President Donald Trump signed the America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 into law yesterday in Washing D.C., Oct. 24. According to a Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI) news release, the law authorizes the U.S. EPA WaterSense program and key investments in infrastructure for the nation’s ports, harbors, inland waterways and drinking water systems.
“PMI applauds the efforts of the bipartisan group of lawmakers in both the House and Senate who worked to codify the vital WaterSense program in the infrastructure package,” said Kerry Stackpole, CEO/executive director of PMI. “Gaining congressional approval for WaterSense authorization is an achievement PMI, our members and coalition partners have steadfastly worked toward for many years.”
PMI is the voluntary, not-for-profit international industry association of manufacturers of plumbing products. Member companies produce 90% of the U.S. plumbing products.
PMI is actively engaged with lawmakers and staff on the language authorizing and codifying the WaterSense program. The program is a public-private partnership that identifies water-efficient and high-performing plumbing products. According to PMI, the program is an example of effective collaboration between industry and government in determining voluntary water-efficient performance measures that can be used by industry and consumers. Stackpole said that not only does the program save water and money, it also drives innovation by U.S. plumbing manufacturers to deliver water-saving plumbing products.
The program has helped plumbing manufacturers develop more than 27,000 models of products, including shower heads, toilets, urinals, faucets, faucet accessories and commercial pre-rinse sprays, PMI reports. Today, the program has 1,900 partners who collaborate with them. The partners range from manufacturers, water utilities, building groups, retailers, associations and communities.
The products the company develop have helped save more than 2.1 trillion gal of water and over $63.8 billion in water and energy bills. According to PMI, products having the WaterSense label have been certified as meeting high performance standards while being at least 20% more water efficient than other products meeting federal standard in the same category.
