epa	Draft WaterSense® High-Efficiency Flushing Urinal
Water Sense	Specification Supporting Statement
Draft WaterSense High-Efficiency Flushing Urinal Specification
Supporting Statement
I.	Introduction
The WaterSense program has developed a draft specification for high-efficiency flushing urinals
to promote and enhance the market for water-efficient flushing urinals. The intent of this
specification is to assist consumers in identifying and differentiating those products that have
met EPA's criteria for water efficiency and performance.
This draft specification addresses flushing urinals—urinals that use water to convey waste
through a trap seal into a gravity drainage system—and their pressurized flushing devices
(flushometer valves). Non-water urinals, composting urinals, and retrofit devices or other
aftermarket retrofit systems are not covered by this specification.
II.	Current Status of Urinals
There are an estimated 12 million urinals currently in use in the United States, and an additional
300,000 new urinals are sold for installation in new buildings or replacement of aging fixtures
each year.1 Of the 12 million existing urinals, up to 80 percent (9.6 million) are inefficient units
with flush volumes exceeding the current maximum flush volume allowed by federal
standards—some by as much as 4 gallons per flush. The Energy Policy Act of 1992 established
the maximum flush volume for all urinals manufactured in the United States after January 1,
1994, at 1.0 gallons per flush (gpf) (3.9 liters per flush [Lpf]). These requirements are codified in
the Code of Federal Regulations at 10 CFR Part 430 (specifically §430.32(r) Urinals).
Since the federal standards were enacted, manufacturers have developed urinals that use
significantly less water than the standard 1.0 gpf fixtures. These high-efficiency fixtures can
save at least 0.5 gallons of water per flush compared to standard 1.0 gpf fixtures, resulting in a
savings of more than 2,3002 gallons per urinal per year. Replacing older, inefficient urinals with
these new high-efficiency fixtures can save even more water.
WaterSense product research has shown that there are at least eight manufacturers offering
more than 30 models of high-efficiency flushing urinals that are expected to meet the
requirements of this draft specification and would be qualified to apply for and use the
WaterSense label.
1	Plumbing Fixtures Market Overview: Water Savings Potential for Residential and Commercial Toilet and
Urinals. D&R International. September 30, 2005.
2	According to data from the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics and Amy Vickers, Handbook of Water
Use and Conservation, Water Plow Press, 2001, it is estimated that the average urinal is flushed 18 times
per day. Savings are based on the assumption that urinals are typically used 260 days per year.
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EPA
Draft WaterSense® High-Efficiency Flushing Urinal
Specification Supporting Statement
WaterSense
mi
WaterSense High-Efficiency Flushing Urinal Specification
Scope
The WaterSense program developed this draft specification to address criteria for improvement
and recognition of water-efficient and high-performance flushing urinals. It only applies to urinals
that use water to convey liquid waste through a trap seal into a gravity drainage system. This
includes both the vitreous china or plastic urinal fixture and the pressurized flushing device (i.e.,
flushometer valve).
Non-water urinals, composting urinals, and retrofit devices or other aftermarket retrofit systems
are excluded from the scope of this draft specification. Non-water urinals3, though often very
similar in appearance to flushing urinals, are different in design, components, how they function
(i.e., remove waste), and the standards to which they are subject. In the United States, two
consensus-based American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards specify the
performance requirements for non-water urinals—American Society of Mechanical Engineers
(ASME) A112.19.19-Vitreous China Nonwater Urinals and International Association of
Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) Z^4.§-American National Standard for Plastic
Urinal Fixtures. These two standards are designed to ensure a high level of performance for
non-water urinals. At this time WaterSense has no basis to propose improvements to these
existing standards, thus WaterSense has no means to help purchasers distinguish among these
products based on either their efficiency or performance. It should be noted that non-water
urinals, by design, are inherently water-efficient.
Composting urinals are part of a self-contained engineered system with different design and
performance requirements, and as such would require unique specification criteria.
Retrofit devices are not addressed because the intent of the specification is to recognize and
label complete, fully functioning fixtures or fittings, and not individual components.
Water-Efficiency Criteria
The water-efficiency component of the draft specification establishes a maximum average flush
volume of 0.5 gpf (1.9 Lpf) when tested in accordance with ASME A112.19.2 or IAPMO Z124.9,
as applicable. This value represents a 50 percent reduction from the current 1.0 gpf standard
and is consistent with WaterSense's stated goal of increasing product water efficiency by at
least 20 percent.
WaterSense selected the 0.5 gpf average maximum flush volume as its criteria for water
efficiency because this value is consistent with the currently accepted industry definition for
high-efficiency urinals and therefore is widely accepted by water-efficiency stakeholders and
manufacturers. Also, manufacturers have been selling urinals that meet or exceed this standard
for several years.
3 Defined by the applicable ANSI standards as "a plumbing fixture that is designed to receive and convey
only liquid waste through a trap seal into the gravity drainage system without the use of water for such
function."
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epa	Draft WaterSense® High-Efficiency Flushing Urinal
Water Sense	Specification Supporting Statement
Performance Criteria
Currently, all flushing urinals are subject to national performance standards approved by ANSI.
Vitreous china flushing urinal fixtures are subject to the performance requirements of ASME
A112.19.2, while plastic urinal fixtures must comply with IAPMO Z124.9. Pressurized flushing
devices (e.g., flushometer valves) used on the urinals are subject to American Society of
Sanitary Engineering (ASSE) #1037—Pressurized Flushing Devices (Fiushometers) for
Plumbing Fixtures.
In developing this draft specification, WaterSense built upon the existing national standards for
the urinal fixtures and pressurized flushing devices. For the urinal fixtures, high-efficiency
fixtures must comply with all applicable sections of ASME A112.19.2 or IAPMO Z124.9. The
only significant additional requirement for fixtures is the reduced maximum flush volume from
the current federal standard of 1.0 gpf to the WaterSense specified 0.5 gpf.
Under this draft specification, pressurized flushing devices, in addition to complying with ASSE
#1037, also must meet three new requirements. First, the pressurized flushing device needs to
have a non-hold-open actuator to eliminate the ability to increase the device's flush volume by
holding the actuator open. Second, the pressurized flushing device must be non-adjustable,
meaning it cannot have a means for adjusting the flush volume to allow for it to exceed the 0.5
gpf maximum. Third, the pressurized flushing device cannot have interchangeable parts (e.g.,
interchangeable diaphragms or pistons) that can be replaced with commonly available parts that
would allow the device to flush at a higher volume.
Many pressurized flushing devices on the market today already incorporate these features.
Therefore, these additional requirements should not create technical difficulties in complying
with the draft specification and will be valuable additions for preserving the long-term efficiency
and performance of these WaterSense labeled products.
Potential Water Savings
Half gallon or less high-efficiency flushing urinals have the potential to save significant amounts
of water both individually and at the national level. Assuming that the average urinal is flushed
approximately 18 times per day and is in use 260 days per year, replacing a single inefficient
1.5 gpf urinal with a WaterSense labeled 0.5 gpf model could save more than 4,600 gallons of
water per year (see Equation 1).
Equation 1. Annual Individual Water Savings From Replacing 1.5 gpf Urinals
(18 flushes/day) x (1.0 gallons saved/flush) x (260 days/year) = 4,680 gallons/year
Nationwide, if all 9.6 million older, inefficient urinals were replaced with WaterSense labeled
models, more than 44 billion gallons could be saved per year (see Equation 2). It is important to
note that many of the existing inefficient urinals have flush volumes significantly higher than 1.5
gpf. Since the exact breakdown of all existing urinals is unknown, WaterSense is assuming a
1.5 gpf flush volume as a conservative estimate. Because of this, the actual water savings
potential could be much higher.
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Water Sense	Specification Supporting Statement
Equation 2. Annual National Water Savings From Replacing 1.5 gpf Urinals
(9.6 million inefficient urinals) x (4,680 gallons/year/urinal) = 44.9 billion gallons/year
Cost Effectiveness
Urinals are relatively expensive when compared to other restroom plumbing fixtures, with the
fixture cost averaging about $350 and flushometer valve cost averaging about $200 (based
upon WaterSense product research). Fortunately, there seems to be very little price difference
between high-efficiency fixtures and flushometers and their standard counterparts. In fact, some
of the fixtures are sold as 0.5/1.0 gpf fixtures, capable of being used at either flush volume.
Similarly, some models of the flushometer valves are available in 0.5 gpf or 1.0 gpf versions at
the same price. Because there is no cost difference between the standard and high-efficiency
models, installing high-efficiency urinals in new construction or as part of the natural
replacement process is cost-effective with immediate payback and realized water cost savings.
Replacing an older, inefficient urinal with a flush volume of 1.5 gpf with a high-efficiency 0.5 gpf
urinal will save more than $850 over the useful life of the urinal (see Equation 3)—$300 more
than the initial cost of the fixture and flushometer valve. (Assuming the useful life for fixtures and
flushometer valves is 30 years and the total of water and wastewater cost is $6.06/1,000
gallons.)
Equation 3. Estimated Lifetime Water Cost Savings From Replacing a 1.5 gpf Urinal
(4,680 gallons/year) x $6.06/1,000 gallons) x (30 years useful life) =$850.82
Without rebates or some other economic incentive, replacing properly functioning 1.0 gpf urinals
with high-efficiency 0.5 gpf fixtures might not make sense from a purely economic standpoint. It
can, however, when done community wide, significantly contribute to reducing water demand
and delaying the need to develop new water supply and treatment capacity and infrastructure.
IV. Certification and Labeling
WaterSense has established a product certification process, described in Appendix A of the
WaterSense Program Guidelines located at:
www.epa.gov/watersense/docs/proqram quidelines508.pdf. Under this process, products are
certified to conform to applicable WaterSense specifications by accredited third-party licensed
certifying bodies. Manufacturers are then authorized to use the WaterSense label in conjunction
with certified products.
Wth flushing urinals, it is not uncommon for a company to manufacture only the vitreous china
or plastic urinal fixture and to require the use of another company's pressurized flushing device.
The urinal fixtures' specification sheets for these products often indicate which make and model
valves are best suited for use with the urinal. Correspondingly, there are some manufacturers
that only make flushometer valves that can be used with other manufacturers' urinal fixtures.
WaterSense is proposing to allow each urinal fixture and flushometer valve to be certified and
labeled as either a complete system or independently as a urinal fixture or pressurized flushing
device. For products certified and labeled separately, WaterSense will require manufacturers to
clearly indicate on product documentation that the fixture or pressurized flushing device must be
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WaterSense
Draft WaterSense® High-Efficiency Flushing Urinal
Specification Supporting Statement
used with a WaterSense labeled counterpart with the same rated flush volume to ensure that
the entire system meets the requirements of this specification for water efficiency and
performance. This approach is the common industry practice and ensures that WaterSense is
not significantly increasing the burden associated with the certification of high-efficiency flushing
urinals. It also enables purchasers to easily identify and match labeled components with the
same flush volumes.
One possible drawback of this approach, however, is the potential for variability in performance
with certain valve and fixture combinations, as not all possible combinations may be tested.
WaterSense is seeking input from stakeholders on whether this is a significant issue of concern,
and if so, suggestions for improving the certification and labeling process.
V.	Other Issues
WaterSense noted previously some concerns regarding the build up of urine solids in the drain
line leading to restricted flow or clogging, raised primarily in the context of non-water urinals.
WaterSense sought data and information regarding this issue, but the information received and
reviewed was, in total, insufficient to draw any firm conclusions about the build up and
subsequent blockage of drain lines resulting from the use of high-efficiency urinals.
VI.	Request for Comments and Data
At this time WaterSense is interested in receiving comments on any and all aspects of the
proposed draft specification. Comments should be submitted to WaterSense in writing at
watersense-urinals@erq.com.
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