Frequently Asked Questions: WaterSense Certification and Labeling
of High-Efficiency Lavatory (Bathroom Sink) Faucets
How does my high-efficiency lavatory faucet or faucet accessory
earn the WaterSense label?
If your company is not already a WaterSense manufacturer partner,
the first step toward obtaining the WaterSense label is to enter
into a partnership agreement with EPA. A copy of the manufacturer
partnership agreement can be found on the WaterSense Web site at
www.epa.gov/watersense. Under the partnership agreement, you have
12 months to obtain certification for a product that conforms to
the WaterSense High-Efficiency Lavatory Faucet Specification. If
you are already a manufacturer partner that has qualified under
a different product specification (e.g., WaterSense High-Efficiency
Tank-Type Toilets), you do not need to sign another partnership
agreement.
The second step is to have your product certified for conformance
to the WaterSense High-Efficiency Lavatory Faucet Specification
by a licensed product certifying body that has been approved for
that purpose by EPA. A list of product
certifying bodies approved to certify high-efficiency lavatory
faucets and accessories to EPA's specification can be found on the
WaterSense Web site.
How do I submit my product to a licensed product certifying body?
Contact the licensed product certifying body of your choice directly
and follow its application procedures. Upon product certification,
please notify EPA directly by submitting a WaterSense
product notification form (writeable PDF) (2 pp, 262K, About PDF),
which is available on the WaterSense Web site.
Can I use a WaterSense labeled high-efficiency lavatory faucet
accessory to meet the flow rate criteria contained in the specification?
Does my faucet still need to be tested?
A lavatory faucet is considered to meet the flow rate requirement
contained in the specification if it is equipped with a lavatory
faucet accessory that meets the flow rate requirement. In this case,
it is up to the discretion of the licensed product certifying body
to determine whether the entire faucet needs to be tested. EPA anticipates
that in most cases, further testing may not be necessary. The licensed
product certifying body may still conduct a review and may require
you to produce specification evidence that you are using a high-efficiency
lavatory faucet accessory that meets the specification criteria.
All high-efficiency lavatory faucets, regardless of whether the
entire faucet is tested or just the faucet accessory, must be evaluated,
certified, and listed by a licensed product certifying body in order
to be WaterSense labeled and listed on EPA's WaterSense Web registry.
What criteria must a licensed product certifying body meet in
order to certify products?
Initially, EPA will approve a product certifying body to certify
products and authorize the use of the WaterSense label, provided
it meets each of the following criteria:
- Shall demonstrate that it is accredited by ANSI in accordance
with ISO/IEC Guide 65, General requirements for bodies operating
product certification systems;
- Shall have plumbing products or other product categories directly
related to WaterSense specifications included in its scope of
accreditation;
- Shall declare that the laboratories used by the product certification
body have the competence and capability to conduct tests in accordance
with relevant WaterSense specifications;
- Shall declare that it has the technical expertise required in
the evaluation of relevant
WaterSense products;
- Shall declare that its ongoing surveillance requirements for
WaterSense labeled products will be equivalent to current surveillance
requirements for the certification of similar products;
- Shall indicate which WaterSense specification(s) are relevant
to its current ANSI accredited scope; and
- Shall sign a licensing agreement with EPA related to the conditions
for authorizing the use of the WaterSense label.
Who authorizes the use of the WaterSense label?
Product certifying bodies licensed by EPA to certify high-efficiency
lavatory faucets to the WaterSense specification will authorize
the use of the WaterSense label in accordance with EPA requirements.
This means that the licensed product certifying body will provide
you with the WaterSense label graphic artwork and usage guidelines.
Use of the WaterSense label must be in accordance with the WaterSense
label guidelines and should never occur before product certification
is complete.
How much will product certification cost?
The cost structure for product certification is determined by the
licensed product certifying bodies. EPA anticipates that the testing
fee and cost for certification of high-efficiency lavatory faucets,
which may include opening a certification file or adding models
to an existing file, will be in line with the current cost structure
for faucet certification by an accredited product certifying body.
How long will certification take?
The exact process and timing will be determined by the licensed
product certifying body conducting the certification. Product certifying
bodies recognize that time to market is an important consideration
and will compete for a manufacturer's business in this area. EPA
anticipates that the time to achieve product certification to WaterSense
specifications will be similar to the time it takes to get plumbing
products certified to American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
or other relevant standards.
How will EPA know my product has been certified?
Licensed product certifying bodies are required to maintain a listing
of all products they certify on their respective organization Web
sites. They will periodically submit an updated list to EPA so the
WaterSense Web registry remains as current as possible. However,
manufacturers should also use the WaterSense product
notification form (writeable PDF) (2 pp, 262K, About PDF)
available on the WaterSense Web site to notify EPA when each model
is certified to the WaterSense specification. This process will
ensure that EPA has the most current list of certified products
possible on the WaterSense Web site.
How will consumers know my product has been certified?
Only products certified to WaterSense specifications are allowed
to bear the WaterSense label, and EPA provides a labeling tool kit
for manufacturers to use in marketing their labeled products. In
addition, EPA will maintain a master list of certified WaterSense
products on the WaterSense Web site. Promptly sending your product
notification form to EPA speeds this process.
How does EPA maintain the integrity of the label?
EPA maintains the integrity of the WaterSense label through several
mechanisms:
- Through the independent third-party certification process, the
licensed product certifying
bodies provide surveillance for the proper use of the WaterSense
label for the products that they certifytypically through
periodic store audits or warehouse inspections.
- WaterSense encourages its partners to be vigilant and report
any suspected label misuse issues to EPA. If you see a product
you believe to be improperly labeled, please contact the WaterSense
helpline at (866) WTR-SENS (987-7367), or e-mail
us.
- WaterSense encourages partners to submit prepress and Web materials.
EPA provides prompt review and ensures that the use of the label
is consistent with WaterSense guidelines.
- WaterSense conducts periodic reviews of partner Web sites to
ensure that the label is used properly.
- WaterSense conducts periodic Google image searches to detect
misuse of the label by nonpartners. When label misuse occurs by
a WaterSense partner, EPA contacts the relevant licensed product
certifying body who handles necessary corrective actions. If a
non-partner misuses the label, EPA engages in corrective action
directly with the infringing party. In all instances, EPA strives
to resolve matters quickly and fairly in order to preserve public
confidence in the WaterSense program.
This document is also available in PDF
(3 pp, 44K, About
PDF).
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