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Release date: 06/23/2008
Contact Information: David Sternberg,
215-814-5548 sternberg.david@epa.gov
PHILADELPHIA (June 23, 2008) To protect our nation's water supply for future
use, the Environmental Protection Agency is promoting and enhancing the market
for water efficient products through the WaterSense program. The latest is a
draft specification for water-efficient new single-family homes. The specification
will create standards that new homes must meet to be certified and labeled as
WaterSense homes.
“WaterSense is a common sense ethic of efficiency for protecting water, America's
most important liquid asset. WaterSense certified homes will help homeowners
save water, money and energy, and communities will have an important new tool
for sustainable growth and water efficiency,” said Donald S. Welsh, regional
administrator for EPA's mid-Atlantic region.
The specification is designed to ensure sustainable, efficient water use, as
well as a high level of performance and customer satisfaction. WaterSense labeled
new homes will combine with other water efficient fixtures and practices to
reduce water usage by approximately 20 percent.
Homes earning the WaterSense label must meet criteria for indoor water use,
outdoor water use, and homeowner education. Third party inspectors will certify
that homes meet all the required criteria.
EPA is inviting public comment on the draft specification. The comment period
will end July 21, 2008. Please send any comments or suggestions to watersense-newhomes@erg.com
For more information or to obtain a copy of the draft specification for water
efficient single-family new homes, go to: http://www.epa.gov/watersense/specs/homes.htm
Topping
off the gas tank can result in your paying for gasoline that is
fed back into the station's tanks because your gas tank is full.
The gas nozzle automatically clicks off when your gas tank is full.
In areas of 
Gasoline
vapors are harmful to breathe. Gasoline vapors contribute to bad
ozone days and are a source of toxic air pollutants such as benzene.
Evaporation from the spillage of gas from overfilling can occur,
contributing to the air pollution problem. Remember you pay for
the gas that evaporates or is spilled on the ground. 
You
need extra room in your gas tank to allow the gasoline to expand.
If you top off your tank, the extra gas may evaporate into your
vehicle's vapor collection system. That system may become fouled
and will not work properly causing your vehicle to run poorly and
have high gas emissions. 
Topping
off your gas tank may foul the station's vapor recovery system.
Adding more gas after the nozzle has automatically shut off can
cause the station's vapor recovery system to operate improperly.
This contributes to the air pollution problem and may cause the
gas pump to fail to work for the next person.