EPA Expands NSF Int'l Scope in WaterSense Program
October 29, 2007 // Published as a news service by IHS
NSF International will provide testing and certification of high-efficiency lavatory faucets for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) WaterSense program.
By installing WaterSense-certified lavatory sink faucets or faucet accessories, approximately $650 million in energy costs and more than 60 billion gallons of water could be saved each year, according to the EPA.
Earlier this year, NSF received approval to test and certify high-efficiency toilets within the WaterSense program, a program launched by the EPA to encourage water conservation by identifying and promoting water-efficient products.
The labeling program is designed to help consumers identify high-performance, water-efficient toilets and lavatory faucets and accessories that can reduce water use in the home and help preserve water resources, said the EPA.
NSF was approved to certify high-efficiency toilets as well as lavatory faucets to the WaterSense specification as an EPA-licensed certification body.
As an approved certification organization, NSF helps plumbing manufacturers obtain the WaterSense label for their products. The certification process consists of product testing to ensure high-efficiency lavatory faucets (public and private restrooms) consume no more than 1.5 gallons per minute (gpm) while meeting all performance requirements.
While it is important to limit the maximum flow, it is also important to prescribe a minimum flow to ensure customer satisfaction, said NSF International. To accommodate this, a minimum flow rate of 0.8 gpm at 20 pounds per square inch (PSI) is also required.
Additional testing requirements can be found at http://www.epa.gov/watersense/docs/faucet_suppstat508.pdf.
Certified products will be included on an EPA product registry and will bear the WaterSense label.
In addition to authorizing the use of the label and providing the artwork, NSF will list all of its certified products on the NSF web site at www.nsf.org. Ongoing annual inspections will ensure continued compliance.
Future plans to expand the WaterSense program may include requirements for showerheads, irrigation control equipment and other commercial equipment, said NSF International.
Source: NSF International.