Throughout the United States, millions of households have installed point-of-use reverse osmosis (RO) systems, which are water treatment systems connected to a single fixture (e.g., at the kitchen sink) that remove contaminants from water. While RO systems work to rid household water of possible contaminants, they can waste a great deal of water in the treatment process. To help reduce water waste, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed a WaterSense® Draft Specification for Point-of-Use Reverse Osmosis Systems.
A typical RO system sends five gallons of reject water down the drain for every gallon of treated water produced. Once this specification is final, WaterSense labeled RO systems will use significantly less water, sending 2.3 gallons of water or less down the drain for every gallon of treated water produced. For consumers who are planning to replace their RO system in the future, selecting a WaterSense labeled model will reduce water use on average by nearly 3,200 gallons of water per year—or 48,000 gallons of water over the system’s lifetime—compared to the water use of a typical point-of-use RO system. The WaterSense specification will also ensure that labeled RO systems are effective at providing the high-quality drinking water consumers expect from these products.
With the release of this draft specification, manufacturers that produce RO systems are welcome to join the program as WaterSense partners and begin applying to label or promote labeled RO systems once the specification is final. Please visit the WaterSense website to learn how to join.
On Thursday, January 12, 2023, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern, EPA will host a webinar with stakeholders to discuss the suggested criteria within the draft specification. Meeting information will be provided upon registration, and materials will be emailed to registered participants prior to the webinar date.
EPA is interested in your input! If you have comments or suggestions on the WaterSense Draft Specification for Point-of-Use Reverse Osmosis Systems or supporting materials, please email them to watersense-products@erg.com by February 3, 2023. Please forward this email to any other stakeholders or customers who might be interested in commenting on the draft specification.
US EPA WaterSense
WaterSense, a voluntary partnership program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is both a label for water-efficient products and a resource for helping you save water.
The WaterSense label makes it simple to find water-efficient products, new homes, and programs that meet EPA’s criteria for efficiency and performance. WaterSense-labeled products and services are certified to use at least 20 percent less water, save energy, and perform as well as or better than regular models.
WaterSense partners with manufacturers, retailers and distributors, homebuilders, irrigation professionals, and utilities to bring WaterSense to your community. Our partnerships encourage innovation in manufacturing and support sustainable jobs for American workers.
Last modified: June 12, 2024