CO Legislature Approves Bill, Phasing in the Sale of WaterSense Labeled Water Fixtures

More states are seeking to improve water efficiency by reducing flush volumes and flow rates. On Friday the Colorado Legislature approved Senate Bill 103, phasing in the sale of WaterSense labeled water fixtures on Third Reading. Governor John Hickenlooper is expected to sign the bill into law in the coming weeks.

With this legislation, Colorado joins Georgia, Texas, and California in mandating that only high-efficiency, performance-tested fixtures be sold. The goal of this type of legislation is to help ensure new homes and businesses are built to be water efficient from the start and will save a significant volume of water over time.

The Colorado legislation was not without controversy and failed to pass when first introduced in 2012. Things changed in 2014 when organizations like the Alliance for Water Efficiency and water providers and professionals across Colorado signed on in support. The measure is expected to save over 40,000 acre-feet of water in Colorado by 2050.