logo
logo
search-icon

search

Policy

Advocating to ensure water efficiency and conservation is a national priority. Sustainable water use fosters healthier communities and economies, helps citizens and businesses save money, and strengthens ecosystems.

Policy Activities

Policy Priorities

AWE champions legislation, policy, and standards at the federal level to support investments in water-efficient products and programs. At the state and local levels, we work hand-in-hand with partners to advance regulatory solutions to water challenges. Each year, our policy priorities are approved by our Board of Directors and its policy committee and informed by our WaterSense Water Efficient Products Advisory Committee and ad-hoc working groups created to focus on specific topics.

2026 Policy Priorities

1. Defend Federal Water Efficiency Standards and Programs –  AWE is working with partners to defeat regulatory proposals and federal legislation that would weaken water and energy efficiency standards for plumbing fixtures and appliances. AWE is also working to ensure continued funding for the critically important, voluntary WaterSense and EnergyStar programs. See AWE’s fact sheet in support of WaterSense. 

2. Advocate for the Water Conservation Rebate Tax Parity Act – We will continue to lead efforts to end federal taxation of water conservation rebates, which will encourage conservation by reducing costs for recipients and administrative burdens for utilities. 

3. Support Continued Federal Funding for Water Efficiency – In addition to defending longstanding funding allocations, programs like the state revolving funds and the USBR’s WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants received significant funding increases through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill and the Inflation Reduction Act. AWE will support continued federal investment in these programs. 

Policy Activities

Legislative Watch

  • (Support) Water Conservation Rebate Tax Parity Act (H.R. 1871 / S. 857) – A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exclude from the recipient’s income certain conservation subsidies for water conservation, stormwater management measures, and wastewater management measures.
  • (Support) The Water Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Act of 2025. (H.R. 5566) – Reauthorize key programs that help communities strengthen drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems against climate change, extreme weather, and cybersecurity threats.
  • (Oppose) Shower Act (H.R. 4593) – In May 2025, the DOE adopted a rule intended to roll back the federal showerhead efficiency standard to allow multiple nozzles per showerhead, with each nozzle meeting the standard of 2.5 gallons per minute. Thus, a 3-nozzle showerhead, for example, could flow at 7.5 gpm, which would waste water, drive up water and energy bills, and result in many households running low on hot water. However, a multi-nozzle showerhead isn’t actually allowed under current law, and the definition DOE adopted doesn’t change that (contrary to Administration press releases claiming otherwise).  Now comes legislation, the Shower Act, that could potentially change the law to allow multi-nozzle showerheads. Proponents falsely claim that water-efficient showerheads cost more and don’t perform well and that high flow showerheads are cheaper and will save consumers money. The opposite is true.