
earn the WaterSense label?
If your company is not already a WaterSense manu-
facturer partner, the first step toward obtaining the
WaterSense label is to enter into a partnership
agreement with EPA. A copy of the manufacturer
partnership agreement can be found on the
WaterSense Web site at www.epa.gov/watersense.
Under the partnership agreement, you have 12
months to obtain certification for a product that
conforms to the WaterSense High-Efficiency
Lavatory Faucet Specification. If you are already a
manufacturer partner that has qualified under a dif-
ferent product specification (e.g., WaterSense High-
Efficiency Tank-Type Toilets), you do not need to
sign another partnership agreement.
The second step is to have your product certified for
conformance to the WaterSense High-Efficiency
Lavatory Faucet Specification by a licensed product
certifying body that has been approved for that
purpose by EPA. A list of product certifying bodies
approved to certify high-efficiency lavatory faucets
and accessories to EPA's specification can be found
on the WaterSense Web site at www.epa.gov/
watersense/basic/cert_bodies.htm.
How do 1 submit my product to a
licensed product certifying body?
Contact the licensed product certifying body of
your choice directly and follow its application pro-
cedures. Upon product certification, please notify
EPA directly by submitting a WaterSense product
notification form, which is available on the
WaterSense Web site, [add link to form]
Can 1 use a WaterSense labeled
high-efficiency lavatory faucet
accessory to meet the flow
rate criteria contained in the
specification? Does my faucet
still need to be tested?
A lavatory faucet is considered to meet the flow rate
requirement contained in the specification if it is
equipped with a lavatory faucet accessory that
meets the flow rate requirement. In this case, it is
up to the discretion of the licensed product certify-
ing body to determine whether the entire faucet
needs to be tested. EPA anticipates that in most
cases, further testing may not be necessary. The
licensed product certifying body may still conduct a
review and may require you to produce specifica-
tion evidence that you are using a high-efficiency
lavatory faucet accessory that meets the specifica-
tion criteria. All high-efficiency lavatory faucets,
regardless of whether the entire faucet is tested or
just the faucet accessory, must be evaluated, certi-
fied, and listed by a licensed product certifying
body in order to be WaterSense labeled and listed
on EPA's WaterSense Web registry.
September 2007
(866) WTR-SENS (987-7367) • www.epa.gov/watersense • watersense@epa.gov
Recycled/Recyclable—Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on 100% Process Chlorine Free Recycled Paper.
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What criteria must a licensed
product certifying body meet in
order to certify products?
Initially, EPA will approve a product certifying body
to certify products and authorize the use of the
WaterSense label, provided it meets each of the fol-
lowing criteria:
• Shall demonstrate that it is accredited by ANSI in
accordance with ISO/IEC Guide 65, General
requirements for bodies operating product certi-
fication systems;
• Shall have plumbing products or other product
categories directly related to WaterSense specifi-
cations included in its scope of accreditation;
• Shall declare that the laboratories used by the
product certification body have the competence
and capability to conduct tests in accordance
with relevant WaterSense specifications;
• Shall declare that it has the technical expertise
required in the evaluation of relevant
WaterSense products;
• Shall declare that its ongoing surveillance
requirements for WaterSense labeled products
will be equivalent to current surveillance
requirements for the certification of similar prod-
ucts;
• Shall indicate which WaterSense specification(s)
are relevant to its current ANSI accredited scope;
and
• Shall sign a licensing agreement with EPA relat-
ed to the conditions for authorizing the use of
the WaterSense label.
Who authorizes the use of the
WaterSense label?
Product certifying bodies licensed by EPA to certify
high-efficiency lavatory faucets to the WaterSense
specification will authorize the use of the
WaterSense label in accordance with EPA require-
ments. This means that the licensed product certify-
ing body will provide you with the WaterSense label
graphic artwork and usage guidelines. Use of the
WaterSense label must be in accordance with the
WaterSense label guidelines and should never occur
before product certification is complete.
How much will product
certification cost?
The cost structure for product certification is deter-
mined by the licensed product certifying bodies. EPA
anticipates that the testing fee and cost for certifica-
tion of high-efficiency lavatory faucets, which may
include opening a certification file or adding models
to an existing file, will be in line with the current cost
structure for faucet certification by an accredited
product certifying body.
How long will certification take?
The exact process and timing will be determined by
the licensed product certifying body conducting the
certification. Product certifying 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 certification to WaterSense specifications
will be similar to the time it takes to get plumbing
products certified to American Society of Mechanical
Engineers (ASME) or other relevant standards.
How will EPA know my product
has been certified?
Licensed product certifying bodies are required to
maintain a listing of all products they certify on their
respective organization Web sites. They will periodi-
cally submit an updated list to EPA so the
WaterSense Web registry remains as current as possi-
ble. However, manufacturers should also use the
WaterSense product notification form available on
the WaterSense Web site to notify EPA when each
model is certified to the WaterSense specification.
This process will ensure that EPA has the most cur-
rent list of certified products possible on the
WaterSense Web site.
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How will consumers know my
product has been certified?
Only products certified to WaterSense specifications
are allowed to bear the WaterSense label, and EPA
provides a labeling tool kit for manufacturers to use
in marketing their labeled products. In addition, EPA
will maintain a master list of certified WaterSense
products on the WaterSense Web site. Promptly
sending your product notification form to EPA
speeds this process.
How does EPA maintain the
integrity of the label?
EPA maintains the integrity of the WaterSense label
through several mechanisms:
• Through the independent third-party certifica-
tion process, the licensed product certifying
bodies provide surveillance for the proper use of
the WaterSense label for the products that they
certify—typically through periodic store audits
or warehouse inspections.
• WaterSense encourages its partners to be vigi-
lant and report any suspected label misuse
issues to EPA. If you see a product you believe to
be improperly labeled, please contact the
WaterSense helpline at (866) WTR-SENS (987-
7367), or e-mail watersense@epa.gov.
• WaterSense encourages partners to submit pre-
press and Web materials. EPA provides prompt
review and ensures that the use of the label is
consistent with WaterSense guidelines.
• WaterSense conducts periodic reviews of part-
ner Web sites to ensure that the label is used
properly.
• WaterSense conducts periodic Google image
searches to detect misuse of the label by non-
partners.
When label misuse occurs by a WaterSense partner,
EPA contacts the relevant licensed product certifying
body who handles necessary corrective actions. If a
non-partner misuses the label, EPA engages in cor-
rective action directly with the infringing party. In all
instances, EPA strives to resolve matters quickly and
fairly in order to preserve public confidence in the
WaterSense program.
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