As the U.S. member body to the International Organization for Standardization, the American National Standards Institute encourages its members and relevant stakeholders to comment on an ISO new work item proposal focused on water efficient products - banding, by close of business on Dec. 8.

The proposal, submitted by Standards Australia, provides details to develop an international standard for "Water Efficient Products: Test Requirements, Water Efficiency Banding" to indicate water efficiency of water fittings and appliances for consumer labeling and other purposes.

The scope of the ISO standard will cover the following:

• Water efficiency bandings for the specified plumbing products and appliances.
• Key test requirements for individual plumbing products and appliances, and determination to derive a water efficiency banding.

As noted in the scope document, the proposal aligns with goals outlined by the United Nations Division for Sustainable Development. The UN's Sustainable Development Goal 6 is to “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all,” and notes that access to safe water and sanitation and sound management of freshwater ecosystems are essential to human health and to environmental sustainability and economic prosperity.

According to the proposal, an international standard would facilitate formal harmonization of water efficiency labeling and serve as the basis for an ISO label that would link individual national schemes into a system that consumers and business can understand, and one that is multi-national. Additionally, an international standard would encourage the development and marketing of water-efficient products, enable consumers to clearly identify and purchase the best products within the industry, and positively influence manufacturing to improve the performance of products through consumer power and information.

All interested stakeholders can review the proposal, which includes a listing of relevant products, existing documents at the international, regional, and national levels, and stakeholder categories.

Please submit comments to Steve Cornish, ANSI senior director of international policy, (scornish@ansi.org) by close of business on December 8, 2017. Based on the input received, the AIC will then approve an ANSI position and comments, which will be submitted to ISO before the January 17, 2018 deadline for voting on this proposal.

ANSI has published an explanatory information document outlining the process used to develop U.S positions on issues and activities under consideration by ISO and IEC.