Look for the WaterSense Logo

Appliance buyers have long looked for the EnergyStar label as a guide to choosing the best performance at the highest efficiency. Now the WaterSense label, also from the Environmental Protection Agency, delivers the same to service to consumers of water-using products, including toilets and faucets.

High-efficiency toilets with the WaterSense logo must be able to flush at least 350 grams of soybean paste with at least 20% less water than the current standard maximum of 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf). To earn the WaterSense mark, toilets must have a chemical-resistant flush valve flapper or seal to prevent leaks over time. See a list of WaterSense-labeled toilets.

High-efficiency lavatory faucets bearing the WaterSense logo have a flow of no more than 1.5 gallons per minute (gpm) at 60 pounds per square inch (psi) of water pressure. They must also have no less than 0.8 gallons per minute (gpm) at 20 pounds per square inch (psi) of water pressure to ensure they provide adequate flow for handwashing. See a list of WaterSense-labeled faucets.