President Donald Trump just signed an executive order that would dramatically change how we use water in our homes. He ordered the energy secretary to repeal regulations that had been set during the administration of former President Barack Obama. Under the new directive, consumer safety and environmental protections would be rolled back by eliminating the existing restrictions on showerheads. It aims to raise the 2.5 gallons per minute cap, which was set by the 1992 energy bill.
It’s great to see the White House focusing on a laudable imperative, to make American showers terrific for everyone. It claims to support consumer choice, by allowing consumers to pick their showerhead without federal government involvement. According to administration officials, the current regulations serve “a radical green agenda that made life worse for Americans.” The intent behind these changes is to return to a “straightforward meaning” of ‘showerhead’ as outlined in the original law.
Obama’s restrictions were enacted through the Energy Conservation Program. In doing so, they zeroed in on the total water flow coming from multi-nozzle showers — not the flow from each individual nozzle. A big part of the problem, critics—most vocally Trump—argue, were the limitations that created low water pressure. This turned previously simple things like wetting his hair into a 20-minute process.
“No longer will showerheads be weak and worthless.” – The White House
To emphasize their focus on cutting costs and drinking water standards, the administration has dubbed their effort a “war on water pressure.” We hope they succeed in rolling back unnecessary regulations that have made a simple household item into a bureaucratic boondoggle. In fact, the Trump administration has long complained that the existing flow restrictions are overly restrictive. He even gave me a metric time measurement — like, only taking eight seconds to wet his hair in the shower.
The energy secretary will issue a notice of proposed rulemaking to withdraw the Trump-administration definition of showerhead. This amendment will go into effect 30 days after that publication. We think this new approach will not only give consumers much more choice, but make planning daily routines much easier for millions of Americans.
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