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WaterSense New House Program

Program Name: WaterSense New House Program
Program Sponsor: EPA
Program Type:          Labeling/ Certifications
Technology:               Water Efficiency
Fuel:                        N/A (Water)
Eligibility:  Developers, builders, and owners of newly constructed single-family homes and townhomes, multifamily buildings three stories or less, and larger multi-family buildings that meet certain prerequisites
Cost: Free (cost of water conserving appliances varies)

Description

The EPA WaterSense New Homes program is a voluntary labeling program for new homes that are proven to reduce water usage by at least 30%. The intent of the specification is to reduce indoor and outdoor water usage in new residential homes thereby lowering consumers’ utility bills and encouraging water and wastewater infrastructure savings.

Eligibility

The WaterSense program is applicable to single-family homes and townhomes; residential units in multifamily buildings three stories or less; and residential units in multi-family buildings, including mixed-use buildings that have independent heating, cooling, and hot water systems separate from other units. For units in a multi-family building to be eligible, certain prerequisites must be met in all common-use areas and systems.

Builders of single and multi-family homes can join WaterSense if they construct, or plan to construct, new homes in accordance with the WaterSense New Home Specification. Builder partners must also promote WaterSense labeled products and WaterSense labeled homes to customers, and provide other support as specific in the New Homes Certification System. To be eligible for the partnership, the builder must commit to build at least one home this is certified to conform to the WaterSense Home Specification within 12 months of execution of the partnership agreement and at least one new home every year thereafter.

New Homes must meet criteria in three areas:

  1. Indoor water use, including plumbing, plumbing fixtures and fitting, appliances, and other water-using equipment
  2. Outdoor water use, including landscape design
  3. Homeowner education

Visit the WaterSense New Home Specification for additional requirements.

How the Program Works

The homebuilder must first have a signed partnership agreement in place with the EPA that includes an agreement to abide by the WaterSense Program mark Guidelines. After choosing to partner with the WaterSense program, a builder must work with an EPA certification provider to ensure that the new home is inspected and the program criteria are met. The independent certification provider can then award the new homer its Water Sense Label.

For more information, see the WaterSense Program Guidelines.

How to Apply

To apply, complete a Builder Partnership Agreement.

Contact Information

WaterSense Helpline:
(866)- 987-7367
watersense@epa.gov

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