Plumbing Manufacturers International applauded the House Appropriations Committee for approving its fiscal year 2020 Department of the Interior-EPA spending bill, which includes PMI-supported report language calling for the preservation and funding of the EPA WaterSense program. The bill passed on a vote of 30-21.

PMI thanks the Interior-EPA Subcommittee members, led by chair Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) and ranking member Rep. David Joyce (R-Ohio) for taking a strong stance to promote the continued funding and operation of the WaterSense program. The report language aligns with requests PMI and its members and allies have made to lawmakers over the past several months and during PMI’s recent Washington, DC., Legislative Forum and Fly-In. These coalition partners have met with dozens of members of Congress, including members of the House Appropriations Committee, to underscore the benefits of the WaterSense program. PMI is supporting similar report language in the Senate.

“Promoting water efficiency is an important part of PMI’s mission; accordingly, we have worked persistently with our allies and members to preserve and maintain the WaterSense program, which has saved more than 3 trillion gallons of water and billions of dollars in water and energy expenses over the past decade,” said PMI CEO/Executive Director Kerry Stackpole.

The House Appropriations Committee spending bill would also boost EPA’s overall funding while delivering significant budget increases to several water and wastewater infrastructure programs.

PMI member companies have been leaders in developing water-saving technologies promoted by the WaterSense program, which operates on a $3 million annual budget, Stackpole said. WaterSense awards its certification label to products that are 20% more water-efficient than products meeting the minimum federal efficiency standard and performing as well as or better than standard models. Nearly 28,000 water-efficient products carry the WaterSense label.