How Low-Flow Can You Go with Plumbing Fixtures?

Water scarcity has become one of our biggest environmental concerns. In the southwestern U.S. and California, there is now serious competition for water for agriculture, manufacturing, recreation, and basic human needs.

In response to the growing water shortage, California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen) was updated in January 2017, further lowering the amount of water that can be used for residential faucets while maintaining its already low-flow standards for toilets, urinals, and showerheads. Making fixtures more water efficient is not always a simple fix, however. Higher water flows may be necessary for safety reasons—and even for some plumbing fixtures to function in larger buildings.