Did you know that in California, plumbing fittings and plumbing fixtures are regulated by recently updated standards that are more stringent than federal standards? In 2015, California’s Title 20 established water efficiency standards requiring lavatory faucets and replacement aerators, kitchen faucets and replacement aerators, showerheads, toilets, and urinals to consume less water. (Under the scope of the regulations, “lavatory faucets” include residential and commercial faucets, and “kitchen faucets” are those sold or offered for sale to the general public.)
Energy Code Ace has resources, including our new Plumbing Fittings and Fixtures Fact Sheet, to help you comply with these regulations – and capture the power of saving water.
Recent Effective Date: July 1, 2016 for more stringent requirements for lavatory faucets and aerators, and showerheads.
As of January 1, 2016, sell-through is prohibited for public lavatory faucets and aerators, kitchen faucets and aerators, toilets, and urinals. Noncompliant kitchen and public lavatory faucets and aerators may not be sold or offered for sale on or after January 1, 2016, regardless of manufacture date. The Energy Commission is updating the Modernized Appliance Efficiency Database (MAEDBS) to reflect what appliances may be sold or offered for sale in California. Note that even if a plumbing fixture or fitting meets all performance requirements outlined in Title 20, it is illegal to sell a regulated product in California if the model number is not listed in the MAEDBS. Everyone in the sales chain – including manufacturers, distributors, retailers, contractors and importers – is responsible for ensuring regulated products are listed in the MAEDBS.
Why? Watt’s the Connection?
Significant electricity is required to acquire and process water and water is needed to produce electricity. The Energy Commission estimates that two-thirds of the population receives water that must travel thousands of miles. In many cases, energy-intensive pumps are required to move that water over mountains. California’s drought and the state’s energy goals led policy makers to take bold steps by adopting innovative standards.
Help is Available
Energy Code Ace has resources to help you decode these and other Title 20 standards. Visit our site to download our Plumbing Fittings and Fixtures Fact Sheet, and take our on-demand video training on certification and using the MAEDBS. You can also email us to schedule a training or with any questions.