Federal Laws and Regulations

Federal Energy and Water Conservation Directives

Recent federal laws and regulations require Federal agencies to reduce water use and improve water efficiency by establishing specific water conservation targets as well as through new water management and reporting requirements.

• Executive Order 13514 (8Oct2009) Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance, extends and expands upon the water reduction and sustainability requirements of E.O 13423. For more information click Here.

• Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (19Dec2007) establishes a framework for facility project management and benchmarking.

• Draft Guidance:  Implementation and Follow-up of Identified Energy and Water Efficiency Measures in Covered Facilities (15Dec2010); comments on this draft guidance are due by 10Jan2011

• Executive Order 13423 (29Mar2007) Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management, establishes goals to reduce water consumption by 2 percent (gallons per square foot) annually through 2015 with a base year of 2007.

• Instructions for Implementing Executive Order 13423 (PDF 150KB). DOE supplemental guidance to help achieve the water goals and reporting requirements of E.O. 13423 (dated Mar 29, 2007).

• Establishing Baseline and Meeting Water Conservation Goals of Executive Order 13423 (PDF 211KB). FEMP supplemental guidance for: 

• Baseline development,

• Efficiency opportunity identification/ implementation, and
• Necessary reporting

• The EPA’s Water Sense Office’s updated BMP's developed to help agency personnel achieve water conservation goals of E.O. 13423.

• FedCenter

• Regulations, Guidance, and Policy

• Supporting Information and Tools

• Lessons Learned

• Training, Presentations, and Briefings

• Conferences and Events

• Executive Order 13123 (1999 - superseded by EO 13423) Required all federal sites to develop a water management plan that includes appropriate operations and maintenance practices, as well as implement cost effective water-efficiency retrofits as described through the FEMP Water Efficiency Best Management Practices (BMP).

• Actions You Can Take Now to Save Water and Reduce Costs (FEMP). There are a multitude of simple low- and no-cost operations and maintenance (O&M) opportunities that can save significant amounts of water. This fact sheet covers O&M savings opportunities for common water-using equipment at federal sites, including plumbing fixtures, irrigation, cooling towers, and single-pass cooling equipment.

Historical Federal Energy Directives

Federal laws and regulations require Federal agencies to meet multiple energy management requirements relating to energy efficiency, renewable energy, water conservation, and alternative fuel use.

• National Energy Conservation Policy Act - Fully Amended  (1978) serves as the underlying authority for Federal energy management goals and requirements.

• Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct 1992) amended the National Energy Conservation Policy Act (NECPA) and established several energy management goals.

• Executive Order 13221 Energy Efficient Standby Power Devices (2001), calls for Federal agencies to purchase products that use minimal standby power when possible.

• Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005) codified national goals for DoD installations to design and implement water efficiency Best Management Practices (BMPs) and develop a water management plan.