President Trump recently signed an executive order aimed at loosening restrictions on water flow from American shower heads. The order directs Energy Secretary Chris Wright to rescind a definition of shower heads first implemented by President Barack Obama. This move restores language from a 1992 federal law that limited shower heads to 2.5 gallons per minute. Some states, such as California and Colorado, as well as New York City, have imposed even lower rates.
The Obama administration had ordered the 2.5-gallon limit to apply to each shower head, not each nozzle. During his first term, Mr. Trump redefined what constitutes a shower head, allowing each nozzle to pump out 2.5 gallons with no restrictions on the total number of nozzles. This rule was later reversed by the Biden administration.
Mr. Trump has long complained about low water pressure in bathrooms, particularly in New York City high-rises. He argued that his showers did not supply enough water for his hair care routine. The White House stated that “no longer will shower heads be weak and worthless.”
The new executive order is unlikely to significantly impact manufacturers, as few took advantage of the previous Trump rule, and some opposed it. It remains unclear what effect, if any, Mr. Trump’s new executive order will have.
— new from The New York Times
