News Releases from Headquarters›Water (OW)

EPA to Maintain WaterSense Program Specifications

WASHINGTON (April 7, 2020) — Today, after a review of WaterSense specifications as directed by America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) of 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing that the agency will not make updates or changes to the program specifications.

“Today’s action is yet another example of the Trump Administration following through on its promise to uphold consumer choice for the American people,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “By maintaining the existing WaterSense specifications, EPA is ensuring responsible conservation of our Nation’s water supply without adding unnecessary specifications or creating undue burdens on the economy.”

Additionally, EPA is announcing next steps in the agency’s ongoing process of assessing and improving its WaterSense program. EPA will be engaging with WaterSense stakeholders and the public to ensure that WaterSense products continue to help protect our nation’s water supplies while saving consumers money and performing as well as or better than regular models.

EPA is issuing a federal register notice determining that, after a review of WaterSense specifications as directed by AWIA, the agency will not make updates or changes to the product specifications. Additionally, the federal register notice provides next steps in the agency’s ongoing process of assessing and improving its WaterSense program.

BACKGROUND

On October 24, 2018, AWIA formally authorized the EPA’s WaterSense program. The law required EPA to “consider for review and revise, if necessary, any WaterSense performance criteria adopted before January 1, 2012.”

EPA initiated its specification review process in December 2018 when it released the WaterSense Notice of Specification Review, which provided the agency’s initial considerations and criteria for potentially revising the relevant specifications.