WaterSense
Frequently Asked Questions
A/VaterSense® Labeled High-Efficiency
Lavatory (Bathroom Sink) Faucet Specification
How did WaterSense set the
specification for high-efficiency
lavatory (bathroom sink) faucets?
EPA industry and product research, as well as the
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
A112.18.1/Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
B125.1 standard for Plumbing Supply Fittings, form
the basis for the WaterSense lavatory—or bathroom
sink—faucet specification. In developing the specifi-
cation, EPA collaborated with interested parties rep-
resenting industry, water utilities, and water-effi-
ciency advocacy groups. The WaterSense lavatory
faucet specification sets the maximum flow rate of
lavatory faucets and faucet accessories at 1.5 gal-
lons per minute (gpm) tested at a flowing pressure
of 60 pounds per square inch (psi) (common water
pressure in most households). It also includes a min-
imum flow rate of 0.8 gpm tested at a flowing pres-
sure of 20 psi to ensure performance across a vari-
ety of different household conditions.
What types of products can earn
the WaterSense label under the
High-Efficiency Lavatory Faucet
Specification?
Provided the products meet the WaterSense specifi-
cation, lavatory faucets (i.e., bathroom sink faucets)
and lavatory faucet accessories (e.g., aerators, lami-
nar flow devices) can be certified to meet EPA crite-
ria labeled under this specification. This specifica-
tion applies to bathroom sink faucets or faucet
accessories intended for private use, such as in resi-
dences or in private restrooms in hotels and hospi-
tals. Faucets that are not eligible to earn the
WaterSense label under this specification include
metering faucets (those that dispense a pre-deter-
mined volume of water or operate in the "on" posi-
tion for a pre-determined period of time); bathroom
sink faucets intended for public use (those found in
office buildings, restaurants, airports, and stadium
restrooms, etc.); and residential kitchen sink faucets.
What is a lavatory faucet
accessory?
A lavatory faucet accessory is a device that can be
added to or removed from a bathroom sink faucet
(typically, it screws onto the tip of the faucet spout).
Faucet accessories frequently serve as the flow con-
trol mechanism that determines if a faucet meets
the minimum and maximum flow rate requirements
of the WaterSense specification. Faucet accessories
control flow rate either through flow restriction—
narrowing the opening through which the water is
discharged from the faucet—or flow regulation—
adapting the width of the opening through which
the water is discharged from the faucet based upon
fluctuations in water pressure to maintain a con-
stant flow rate. Faucet accessories include:
• Aerators—add air into the water stream to
increase the sensation of flow (this is the most
common type of accessory).
• Laminar flow devices—force the water through
small openings to produce dozens of parallel
water streams, creating a more uniform flow
and potentially reducing splash.
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.
&EFA
-------
• Other types of flow restrictors—control flow
through means other than aerating the water
stream or creating laminar flow.
• Other types of flow regulators—control flow
through means other than aerating the water
stream or creating laminar flow, but also com-
pensate for changes in water pressure.
Consumers can purchase faucet accessories sepa-
rately from bathroom sink faucets, and can easily
replace existing accessories that do not meet the
WaterSense specification. Faucet accessories can be
purchased at retail locations and typically cost only a
few dollars.
Are bathroom sink faucets that
meet the WaterSense specification
more expensive than other bath-
room sink faucets?
Most bathroom sink faucets on the market today
control flow rate with a faucet accessory, thus,
adapting new bathroom sink faucets to meet the
requirements of the specification can be as simple as
switching to a high-efficiency faucet accessory.
Most high-efficiency faucet accessories that restrict
flow are no more expensive that their conventional
counterparts. However, pressure-compensating
faucet accessories that are designed to provide and
maintain a constant flow rate despite fluctuations in
water pressure typically cost a few dollars more.
How much water will 1 save by
replacing my faucets with
WaterSense labeled faucets or
faucet accessories?
WaterSense anticipates that bathroom sink faucets
and faucet accessories with maximum flow rates of
1.5 gpm, as well as certain 1.0 gpm pressure-com-
pensating faucets and faucet accessories, will meet
the requirements of the specification. A high-effi-
ciency bathroom sink faucet flowing at 1.5 gpm can
reduce flow rate by 32 percent over a traditional
faucet with a maximum flow rate of 2.2 gpm. A
faucet flowing at 1.0 gpm can reduce flow rate by 45
percent over a traditional faucet with a maximum
flow rate of 2.2 gpm.
Retrofit studies conducted in Seattle, Washington,
and East Bay Municipal Utility District in California
have shown that a household can save approximate-
ly 570 gallons per year by simply replacing existing
bathroom sink faucet aerators with high-efficiency
1.5 gpm aerators.
How does the specification ensure
1 will be satisfied with my faucet's
performance?
User satisfaction is very subjective. WaterSense
selected this specification's maximum and minimum
flow rates with user satisfaction and water efficiency
as its top two goals. Reducing the maximum flow
rate from the current federal standard of 2.2 gpm to
1.5 gpm ensures both increased water savings and
that the faucet flow rate will continue to meet the
needs of the user. According to faucet manufactur-
ers and industry experts, reducing a faucet's maxi-
mum flow rate from 2.2 gpm to 1.5 gpm is not very
noticeable for most users in most situations. In gen-
eral, the most noticeable difference may be
increased wait times when filling the basin or wait-
ing for hot water. By including a minimum flow rate
of 0.8 gpm (tested at a flowing pressure of 20 psi),
WaterSense ensures that user satisfaction in areas
with low water pressure, such as in homes with pri-
vate wells, will not be significantly impacted.
How does the WaterSense specifi-
cation ensure that my faucet will
perform as it is expected?
To earn the WaterSense label, all faucets and faucet
accessories must comply with all the current indus-
try standards regarding quality of materials and per-
formance. In addition to these industry standards, all
WaterSense labeled products must be independent-
ly certified by a third party licensed product certify-
ing body to confirm that the product meets
WaterSense criteria for efficiency and performance.
------- |