Environment America submits over 10,000 comments to protect water saving showerheads

Media Contacts
Brynn Furey

Josh Chetwynd

The public challenges a proposed loophole that would allow manufacturers to bypass current water efficiency standards

Environment America

WASHINGTON —  Environment America submitted 10,184 member comments Wednesday, in addition to comments from Environment America, U.S. PIRG and state organizations, urging the Department of Energy (DOE) to protect consumers and the planet by maintaining showerhead efficiency standards. The comments, from all 50 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories, were submitted in response to the Trump administration’s proposal to loosen water and energy efficiency standards for showerheads. 

The DOE has proposed relaxing appliance efficiency standards by changing the definition of a showerhead. Under the proposed rule, each nozzle would be defined as a separate showerhead, required to meet the current 2.5-gallons-per-minute standard. Showerheads with multiple nozzles would bypass the rule, allowing companies to manufacture fixtures that would use far more water and heating energy than previously allowed.

Brynn Furey, Energy Conservation and Efficiency Associate for Environment America, issued the following statement: 

“For decades, showerhead efficiency standards have created a win-win-win situation for consumers by saving energy, water and money. The Trump administration now threatens to undo that triple victory by rolling back these standards. While wildfires rage in California, hurricane after hurricane batters the Gulf coast and a climate change-induced megadrought settles across the western United States, dismantling policies that address water and energy overuse couldn’t come at a worse time.

Over 10,000 Americans joined us to urge the DOE to protect a simple, effective and consumer-friendly policy that helps our environment. Our showerheads may seem small, but they can help us save the planet. Let’s keep it that way.”

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