Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker has signed into law Senate Bill 9: An Act Creating a Next Generation Roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy. In addition to other climate change-related policies, the legislation establishes new energy-efficiency requirements for commercial kitchen equipment, plumbing, and consumer appliances including faucets, residential ventilating fans, portable electric spas, showerheads, toilets, and water coolers.
According to the bill text:
- The flow rate of lavatory faucets and replacement aerators shall not be greater than 1.5 gallons per minute (gpm) at 60 pounds per square inch (psi).
- For sprayheads with independently controlled orifices and manual controls, the maximum flow rate of each orifice that manually turns on or off shall not exceed the maximum flow rate for a lavatory faucet.
- The flow rate of residential kitchen faucets and replacement aerators shall not be greater than 1.8 gpm with optional temporary flow of 2.2 gpm at 60 psi.
- The flow rate of public lavatory faucets and replacement aerators shall not be greater than 0.5 gpm at 60 psi.
- The flow rate of showerheads shall not be greater than 2.0 gpm at 80 psi.
- Urinals shall have a maximum flush volume of 0.5 gallons per flush (gpf).
- Water closets, except for dual-flush tank-type water closets, shall have a maximum flush volume of 1.28 gpf.
- Dual-flush tank-type water closets shall have a maximum effective flush volume of 1.28 gpf.
- Commercial dishwashers included in the scope of the ENERGY STAR Product Specification for Commercial Dishwashers, Version 2.0, shall meet the qualification criteria of that specification.
The bill further mandates that no new commercial dishwasher, faucet, showerhead, spray sprinkler body, urinal, water closet, or water cooler can be sold or offered for sale, lease, or rent unless the new product meets or exceeds the efficiency standards set forth in the regulations.
