Replacement Shower Head Flow Rate Requirements
In 1992, a federal mandate limited the amount of water that could flow from a replacement shower head to 2.5 gallons per minute (GPM). Some state and local governments mandate even lower GPM flow rates than the federal regulation.
The table below shows the maximum flow rate for a replacement shower head that can be sold at retail in various states/regions within the US:
| State | Current Max Flow Rate For Retail Sales of Replacement Shower Heads* | Planned Changes |
|---|---|---|
| California | 1.8 GPM | None |
| Colorado | 2.0 GPM | None |
| Hawaii | 1.8 GPM | None |
| Maine | 2.5 GPM | Moving to 1.8 GPM for all products manufactured on or after 1/1/23 |
| Maryland | 2.5 GPM | Moving to 2.0 GPM for all products sold on or after 1/1/24 |
| Massachusetts | 2.0 GPM | None |
| New Jersey | 2.0 GPM | None |
| New York | 1.8 GPM | None |
| Oregon | 1.8 GPM | None |
| Rhode Island | 2.0 GPM | None |
| Vermont | 2.0 GPM | None |
| Washington | 1.8 GPM | None |
| All states not shown | 2.5 GPM | TBD |