'WaterSense' Spec's released today by the EPA!

http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/778EA162223967EC85257688004D543D
Contact: Enesta Jones, jones.enesta@epa.gov 202-564-7873, 202-564-4355

http://www.epa.gov/watersense/spaces/new_homes.html#area

The first link is the Announcement By Date from the EPA. The second link is the specification and information page regarding specifications (spec's in the building/regulatory world) for a WaterSense home.

The EPA worked with Stakeholders (builders, construction, business, etc) to design the 'WaterSense' home spec's.

Here is a link to the 213 pages, listing the participating stakeholders This is what happens when wisdom concerning the environment and business [progress] come together!
http://www.epa.gov/watersense/Meet_Our_Partners.html

Homes that earn the "WaterSense" label will be using 10,000 gallons less. This will reflect financial savings that pay for the up front cost of purchase and installation. WaterSense is also engineered to work well with other energy efficient plans such as, LEED and ENERGY STAR.

The Specification and Information from the second link is a page filled with resources, work sheets, calculators, quizzes, activities and more links to information.

Keep in mind the $1,500.00 Tax Credits available until 12/31/10 for non-business structures. In 2009, Congress and the President extended the Energy Tax Credit to those who are willing to implement these energy and money saving features to their homes.
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=214979,00.html

For many States to implement the WaterSense as well as other Energy reduction programs by the citizens means a loss in 'franchise' and other municipal taxes that benefit the states, cities and other municipalities.

Hopefully, this type of thinking will trickle down to more States in the form of credits and rebates for saving energy. It is important to reduce energy consumption, and by doing the right thing, it's citizen-taxpayers will have more money to spend on retail goods and services.