According to a document released by The White House, newly-inaugurated US President Donald Trump plans to roll back regulations governing sustainable kitchen and bathroom products, including water-saving shower heads.
In a document released on Monday, Trump outlined his immediate priorities upon his return to office. In an effort to “make America affordable and energy dominant again” the document said Trump plans to “empower consumer choice in vehicles, showerheads, toilets, washing machines, lightbulbs and dishwashers”.
The executive order will target regulations that limit water usage in such products. In the US, these federal regulations have been established to limit the flow rate of showerheads to save on water and energy consumption.
Currently, shower products are subject to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program, which certifies showerheads that meet performance requirements. These requirements include things such as flow, spray force and spray coverage.
Trump has been publicly complaining about US water pressure since as early as 2019. In August 2023, for example, he used a keynote speech at a South Carolina GOP dinner to have an extended rant about shower product regulations.
According to reports, Trump told the assembled diners: “You know I have this gorgeous head of hair – when I take a shower, I want water to pour down on me. When you go into these new homes with showers, the water drips down slowly, slowly.”
He continued: “It takes you 10 minutes to wash your hair. You know what you do? You just stay in the shower about 10 times longer than you would have, it’s the same, you probably use more water. I broke all that up.”
Aside from shower products, he has also repeatedly complained about energy and water saving toilets, which he previously claimed, “people are flushing 10 times, 15 times, as opposed to once”. At multiples points over the last six years, Trump has also complained about the lack of water used in dishwashers and washing machines.
During his first presidency, Trump forced the Department of Energy to ease up on established water conservation standards for showerheads. However, according to news reports, this failed to affect the product manufacturing process, and nearly all showerheads released during his time in office still adhered to standards set during the Obama administration.
Upon entering office, Trump’s successor, Joe Biden, reversed the eased water regulations. Now however, Trump says he plans to ease regulations to boost water flow again.
However, at the end of last year, the UK’s Bathroom Manufacturing Association helped spearhead a landmark declaration which saw some of the world’s top bathroom brands commit to cut billions of litres in water waste.
Some of those signatories were the heads of US companies, such as Kohler Co, who agreed at the time to advancing product innovations such as water-efficient toilets and touchless technology.
At the time, key global trade bodies also lent their support to the Windsor Declaration, such as The US National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) and Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI).
After signing the declaration, Bill Darcy Jr., global president and CEO of NKBA, commented: “The commitment to water efficiency and hygiene is more crucial now than ever.
“The NKBA is proud to stand alongside BMA and PMI in this mission, recognising that sustainable practices must be the new standard across the kitchen and bath industries. By collaborating, we’re setting a path forward for products that not only meet consumers’ needs but also contribute positively to our shared environmental challenges.”
It is unclear exactly when Trump plans to change regulations governing these products, but his executive order is believed to be signed in during the first few days of his presidency.