Toilets

THE PRODUCT:

Toilets (also known as water closets) include tank-type toilets that are either gravity or pressure assist and either single- or dual-flush.

THE STANDARD:

The current national standards for toilets took effect in 1994 and set a maximum water use of 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf). In 2010, DOE officially waived federal preemption of the national toilet standard. This waiver of federal preemption allows states to set standards provided they are more stringent than the national standard.

Since 2007, 12 states have adopted standards for toilets at 1.28 gpf, which is equivalent to EPA’s WaterSense level.

KEY FACTS:

Toilets are one of the primary users of water in the home, accounting for 26% of an average home's indoor water usage, according to a 2016 Water Research Foundation study. In the U.S., there are an average of two toilets per home.

Timeline

Federal	Date	States
	2024	MD Standard Effective
	2023	ME Standard Effective
	2023	RI Standard Effective
	2022	MD Standard Adopted
	2022	DC Standard Effective
	2022	NY Standard Effective
	2022	MA Standard Effective
	2022	NJ Standard Effective
	2021	ME Standard Adopted
	2021	RI Standard Adopted
	2021	MA Standard Adopted
	2021	NJ Standard Adopted
	2021	WA Standard Effective
	2020	DC Standard Adopted
	2020	NV Standard Effective
	2019	NY Standard Adopted
	2019	NV Standard Adopted
	2019	WA Standard Adopted
	2016	CO Standard Effective
	2016	CA Standard Effective
	2015	CA Standard Adopted
	2014	CO Standard Adopted
	2014	CA Standard Effective
	2014	TX Standard Effective
	2012	GA Standard Effective
	2010	GA Standard Adopted
	2009	TX Standard Adopted
	2007	CA Standard Adopted
1st Federal Standard Effective	1994
EPACT Initial Federal Legislation Enacted	1992
1st Federal Standard Adopted (Congress)	1992

Timeline reflects state standards from 2001 to present; federal standards from inception to present.

THE PRODUCT:

THE STANDARD:

KEY FACTS:

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Timeline