WaterSense® Labeled Homes
Delivering on Efficiency in Las Vegas, Nevada
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
established WaterSense to protect the future of
the nation's water supply and to promote water-
efficient products, homes, and programs with a
simple, easy-to-identify label. WaterSense
labeled homes allow families to enjoy the
comforts of home while using less water and
energy and saving money on utility bills.
To earn the WaterSense label, homes must
meet EPA's specification criteria: they must be
at least 30 percent more water-efficient than
typical new home construction, include
WaterSense labeled plumbing products, and be
free of water leaks. WaterSense labeled homes
can also include features such as: hot water
that gets to the tap faster; ENERGY STAR®
certified appliances; efficient irrigation
equipment; and water-smart landscapes that
minimize or eliminate the need for irrigation.
Why Water Efficiency Matters to
Communities and Builders
In the Southwestern United States, where
drought and water supply shortages are an
ongoing concern, using water wisely is critical.
The Las Vegas area gets most of its water from
Lake Mead, which is fed by the Colorado River.
As shown in the figure on the next page, the
water levels within Lake Mead have been
steadily declining since 2000, largely due to
declining flows in the Colorado River resulting
from drought conditions which have been
exacerbated by climate change. Population growth has also contributed to the declining water level.
Over the same period, Clark County's population increased by 69 percent, representing nearly one
million additional residents. Las Vegas and other areas affected by frequent droughts need to plan
communities wisely so as not to overstress water supplies.
Benefits of WaterSense Certification
For Communities/Water Agencies:
•	Preserves the ability to add new housing and
grow communities while limiting impacts on
water and infrastructure resources.
•	Achieves greater water efficiency using a
whole-house, building-science approach and
system solutions that may not be possible
solely with efficient products.
•	Encourages builders to design homes with
water-efficient features in mind, maximizing
water savings at minimal incremental cost.
For Builders:
•	Mitigates the rising cost of water and utility
connection fees.
•	Leverages support from existing
communities and investors.
•	Offers advantages in the permitting and land
entitlement processes.
•	Supports corporate disclosures and
reporting.
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WaterSense labeled homes can help preserve the ability to add housing in communities that are
water- or infrastructure-constrained by minimizing the impact of new construction on water
resources. Simultaneously, they can also mitigate the impact of rising costs of water and connection
fees.
1
— BUREAU OF —
RECLAMATION
Lake Mead Annual High and Low Elevations (1935-2022)
^Storage Capacity
jrage on Aug '
1225
1200
1175
1150
1125
1100
1075
1050
1025
1000
975
950
925
/ f
J •' v
! t
/ /
v High E levation
•-Low E levation
VV /
. •
* *
/ r
\ V
\

/L

Dea i Storage



• 875 -M1-
1935
1940
1945
1950
1955
1960
1965
1970
1975 1980
Year
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
2020
Source: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (www.usbr.gov/lc/riverops.html)
Why Choose WaterSense Labeled Homes
The WaterSense label for homes provides a whole-house approach to water efficiency. The programs
that certify homes through WaterSense address specific climate and market conditions by
encouraging system and design improvements in addition to efficient products and appliances. This
approach helps maximize savings and reduce costs for the builder, the homeowner, and the
community.
WaterSense labeled homes can achieve significantly more savings than homes with WaterSense
labeled plumbing products alone. Plus, WaterSense labeled homes carry the additional benefit of
being independently certified to ensure they are free of leaks and that products and systems are
properly installed to maximize savings.
Maximizing Water Savings With WaterSense Labeled Homes
The table on the next page illustrates the features that may be included under four scenarios in Las
Vegas. This example uses a typical 2,400-square-foot home with an average-sized household (2.61
occupants) on a 10,000-square-foot lot that includes 5,826 square feet of conventional, irrigated turf
(unless otherwise specified). Assumptions for a typical home are based on national averages.
The baseline home includes products meeting federal efficiency standards and other features
typical of new construction. The home following the Mandatory Checklist for WaterSense
Labeled Homes includes WaterSense labeled toilets, faucets, and showerheads, but no additional
water-efficient features. The home meeting Las Vegas turf limits and Nevada standards is
required to reduce turf in the landscape and meet more rigorous product efficiency criteria for certain
plumbing products. Finally, the example WaterSense labeled home incorporates a variety of water-
efficient indoor and outdoor features that meet the water efficiency requirement for WaterSense
labeled homes and result in substantially more water savings.
This is just one example of a home that has earned the WaterSense label—other design
configurations could also meet the requirement. The example shows that for a hot and dry climate
such as Las Vegas', improvements limited to indoor water efficiency will not be sufficient to achieve
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the 30 percent threshold. The home will generally need to focus on maximizing outdoor water savings
(e.g., by reducing turf and using non-irrigated or natural areas to reduce irrigable landscape area) to
ensure it is at least 30 percent more water-efficient than typical new construction.
Feature
Baseline Home
Home Meeting
WaterSense
Mandatory
Checklist
Home Meeting Las
Vegas Turf Limits
and Nevada
Appliance
Efficiency
Standards
Example WaterSense
Labeled Home in Las
Vegas*
Toilets
1.6 gpf
1.28 gpf
1.28 gpf
1.1 gpf
Showerheads
2.5 gpm
2.0 gpm
2.0 gpm
2.0 gpm
Lavatory Faucets
2.2 gpm
1.5 gpm
1.5 gpm
1.5 gpm
Kitchen Faucets
2.2 gpm
2.2 gpm
2.2 gpm
1.8 gpm
Dishwashers
5.0 gpc
5.0 gpc
5.0 gpc
3.5 gpc
(ENERGY STAR)
Clothes Washers
6.5 IWF
6.5 IWF
6.5 IWF
4.3 IWF
(ENERGY STAR)
Hot Water
Delivery
Standard
Standard
Standard
More efficient hot water
delivery
Landscape and
Irrigation
Turf irrigated
with standard
fixed spray
sprinklers and
timer-based
controller
Turf irrigated with
standard fixed
spray sprinklers
and timer-based
controller
Landscape of 25%
turf and 75% non-
turf irrigated with
standard fixed spray
sprinklers and
timer-based
controller
75% of landscape is non-
turf design with 27% of
that not irrigated; irrigated
non-turf has pressure-
compensating drip
irrigation; turf irrigated with
WaterSense labeled spray
sprinkler bodies;
WaterSense labeled
irrigation controller
Total Estimated
Annual Water Use
267,000 gallons
252,000 gallons
240,000 gallons
<187,000 gallons
Total Estimated
Annual Water
and Percent
Savings From
Baseline
0 gallons
0% savings
15,000 gallons
3 to 8% savings
27,000 gallons
3 to 18% savings
>80,000 gallons
>30% savings
Feature meets federal
standard or common
construction practices
Feature meets
WaterSense or
ENERGY STAR criteria
Feature achieves greater efficiency
level than WaterSense product
specification criteria
gpf = gallons per flush; gpm = gallons per minute; gpc = gallons per cycle; IWF = integrated water factor
* For example purposes only. Home could qualify with a different combination of features, and a different home
with these features is not guaranteed to achieve WaterSense certification.
Learn More
Interested in learning more about WaterSense and how it can benefit your community? Visit
www.epa.gov/watersense.
A m* EPA-832-F-23-002C
PHONE (866) WTR-SENS (987-7367) WEBSITEwww.epa.gov/watersense EMAILwatersense@epa.gov	July 2023
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