WaterSense Showerhead Certification: What the Label Requires

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WaterSense showerhead certification is EPA’s voluntary check on whether a showerhead uses less water and still performs acceptably. A WaterSense certified showerhead is one that has passed that check. The label is the one shoppers see on a box, and it is the reason many state and local codes point to a flow number that sits well below the federal ceiling. This article explains what the certification covers, what the 2.0 gallon per minute limit means in practice, and what the sources do not say about the process behind the label.

Quick answer

• EPA says products that carry the WaterSense label “must be independently certified to ensure they meet EPA water efficiency and performance criteria.”
• To earn the label, a showerhead “must demonstrate that they use no more than 2.0 gpm,” according to EPA’s showerhead page.
• The federal ceiling for showerheads made after January 1, 1994 is 2.5 gallons per minute, measured at 80 psi, under the federal code text in 10 CFR 430.32.
• New York’s GreenNY specification asks for replacement showerheads that are WaterSense certified at a maximum of 2.0 gpm and encourages flows as low as 1.5 gpm.
• Washington’s state plumbing code sets a stricter 1.8 gpm limit at 80 psi and also requires that showerheads be certified to the WaterSense specification.

What the label certifies

The WaterSense program is voluntary. A manufacturer chooses to apply for the label, and the product is then judged against a written specification. EPA’s showerhead page describes the label as a mark that shows a product is “independently certified,” which is a different thing from a manufacturer simply stating a flow number on packaging. The phrase used on the EPA page is that products bearing the label must be independently certified to ensure they meet EPA water efficiency and performance criteria.

The same page explains the application route. Showerhead makers that meet EPA’s efficiency and performance criteria can apply to have their products certified to earn the label. So the label is not a claim the company writes for itself. It is a result from an outside check against a published specification.

The flow limit is the part most shoppers notice first. EPA states that water-saving showerheads that earn the WaterSense label “must demonstrate that they use no more than 2.0 gpm.” That number is the headline figure for the label, but it is only one of the criteria. The specification also tests how the head performs, which is why the label is described as a performance mark and not only a flow mark. The EPA sources saved for this article do not list every test step, so this article does not describe the test procedure beyond what the page states.

The 2.0 gpm limit compared with the federal ceiling

The federal rule sets a higher ceiling than the label. The text of 10 CFR 430.32 says that showerheads manufactured after January 1, 1994 may use no more than 2.5 gallons per minute when measured at a flowing pressure of 80 pounds per square inch gage. The federal rule is a maximum for sale. The WaterSense label goes further by asking for 2.0 gpm.

The gap between 2.5 and 2.0 gpm is not a small one for a daily shower. At the same pressure, a head rated at 2.0 gpm delivers 20 percent less water per minute than a head at the federal ceiling. EPA’s supporting statement for the showerhead specification describes this difference in terms of savings. It says high-efficiency showerheads can save at least 20 percent compared to standard fixtures, and that the potential savings is more than 1,200 gallons per showerhead per year. That figure is EPA’s estimate in the supporting document, not a guarantee for any one home, since it depends on how long each person showers and on the water pressure at the fixture.

Flow and pressure interact. A lower rated flow does not always mean a weaker spray, because the certification tests performance as well as volume. The sources in this article do not provide a table of spray force for certified models, so a shopper should not treat the flow number as a measure of how strong the shower will feel.

Version history of the specification

The specification has been revised. According to EPA’s showerhead page, the EPA released Version 1.0 on March 4, 2010, and in July 2018 it released a revised version, Version 1.1, which replaces Version 1.0. The EPA’s 2018 version document describes its changes as minor and says they clarify the existing requirements. A product certified under an older version and a product certified under Version 1.1 should therefore be read against the version named on the product or in the certification record, if the manufacturer provides one.

The version history matters because state and local rules often name the specification without saying which version applies. Washington’s code, for example, requires showerheads to be certified to the performance criteria of the WaterSense specification, without naming a version number in the section saved for this article. A buyer checking a product against a code should look for the WaterSense mark and, where available, the certification record that names the specification version.

How state codes use the label

Several states and cities have written the WaterSense specification into their rules, and each does it differently. The State of New York’s GreenNY specification for plumbing fixtures asks that showerheads replaced during regular maintenance be upgraded to low flow units certified by WaterSense with a maximum flow of 2.0 gpm. The same page says entities are encouraged to replace all existing showerheads with showerheads with flows as low as 1.5 gpm. Those two sentences are different requirements: one is a floor for replacement work, and the other is an encouragement.

Washington’s rule is stricter on the number. Section 408.2 of the state’s plumbing code, as saved for this article, says showerheads shall meet the maximum flow rate of 1.8 gallons per minute measured at 80 psi. It then says showerheads shall be certified to the performance criteria of the U.S. EPA WaterSense Specification for Showerheads. So a showerhead can meet the federal 2.5 gpm ceiling and the WaterSense 2.0 gpm cap and still fail the Washington figure.

These examples show why a single label does not answer every local question. A buyer in New York, Washington, or any other state should check the rule that applies to the building, not only the label on the box. Local building departments and state code offices make those decisions, and this article does not cover every jurisdiction.

What to check when you shop

Use a short checklist. First, look for the WaterSense mark on the box or product page, since the label is the thing EPA says is independently certified. Second, find the rated flow and check that it is 2.0 gpm or less. Third, if you live under a state or local code, find the number that code sets, because it may be lower than 2.0 gpm. Washington’s 1.8 gpm figure is one example. Fourth, check the pressure at which the rating is given. The federal rule measures at 80 psi, and the Washington section also uses 80 psi, so a rating given at another pressure is harder to compare.

It also helps to confirm that the product is for showers and not a handheld or accessory with a different rule. The Washington section in the saved text covers showerheads, and its exception language about shower outlets controlled by a single valve shows that the combined flow of multiple outlets can matter. A product with more than one spray outlet should be checked as a whole.

What we could not verify

The sources saved for this article do not name the outside laboratories or certification bodies that test products. EPA’s page says products must be independently certified, but the saved text does not list who does that testing. The sources also do not give a current list of certified models, so this article does not name brands or models.

The sources do not give prices, warranty terms, or long-term durability for certified showerheads. They also do not say how the label affects water heater energy use in a particular home, beyond the general point that less hot water flow can mean less heated water. A buyer who wants those answers will need a separate source.

Finally, the sources do not settle whether every state has adopted the WaterSense specification. The New York and Washington texts are two examples. Any state not covered here should be checked directly.

For a plain-language version of the same label, read what the WaterSense label means on a shower head. For the water savings the label is meant to deliver, see how much water a WaterSense shower head can save.

How we chose these sources

This article uses EPA pages and EPA’s specification and supporting documents for the label itself, the federal code text for the 2.5 gpm ceiling, and two state government sources for the stricter rules in New York and Washington. No retail, blog or manufacturer page is used for any figure in this article. Where a source is an archived EPA copy, the article says so.

FAQ

Does the WaterSense label mean a showerhead is better?

The label means the product met EPA’s efficiency and performance criteria through independent certification. It does not rank one certified model above another, and the sources saved here do not compare models.

Is 2.0 gpm the same as the federal limit?

No. The federal rule in 10 CFR 430.32 allows up to 2.5 gpm at 80 psi for showerheads made after January 1, 1994. The WaterSense label asks for 2.0 gpm or less.

Do state rules always match the label?

No. Washington’s code uses 1.8 gpm at 80 psi, and New York’s GreenNY specification encourages flows as low as 1.5 gpm. Check the rule for your building.

Where can I see a list of certified showerheads?

The sources saved for this article do not include a current model list, so this article does not name one. Check EPA’s WaterSense site for the current list.

Sources

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, WaterSense Showerheads, https://www.epa.gov/watersense/showerheads (opened 2026-10-30). The page states it was last updated March 3, 2026.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, WaterSense Specification for Showerheads, Version 1.1 (PDF), https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-07/documents/ws-products-specification-showerheads-v1-1.pdf (opened 2026-10-30).
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, WaterSense Showerheads supporting statement (PDF), https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/www3/watersense/docs/showerhead_suppstat508.pdf (opened 2026-10-30). Archived EPA copy.
• U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, 10 CFR 430.32 (federal showerhead maximum), via the U.S. Government Publishing Office, https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2024-title10-vol3/xml/CFR-2024-title10-vol3-sec430-32.xml (opened 2026-10-30).
• New York State Office of General Services, GreenNY Showerheads, https://ogs.ny.gov/greenny/showerheads (opened 2026-10-30). State government source.
• Washington State Legislature, WAC 51-56-0400 (state plumbing code, showerheads), https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/Law/WAC/WAC%20%2051%20%20TITLE/WAC%20%2051%20-%2056%20%20CHAPTER/WAC%20%2051%20-%2056%20-0400.htm (opened 2026-10-30). State government source.