IAPMO Research and Testing (R&T) and NSF will provide product certification services for high-efficiency lavatory faucets under the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) WaterSense program.

Earlier this year, both organizations received approval to test and certify high-efficiency toilets within the WaterSense program, which was launched by the EPA to encourage water conservation by identifying and promoting water-efficient products.

The certification process consists of product testing to ensure high-efficiency lavatory faucets (public and private restrooms) consume no more than 1.5 gallons per minute while successfully meeting all performance requirements. While it is important to limit the maximum flow, it is also important to prescribe a minimum flow to ensure customer satisfaction. To accommodate this, a minimum flow rate of 0.8 at 20 PSI is also required. Additional testing requirements can be found at: www.epa.gov/watersense/docs/faucet_suppstat508.pdf.