The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will sunset its WaterSense Specification for Commercial Pre-Rinse Spray Valves, effective January 1, 2019, prior to the compliance date for a 2016 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national PRSV standard, which adopted the WaterSense efficiency threshold and performance test.

On September 19, 2013, WaterSense published a specification allowing manufacturers to earn the label for their commercial pre-rinse spray valves. The specification was developed in consultation with industry and included criteria for both water efficiency and spray force performance. At the time the specification was developed, EPA consulted manufacturers and conducted field research in foodservice establishments, to ensure WaterSense labeled PRSVs could rinse dishes and perform well in a commercial/institutional setting with less water.

On January 28, 2019, a new DOE rule will take effect that requires all PRSVs sold in the United States to meet or exceed the WaterSense efficiency criteria. DOE’s regulation, a revision to federal energy standards, requires products to be performance tested according to ASTM F2324, the standard that WaterSense and its partners worked to modify and improve during the specification development process.

This improved industry standard is a testament to how a voluntary program such as WaterSense can transform the market for water-efficient products without sacrificing performance and customer satisfaction. WaterSense is pleased that its initial efforts to develop spray force performance testing for PRSVs laid the groundwork for an industry-wide efficiency standard. Closing out the specification will allow WaterSense to direct its resources to address other products and practices that will save water.

Starting in January 2019, no new PRSVs can earn the WaterSense label; however, EPA will continue to maintain a list on the WaterSense website of the more than 40 different models of PRSVs that previously earned the label to recognize those models that were certified to meet its efficiency and performance criteria.

WaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by EPA, seeks to protect the future of our nation’s water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water with water-efficient products, homes, and services. Since the program began in 2006, WaterSense and its partners have helped consumers and businesses save 2.7 trillion gallons of water and more than $63.8 billion in water and energy bills through 2017.

Visit www.epa.gov/watersense