Hardware Retailing The Industry's Source for Insights and Information
When customers are in the market to upgrade household plumbing products, many of them hope to reduce their water bills long term.
As more products are made with water conservation in mind, retailers can lead inquiring customers to products that benefit their wallets and the environment.
Hardware Retailing conducted a questionnaire for its January plumbing feature asking a panel of 15 retailers about their experience with plumbing products that incorporate technology. Many of the retailers we spoke with said their customers are often requesting plumbing products that save money, rather than seeking items that protect the environment.
Saving cash and helping the environment go hand-in-hand, however, because many environmentally friendly plumbing products save consumers money by reducing water usage, ultimately lowering consumer water bills.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency created the WaterSense program to help consumers identify water-efficient products that meet the EPA’s standards and conserve resources for the future.
Products that have the WaterSense label on them are bringing new technologies to consumers that are visually appealing and can replace inefficient water-wasting products.
The EPA’s website states that increasing costs in water, strict codes and regulations and customers seeking products with a higher performance have all contributed toward advancements for the WaterSense project.
According to the EPA, “The average American family of four uses 400 gallons of water per day. On average, approximately 70 percent of that water is used indoors, with the bathroom being the largest consumer.”
Retailers interested in selling WaterSense-labeled items can work with the EPA to get approved products in their stores.
To get more information about the WaterSense program, click here.
To search for water-efficient products, click here.
