WaterSense, established in 2006, is a voluntary program sponsored by the EPA as a by-product of the
Energy Policy and Conservation Act (otherwise known as the Energy Policy Act, or EPACT92), enacted by the United States Congress in 1992. The initiative was in response to 42 U.S.C. §6295(j)-(k), which addresses the conservation of water supply in the United States. EPACT92 mandated new volume-based efficiency standards for toilets, showerheads and faucets as follows: toilets must be manufactured with a maximum flush volume of 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf); showerheads must be manufactured with a flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm) at 80 pound-force per square inch (psi); and faucets must be manufactured with a flow rate no more than 2.5 gpm. These standards were required to take effect in January 1994, along with flow-rate labelling requirements and recommendations for the establishment of voluntary replacement programs. In response to these recommendations, and in anticipation of similar impacts provided by the
Energy Star program (on water rather than energy), the EPA launched WaterSense in 2006. The WaterSense label was designed to be voluntarily, sought out by manufacturers, and requires that water fixtures use at least 20% less than the federally mandated standards as established by EPACT92. The objective of the program is to educate consumers on
water conservation and to promote the WaterSense label. The program was originally designed to promote consumer products (namely, low-flow water fixtures). The program, however, has since expanded to the certification of homes and accreditation of irrigation professionals. Specifications for pre-rinse spray valves and water softeners started development as of 2011. In June 2014, WaterSense began the certification of homes, designed to use 20% less water than standard new construction, as well as the accreditation of irrigation professionals for the installation, maintenance, design and auditing of systems. There are no federal standards for irrigation equipment in the U.S., so the EPA uses references average system efficiency to establish a baseline and volume-based guidelines. The home certification program, called the WaterSense "New Home Specification" program, specifies criteria for residential indoor and outdoor water use, as well as homeowner education. Between the years of 2006 and 2020, the EPA has projected that its water conservation program has saved approximately 5.3 trillion gallons of water and 603 billion kilowatt hours of electricity from power required to distribute and handle water. In 2018, the
115th Congress made amendments to the program in Section 4306 of
America's Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) of 2018. The AWIA now requires the EPA to enforce these specifications, although the program is still voluntary, and to update them every six years. In addition to the previously existing parameters of the program, the Act also encourages the EPA to expand the program beyond water conservation to promote technology for the treatment, reuse and recycling of non-potable water. == Product and Service Specifications ==