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Senate advances bill to tighten plumbing flow rates, sponsor cites 16,000 acre-feet savings by 2030
Summary
Senate Bill 73, sponsored by Senator Iwamoto, would lower flow rates for selected plumbing fixtures in new construction and remodels to conserve water; sponsor estimated roughly 16,000 acre-feet saved annually by 2030 and cited WaterSense standards; the bill advanced to third reading after floor debate (21–6).
Senator Iwamoto presented Senate Bill 73 to reduce maximum flow rates for selected plumbing fixtures in new construction and remodels, framing the measure as a step to bolster drought resilience and long‑term water conservation.
"This bill relates to new constructions and remodels and modifies provisions related to plumbing fixtures and fixture fittings," Iwamoto said on the floor, describing proposed limits that would reduce toilets from 1.6 to 1.28 gallons per flush, urinals from 1 to 0.5 gallons per flush, shower heads from 2.5 to 2.0 gallons per minute and faucets from 2.2 to 1.5 gallons per minute. He cited a presentation by the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District and said adopting the bill "will create significant water savings for the state," noting an estimate that "By 2030, it is estimated that 16,000 acre feet can be saved per year."
Senator Andrick and others questioned whether the International Building Code had already adopted these standards and whether the bill would create a patchwork for jurisdictions. Iwamoto responded that while the building-code process was supportive, the measures had not yet been adopted statewide and the bill aims to accelerate adoption. Senator Buxton, speaking from the home‑builder industry perspective, raised concerns about past problems after large reductions in fixture flows and asked whether sewer districts had been involved; Iwamoto said sewer districts have been active in review and reported seeing no problems in other states.
Sponsors and backers said the bill aligns with WaterSense guidance and the state’s water conservation goals; supporters noted the change would apply only to new construction and remodels and would not force homeowners to replace existing fixtures.
The Senate voted to advance SB 73 to the third reading calendar by roll call (21 'yay', 6 'nay', 2 absent). The bill materials cited third‑party WaterSense testing and stakeholder engagement from water conservancy districts and the plumbing advisory committee.
Next steps: SB 73 will be considered on third reading; if passed, it would apply to new construction and remodels according to the language described on the floor.
