WaterSense
Frequently Asked Questions
A/VaterSense® Certification and Labeling of
High-Efficiency Toilets (HETs)
How do 1 get the WaterSense label
for my HET?
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
. Under the partnership
agreement you will have 12 months to obtain certifi-
cation for a product that conforms to the WaterSense
High-Efficiency Toilet Specification.
The second step is to have your product certified for
conformance to the WaterSense High-Efficiency Toilet
Specification by a licensed certifying body either
accredited by the American National Standards
Institute (ANSI) in accordance with the WaterSense
certification scheme (currently under development),
or otherwise approved for that purpose by EPA.
How do 1 submit my product to a
licensed certifying body?
Contact the approved product certification body of
your choice directly and follow their application pro-
cedures.
Which certification bodies are
accredited by ANSI or otherwise
approved by EPA to certify the
product?
A listing of licensed certifying bodies that meet
WaterSense criteria will be posted in early 2007 on
the WaterSense Web site, or can be obtained from
the WaterSense Helpline at (866) WTR-SENS (987-
7367). EPA anticipates that licensed certifying bodies
currently accredited to certify plumbing products will
be on this list.
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 fol-
lowing 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 certifica-
tion 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
licensed certifying 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 require-
ments 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 related
to the conditions for authorizing the use of the
WaterSense label
-------
Who authorizes the use of the
WaterSense label?
How will consumers know my
product has been certified?
ANSI accredited licensed certifying bodies, or Only products certified to WaterSense specifications
those otherwise approved by EPA will authorize the are allowed to bear the WaterSense label. In addi-
use of the WaterSense label in accordance with EPA tion, EPA maintains a list of WaterSense labeled
requirements. The licensed certifying body that products on the WaterSense Web site.
certifies a product will include its name in close
proximity to the WaterSense label.
What about products previously
tested under the predecessor
DINAR1 specification?
Products previously tested under the UNAR specifi-
cation must be certified for conformance to the
WaterSense High-Efficiency Toilet Specification in
order to achieve the WaterSense label.
How much will product
certification cost?
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 HETs, which may include opening a certification
file or adding models to an existing file, will be in
line with the current cost structure for toilet certifi-
cation by an ANSI accredited licensed certifying
body.
How long will certification take?
The exact process and timing will be determined by
the licensed certifying body conducting the certi-
fication. Licensed 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 prod-
uct 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 certifying 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 cur-
rent as possible. Using the WaterSense product noti-
fication form, 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 possi-
ble 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
requirements as appropriate for individual product
categories.
'Uniform North American Requirements (UNAR) for toilet fixtures, a supplementary specification developed in 2005 for water utilities.
Recycled/Recyclable—Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on 100% Process Chlorine Free Recycled Paper.
------- |