The Energy Policy Act: Assessing Its Impact on Utilities

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Abstract
With passage of the federal Energy Policy Act in 1992, the United States will have uniform water efficiency standards for nearly all toilets, urinals, showerheads, and faucets manufactured after January 1994. Based on the combination of fixtures of different ages now in use, the average 2.63‐person household uses about 121 gal/day for toilets, showerheads, and faucets. This will probably drop to about 55 gal/day by 2026 as the pre‐1994 generation of fixtures is replaced by the post‐1994 stock. The reduced water demand and wastewater volumes will influence policy and planning decisions of utilities. Some systems may need to determine the age and water demand of representative plumbing fixtures used in the community to determine conditions that will affect future demand. Oversized meters may need to be replaced to accommodate lowered water usage. The author proposes that all toilet manufacturers be required after 1994 to provide a minimum 10‐year leak‐free guarantee on all toilets produced. Use of treatment chemicals, utility demand for energy, and related energy combustion emissions are all expected to decrease with reduced water consumption.