- WaterSense
- New Homes
- New Homes Inspection & Certification
New Homes Inspection & Certification
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Inspecting New Homes Built to the Specification (Version 1.1 Effective January 1, 2013)
In order to earn the WaterSense label, all new homes must be inspected to ensure they meet EPA's criteria. The following documents provide detailed information on how the homes are tested and what information the builder is required to supply to the inspector.
- Inspection Checklists and Guides:
- Inspection and Verification Guidance for WaterSense Labeled New Homes (Version 1.1) (PDF) (20 pp, 442K)
- WaterSense Labeled New Homes Inspection Checklist (Version 1.1) (PDF) (4 pp, 109K)
- WaterSense Labeled New Homes—Additional Information for Single-Family New Homes Covered by a Sampling Protocol (Version 1.1) (PDF) (3 pp, 62K)
- WaterSense Labeled New Homes—Additional Information for Units in a Multi-Family Building Covered by a Sampling Protocol (Version 1.1) (PDF) (3 pp, 54K)
- Irrigation Audit Checklist and Guide (for new homes with an irrigation system installed):
Version 1.0 Final Specification & Supporting Materials (Effective through December 31, 2012)
- WaterSense Labeled New Home Inspection Checklist Version 1.0 (PDF) (3 pp, 78K)
- WaterSense Labeled New Home Inspection Checklist—Additional Information for New Home Covered by a Sampling Protocol Version 1.0 (PDF) (2 pp, 78K)
- Guidelines for Irrigation Audits on WaterSense Labeled New Homes Version 1.0 (PDF) (2 pp, 48K)
- WaterSense Labeled New Home Irrigation Audit Checklist Version 1.0 (PDF) (3 pp, 48K)
Certifying New Homes to the WaterSense Specification
For a new home to earn the WaterSense label, it must be inspected by a trained and approved water efficiency inspector and certified by an EPA licensed certification provider. Licensed certification providers are trained, evaluated, approved, and overseen by the EPA-approved program administrator to ensure they have the capability and competence to issue the label for WaterSense labeled new homes. Licensed certification providers and inspectors must be trained on the most current version of the WaterSense New Home Specification in order to continue to offer certification and inspection services for WaterSense.
WaterSense has established the following system for certification and labeling of new homes that meet the Version 1.1 WaterSense New Home Specification. Note that EPA made minor revisions to the WaterSense New Home Certification System (Version 1.1) to correspond with changes made to the Version 1.1 WaterSense New Home Specification.
- WaterSense New Home Certification System (Version 1.1) (27 pp, 471K)
- WaterSense Program Guidelines (PDF) (28 pp, 162K)
- Licensed Certification Providers for New Homes
- Become a Licensed Certification Provider—If you are interested in certifying new homes for the WaterSense program.
Background Information
To find out more about the development of the WaterSense labeled new home inspection and certification system, including the proposed drafts, public comments on the draft requirements, EPA's response to the public comments please visit the WaterSense New Home Specification Background Information page.
WaterSense has released its final Version 1.1 WaterSense New Home Specification.