Plumbing: Fine-Tuning Fixture Specification

Part 1: Plumbing: Specification Tips for High-Efficiency Toilets, Urinals

Part 2: Plumbing Fixtures: WaterSense Label Provides Guidance

Part 3: High-Efficiency Toilets: Consider Drain-Line Carry

Part 4: The Three Applications of Lavatory Faucets

Part 5: PRODUCTS: Plumbing & Restrooms

Plumbing Fixtures: WaterSense Label Provides Guidance

By Winston Huff - May 2010 - Plumbing & Restrooms

To ensure these products meet performance demands, managers should look for fixtures that feature a label from the WaterSense program, sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. WaterSense-labeled fixtures are third-party tested, ensuring compliance with the required effective flush volume and solid-waste removal.

When possible, manufacturers with aggressive water-conservation goals should specify and install only fixtures that have the WaterSense label. But WaterSense has not developed a specification for flushometer valves.

Managers also are going beyond high-efficiency toilets and looking at water-saving urinal technology.

Waterless urinals have been in successful operation for several years, and many managers with an aggressive sustainable approach and an ambitious maintenance program have been satisfied with the fixtures' performance. But manufacturers now are making a flush-type fixture that uses 1 pint of water per flush. It does not have the maintenance concerns of the waterless fixture yet still conserves water.