Product Specification Review
EPA periodically evaluates WaterSense specifications to ensure the criteria are differentiating water-efficient, high-performing products in the marketplace.
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Specification Review and Revision Overview
EPA periodically reviews and, where necessary, revises its specifications, primarily to make minor clarifications to requirements and ensure consistency of certification. As technology and product markets evolve, EPA may also make major revisions to its specifications to address needed updates to the water efficiency and performance criteria.
See the Product Background Materials page for information on the specification development history and revision process for each labeled product category.
Minor Revisions
EPA may undertake a minor specification revision to clarify language or further align WaterSense product specifications with the larger product marketplace. Minor revisions are editorial in nature and do not affect a specification’s efficiency or performance criteria. As part of minor revisions, wherever feasible, EPA also incorporates technical clarifications that it has previously issued within its Compendium of WaterSense Specification, Certification, and Labeling Clarifications.
Major Revisions
As outlined in the WaterSense Program Guidelines, EPA may find it necessary to make major revisions to a specification that impact the water efficiency and/or performance criteria, particularly if:
- WaterSense labeled products in a specific category comprise a significant portion of the market share based on the number of units shipped as reported by WaterSense partners. In this instance, market share means the ratio of WaterSense labeled units to non-WaterSense labeled units sold in the same product category.
- EPA identifies significant and broadly available improvements in technology or product design in any labeled product category that improves the product’s water efficiency.
- EPA becomes aware of performance issues associated with products that are currently labeled under the specification.
- A water efficiency standard is adopted nationally that would mandate product efficiency equivalent to that in the specification, such that the WaterSense label would no longer be able to differentiate products that were more efficient than those meeting the national standard.
Major revisions will only be made following an open public process, including discussion with industry and other interested partners. EPA will generally not conduct a major revision more frequently than every six years after adoption or major revision of a WaterSense specification.
Current Specification Revision Activities
In March 2024, EPA issued the WaterSense Notice of Intent (NOI) to Revise the High-Efficiency Lavatory Faucet Specification. The NOI identifies EPA’s considerations for expanding the scope of the specification to other faucet types and modifying the efficiency criteria for private-use lavatory faucets to earn the WaterSense label. More information for this proposed specification revision is located on EPA’s Bathroom Faucets page.
Mandatory Reviews
The authorizing legislation for WaterSense requires that EPA “not more frequently than every 6 years after adoption or major revision of any WaterSense performance criteria, review and, if appropriate, revise the performance criteria to achieve additional water savings;”. The law, passed as part of the America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (AWIA), also required that EPA “consider for review and revise, if necessary, any WaterSense performance criteria adopted before January 1, 2012.”
In December 2018, EPA initiated a comprehensive specification review process that included reviews of the specifications adopted before January 1, 2012. Based on the review, EPA determined it would not make major updates or changes to the reviewed specifications. However, EPA is continually evaluating its specifications and may initiate future revisions as the product markets continue to evolve and new data and information come to light. For the latest updates and information on specific WaterSense product specifications, see the Product Specifications page.
Stakeholders with information or data related to the applicability and effectiveness of WaterSense specifications in the marketplace can submit feedback to the WaterSense Helpline.
2018 AWIA Specification Review
The America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, signed on October 24, 2018, formally authorized the WaterSense program. This law also requires that, by December 31, 2019, EPA must “consider for review and revise, if necessary, any WaterSense performance criteria adopted before January 1, 2012.” As a result, several WaterSense specifications—including those for tank-type toilets, lavatory faucets and faucet accessories, showerheads, flushing urinals, and weather-based irrigation controllers— were reviewed for potential improvements to water efficiency and/or product performance.
In April 2020, WaterSense issued a notice in the Federal Register to inform the public of the results of the specification review. At the time, EPA decided not to make updates or changes to the product specifications. The notice also invited public input on how the WaterSense program should consider consumer satisfaction in product specification development.
- Federal Register notice - Notice of Recent Specifications Review and Request for Information on WaterSense Program
- Federal Register notice - Notice of Recent Specifications Review and Request for Information on WaterSense Program; Extension of Comment Period
- Docket - which includes comments received on the notice - Docket No. EPA-HQ-OW-2020-0026
- Summary of Comments on Notice of Recent Specifications and Request for Information on WaterSense Program (pdf)
Background
In December 2018, WaterSense issued a Notice of Specification Review to inform the public of the specifications under review and to invite stakeholders to provide feedback. The notice provides general criteria for reviewing WaterSense specifications, summarizes the current specifications and market for each product category, and offers general questions for stakeholders to consider when providing feedback. It also discusses the revision process and tentative timeline for EPA’s adherence to this law.
- Notice of Specification Review (pdf)
- Notice of Specification Review Public Comments (pdf) (as of September 26, 2019)
On February 14, 2019, EPA held a teleconference and webinar with stakeholders to discuss the Notice of Specification Review.
- Notice of Specification Review Public Meeting Presentation (pdf)
- View Webinar Recording (registration required)
- Notice of Specification Review Public Meeting Webinar Summary (pdf)
EPA hosted a series of webinars during 2019 that were targeted to specific stakeholder groups to discuss information collected to date and focus in greater depth on topics and issues related to each product category. These webinars were open to all stakeholders but were targeted towards manufacturer and utility partners that would be impacted by specification revisions.
- Webinar for Plumbing Fitting (faucet and showerhead) Manufacturers: April 24, 2019
- Webinar for Plumbing Fixture (tank-type toilet and flushing urinal) Manufacturers: May 9, 2019
- Webinar for Weather-Based Irrigation Controller Manufacturers: May 16, 2019
- Webinar for Utilities and Promotional Partners: June 5, 2019
- Summary of Certification Trends and Webinar Poll Results (pdf)