California's Water Efficiency Standards MAP: States with water-efficient plumbing standards as compared to federal standards TABLE: Maximum allowed flow rates for states with efficiency standards Beyond Plumbing Fixture Standards Energy Efficiency Requirements for Public Buildings Reducing indoor water use in residences and businesses can be accomplished through water-efficiency standards for plumbing fixtures. Generally, the standards impose a maximum on the amount of water used per flush by toilets and urinals and per minute by faucets and showerheads. In the United States, these amounts or flow rates are described as gallon per flush (gpf) or gallon per minute (gpm). Efficiency standards also typically leave it to fixture manufacturers to meet these goals without compromising performance. The standards can also apply to the sale and installation of plumbing fixtures in addition to their manufacture. Today, nine states have their own mandatory standards for plumbing fixtures while others are using financial incentives, community planning efforts, and water conservation requirements for public buildings to promote the adoption of efficient fixtures.

Connecticut enacted the first state water efficiency standards in 1989. This legislation set maximum flow rates for fixtures manufactured, sold, and installed in the state after 1990. A handful of other states followed suit, and the federal government enacted national standards in the U.S. Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct 1992). This comprehensive legislation set minimum efficiency standards for all toilets, showers, urinals and faucets manufactured in the United States after 1994. For example, a low-volume toilet flushes at 1.6 gpf as compared to 3.5 gpf that was common for residential toilets prior to EPAct 1992. In 2006, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created the WaterSense Program. This voluntary national program certifies products that use 20 percent less water than the federal minimum without sacrificing performance. WaterSense certified fixtures include dual-flush toilets and 1.28 gpf toilets, which are lower than the federal maximum flow rate of 1.6 gpf.

Since then, California, Georgia, Texas, and most recently Colorado have matched the EPA WaterSense flow rate criteria in creating their state efficiency standards. Massachusetts and Rhode Island considered bills in 2015 requiring plumbing fixtures sold to meet water efficiency standards, and New Jersey is still considering a bill that would require replacement of traditional fixtures with low-flow ones. Colorado considered repealing parts of Colo. Rev. Stat. § 6-7.5-102 which it had passed the previous year. Also during the 2015 session, six states – California, New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia – considered legislation that would create financial incentives for the installation of water efficient fixtures. Colorado enacted legislation in 2014 (SB 103; Colo. Rev. Stat. § 6-7.5-102 ) requiring plumbing fixtures sold in the state to have the WaterSense label. Three additional states – Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Washington - considered similar legislation during the 2014 session.

Also during the 2014 session, New Jersey considered mandating the replacement of traditional toilets with low-volume ones. The map below displays states with enacted or proposed water efficiency standards for plumbing standards as compared to the federal standards.Fly Fishing Boat Shoes California faces the most severe drought in the state’s history. Patio Furniture Rental SeattleFrom low snowpack levels in the Sierra Nevada mountains to dry fields, the worsening conditions have led to the state’s first mandatory water restrictions in order to reduce usage by 25 percent.Prom Dresses 2012 Blush On April 1, 2015, Governor Jerry Brown released Executive Order B-29-15 mandating emergency regulations that would improve the efficiency of water appliances—including toilets and faucets in new and existing buildings.

The executive order enabled the California Energy Commission, the agency responsible for adopting new efficiency standards, to speed approval on water appliance standards and to implement a temporary statewide rebate program for these appliances. The Commission approved the new efficiency standards on April 8, 2015. These newly adopted standards changed the required maximum flow rates for the following water appliances: California now leads the nation with standards that are more stringent than the EPA’s WaterSense Program. The new water efficiency standards could save over 10 billion gallons of water in the first year and eventually over 100 billion gallons of water per year according to the California Energy Commission. In the 2015 session, California lawmakers continued to look at ways to conserve water, considering at least eight bills directed towards water efficiency or conservation. These bills included programs that fund water conservation and efficiency projects, create tax breaks and financial incentives to promote the use of water efficient fixtures and regulate water efficiency standards on state owned property.

The following table provides summaries of state statutes and legislation for maximum allowed flow rates for plumbing fixtures. A slash is used to indicate the phasing in of different requirements. Rather than passing specific requirements, recently states have looked to tax credits and rebates, as well as other financial incentive programs, to encourage the installation and use of high efficiency and low volume plumbing fixtures. The following table provides summaries of state statutes and legislation for financial incentive programs. Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 460.935 Creates the Property Assessed Clean Energy Program, which provides financing for conservation projects, including water use reductions and efficiency improvements. N.M. Stat. Ann. § 72-4A-5 As part of the Water Project Finance Act, the Water Trust Board administers grants and loans to water conservation or recycling projects. Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. Creates the Water Conservation Grant Program, which provides financial support to community water conservation pilot programs.

Eligible programs include retrofit projects and water use accounting programs. Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 9-12-1201 Creates the Wyoming Energy Performance Program, which provides financing for energy or water efficiency audits and improvements at public facilities. Proposed Legislation (2015 Session) Would provide a tax credit for replacing non-compliant plumbing fixtures with water-conserving ones. Creates a fund for water conservation and efficiency projects and programs to achieve urban water use targets. Exempts from the sales and use tax laws the sale of, and the storage, use, or other consumption of, a water efficient home appliance purchased by a public utility that is provided at no cost to a low-income participant. Creates the Water and Wastewater Loan and Grant Program to establish a pilot program to provide low interest loans. Creates the Green Building and Infrastructure Tax Credit Act to achieve green building standards, including water efficiency standards.