Water-Saving
Showerheads
Water Sense
Showering is one of the leading water uses in
the home, accounting for nearly 17 percent of
residential indoor water consumption, or
about 30 gallons per day. That's nearly 1.2 trillion
gallons of water used in the United States annually,
enough to supply the states of New York and New
Jersey for a year.
WaterSense®, a partnership program sponsored by
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), will
soon be able to help consumers identify high-per-
formance, water-efficient showerheads that reduce
water and energy in the home and help preserve
the nation's water resources.
A Shower of Savings
The average household could save more than 2,300
gallons per year by installing high-efficiency show-
erheads. Since these water savings will reduce
demands on water heaters, households will also
save energy. In fact, a household could save 300
kilowatt hours annually, enough electricity to power
its television use for about a year.
if every household in the United States installed
these showerheads, we could save more than
$1.5 billion in water utility bills and more than
250 billion gallons annually—enough to supply
more than 2.5 million U.S. homes for a year. In addi-
tion, we could avoid about $2.5 billion in energy
costs for heating water.
The WaterSense Label
All products bearing the WaterSense label must be
independently tested and certified to ensure they
meet EPA efficiency and performance criteria.
Showerheads that earn the
WaterSense label will
demonstrate both water
efficiency and the ability to
provide a satisfactory show-
er that is equal to or better
than that of conventional
showerheads on the market.
Performance Is Key
The WaterSense Draft Specification for Showerheads
sets the maximum flow rate at 2.0 gallons per
minute (gpm) at a flowing pressure of 80 pounds
per square inch (psi). As with all WaterSense specifi-
cations, the draft showerhead specification includes
performance criteria to ensure that consumers will
not have to sacrifice water coverage or spray inten-
sity in order to achieve water savings. EPA worked
with a variety of stakeholders to develop these crite-
ria so that showerheads can be independently test-
ed and certified for efficiency and performance.
What's Next?
Whether you are replacing an older, inefficient
showerhead or looking for options to reduce water
use and utility bills in your home, the WaterSense
label will soon be able to help you identify shower-
head models that are high-performing and water-
efficient. For more information, please visit
www.epa.gov/watersense.
(866) WTR-SENS (987-7367) • www.epa.gov/watersense • watersense@epa.gov	H>ER^
September 2009	Recycled/Recyclable—Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on 100% Process Chlorine Free Recycled Paper.

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