CLASP’s 2021 report titled “In-depth Assessment of Water Efficiency Opportunities in South Africa” found that standards for taps and showerheads could address the country’s linked water and energy crises by reducing the use of water and electricity needed to heat some of that water. As a next step, the report recommended a gap analysis between the various South African National Standards that were perceived to require high flow rates, in contrast to international trend of standards requiring decreasing flow rates in support of sustainability.

This study aims to clear the way for a water efficiency labelling program to be introduced in South Africa. The South African Water and Sanitation Master Plan 10.1, published by the Department of Water and Sanitation, indicates that a water efficiency labeling scheme will be established by 2025. In response to this goal, the SABS Special Committee, TC0138/SC02, participated in the International Standards Organization project (ISO/PC 316) to develop an ISO standard for water labeling systems. The SABS considers the ISO standard, once published, to be applied to establish a water efficiency labeling program in South Africa.

To establish such a water efficiency labeling program, there must be uniformity between the requirements of all related SANS standards and international tap standards. Therefore, the gap analysis performed in this study aims to present recommendations to allow for such uniformity.

The gap analysis was performed by recording and collating all flow rate requirements and test conditions for determining the flow rates and was done for all SANS tap and SANS installation standards with flow rate requirements. Similarly, the requirements from international standards that could influence the taps supplied in South Africa have been recorded and collated.

The differences in flow rates, test methods, and testing conditions have been evaluated and modeled to allow for a single reference to compare all requirements. This modeling aimed to establish the likelihood that taps tested internationally, at the test conditions applicable to the country of origin, would comply with the equivalent requirements of the applicable SANS standard.

This study indicated several misalignments between SANS and international standards. The project team’s view is that these misalignments could be addressed effectively through amendments of the selected requirements of the SANS standards. This report provides recommendations on how flow rates should be evaluated to determine appropriate flow rate requirements.