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Ornamental Water Features

Description

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) WaterSense® Home Specification

The EPA WaterSense New Home Specification states that:

The EPA WaterSense Home Specification does not have mandatory requirements for ornamental water features. However, if installed, these systems may contribute to the mandatory 30% efficiency requirement. Refer to the specific WaterSense Approved Certification Method (WACM) for specific requirements.

The following are recommended best practices:

It is recommended that ornamental water features installed, or sold as upgrades by the homebuilder must recirculate water and serve a beneficial use.

Ornamental water features, such as fountains, ponds, waterfalls, man-made streams, and other decorative water-related construction that are installed by the homebuilder should recirculate water and serve a beneficial use (e.g. wildlife habitat, stormwater management, and/or noise reduction).

The water consumption of an ornamental water feature can be reduced if smaller pumps, lower pumping rates, and/or pressure-reducing valves are used to reduce water flow. The higher the water flow, the more water wasted due to evaporation.  Ornamental water features should be supplied by recirculating the water from the feature itself, increasing its water efficiency.

Recirculating the water reduces the amount of potable water used in an ornamental feature and helps to maintain any plant growths in the feature. Two types of pumps are available for recirculating water—submersible pumps and surface (or line) pumps. Both are normally powered by standard household electrical current. Submersible pumps sit on the bottom of the pool or feature. They may have attachments that power fountain jets or sprays or that supply waterfalls or streams. Surface pumps are concealed near the pool or feature, and water is drawn from the feature and delivered to various outlets through plastic tubing. Surface pumps are not only more expensive than submersibles, but many also require extra plumbing.

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Contributors to this Guide

The following authors and organizations contributed to the content in this Guide.

U.S. EPA WaterSense

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Disclaimer

This content is a work created with funding provided by the United States Department of Energy under Contract no DE-AC05-076RL01830 for the operation of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The information and guidance provided by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in the content are intended solely for educational purposes only and do not constitute formal training or certification. It is provided with the explicit understanding that neither the United States Government nor the United States Department of Energy, nor the Contractor, nor any or their employees, nor any jurisdiction or organization that has cooperated in the development of these materials, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness or any information, apparatus, product, software, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof, or Battelle Memorial Institute. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. Viewers assumes full responsibility for all actions that they may take from information provided in this content including ensuring the safety, code compliance, and proper functionality of any products they choose to install. Installation and use of such products should be performed in accordance with local regulations and manufacturer instructions.