ICC supports the Water Efficiency Improvement Act of 2017

New legislation authorizes an important program that promotes water-efficient products

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The International Code Council (ICC) supports the Water Efficiency Improvement Act of 2017 introduced today by New Mexico Senator Tom Udall and Ohio Senator Rob Portman. This bipartisan legislation authorizes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) WaterSense program, a voluntary public-private partnership that offers a simple way for consumers to identify water-efficient products.

WaterSense products, such as certain types of toilets, showerheads, lavatory faucets, urinals and irrigation controllers, use 20 percent less water than standard plumbing products. These products are independently certified by a third-party certification laboratory to ensure they meet WaterSense specifications. Since its creation in 2006, WaterSense has conserved more than 2.1 trillion gallons of water and saved American families $46.3 billion in water and energy bills, according to the EPA.

“In concert with our members, partners and others, the Code Council has actively engaged with Congressional leaders to support the authorization of this important program,” said ICC Chief Executive Officer Dominic Sims, CBO. “WaterSense is a great example of how government and industry can come together to support water conservation efforts.”

The Code Council develops the International Plumbing Code and the International Residential Code, the preeminent model codes used in the U.S. and many other countries, which provide regulations for plumbing facilities in buildings and homes. In addition, ICC Evaluation Service, a member of ICC’s Family of Companies, is a licensed provider of WaterSense certifications and works with plumbing manufacturers to evaluate their company’s WaterSense products.

For the Plumbing Industry Leadership Coalition letter to Senators Udall and Portman, cosigned by ICC, click here.