Commercial / Institutional

To improve water efficiency, please consider these tips:

  • Review water usage for your facility. By analyzing several years of water consumption data, patterns of use can be identified, and you might even discover evidence of a leak.

  • Upgrade to water efficient equipment and products or consider whether you have options to switch to a waterless or more water efficient process.

  • Re-think landscaping and stick to native or water-smart plants. Avoid planting grass in narrow strips along street or parking areas or along slopes since water will run into the street. Find a large variety of landscape options at ElPasoDesertBlooms.org.

  • Communicate with your employees, contractors, customers or clients to let them know that water efficiency is a priority and shared responsibility in your organization.

  • Request a water survey from EPWater to assess your water use. Surveys are available if you meet minimum criteria on either irrigation or water consumption.

  • Double-check to make sure you are following the water efficiency requirements in the 2015 International Plumbing Codes (IPC), adopted by the City of El Paso.


Below are the maximum fixture flow rate guidelines in the IPC and for Watersense.

Plumbing Fixture or
Fixture Fitting
 IPC Maximum
Flow Rate
 WaterSense Maximum
Flow Rate
 Lavatory faucet, private  2.2 gpm 1.5 gpm
 Lavatory faucet, public 0.5 gpm -
 Lavatory faucet, public metered  0.25 gpm -
 Showerhead 2.5 gpm
2.0 gpm
 Sink faucet 2.2 gpm 1.5 gpm
 Toilet 1.6 gpf 1.28 gpf
 Urinal 1.0 gpf 0.5 gpf


Commercial Sector Efficiency Tips

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Significant water use by office buildings, schools, hotels, hospitals, restaurants, and other commercial and institutional facilities can be reduced with the help of EPA’s WaterSense Program. The program offers a variety of resources to assist these high water sectors manage their facilities to save water, energy, and operating costs.

EPA offers water conservation guidance for the following types of facilities here.

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