Dec 6 2007 11:36AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |
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The WaterSense Program, run by the EPA and begun last year, seems to have taken hold with many of the major kitchen and bath manufacturers. For those of you unfamiliar with the program, the main idea is to come up with new products (or reconfigure old ones) to become more water-efficient. One caveat of the program is flow volumes must be reduced by 20 percent without sacrificing performance. Those that qualify under the program earn the right to use the label.

The perks of the program (including both Watersense-labeled toilets and faucets) are:

60 billion gallons of water saved annually if every home in the United States used WaterSense labeled faucets or faucet accessories

640 billion gallons of water saved annually if every older, inefficient toilet in the United States was replaced with WaterSense labeled toilets

$4 billion in saved water and sewer bills --$600 million saved in water heating costs for faucets

Whenever a certification program comes across our laps at the offices of Professional Builder, Professional Remodeler and Custom Builder magazines, we shudder. It's not that we're against change--it's just that there are so many programs out there (many of them tied to the “green” catchall) that it’s getting tough to keep track of. In my opinion, though, this program works for two reasons:  1. It’s straightforward and 2. It’s voluntary.

 

As of the first of the month, over 100 high-efficiency toilet (HET) models in many styles and price points have been certified to bear the label. Information on product availability can be found on most manufacturer Web sites; you can also review the list or link to the WaterSense site: www.epa.gov/watersense/pp/find_het.htm

 

To learn more about water-efficient faucets and the final specification, check out http://www.epa.gov/watersense/specs/faucet_final.htm

 

The Water Sense website reviews HETs to bathroom faucets, weather-based irrigation controllers, commercial toilets and faucets and autoclave water valves.

 

For more on water conservation, visit the Portland Water Bureau website.