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. ------- |