EPA WaterSense Program News, March 4, 2010
The United States Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSesnse Program has announced their final specification for showerheads. Manufacturers can now submit their showerheads for testing to earn the WaterSense label, and consumers will soon be able to renovate their bathrooms with the full suite of WaterSense labeled products.  

If every household in the United States installed WaterSense labeled showerheads, it would save Americans more than $1.5 billion on their water bills, saving more than 250 billion gallons annually. This is enough water to supply more than 2.5 million U.S. homes with their water needs for a year. In addition, this simple change would also reduce the nation’s energy bills by $2.5 billion for heating water.

Standard showerheads use 2.5 gallons of water per minute (gpm), but showerheads that earn the WaterSense label must demonstrate that they use no more than 2.0 gpm. As with all WaterSense specifications, EPA included performance criteria to ensure a good shower experience. EPA worked with a variety of stakeholders—including consumers who tested various showerheads—to develop criteria for water coverage and spray intensity. Independent laboratories test showerheads for these attributes before certifying them to earn the WaterSense label. For more information, please visit www.epa.gov/watersense.