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

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   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.
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