Executive Order 14264: Maintaining Acceptable Water Pressure in Showerheads
President: Donald J. Trump
Directed Energy to rescind the multi-nozzle showerhead interpretation and return to the statutory definition and 2.5-gallon-per-minute standard applied per showerhead.
Status: In effect. Is Executive Order 14264 still in effect? Yes. Executive Order 14264 remains in effect. See Federal Register record.
What does Executive Order 14264 do?
Energy had to revise its showerhead interpretation, with any regulatory change proceeding through its own process.
Later primary evidence reviewed September 24, 2026: DOE issued a final rule removing its regulatory definition of 'showerhead' and identified this order as its authority; the underlying statutory water-use standard remained separate. Official source. The cited steps do not establish every downstream effect.
Reading the operative provisions of Executive Order 14264
EO 14264 tells the Energy Department to return to the statutory definition of a showerhead and the 2.5-gallon-per-minute limit, reversing an earlier interpretation that treated multiple nozzles in one unit differently. The order focuses on how the Energy Policy and Conservation Act’s standard is interpreted and applied. Its text is in the Federal Register publication of EO 14264.
The practical issue is how to count water flow for a product with several spray outlets. A narrower definition can make a multi-nozzle fixture subject to the same aggregate limit as a conventional showerhead. The order directs the department to take steps to implement that interpretation, but technical standards and enforcement depend on Energy Department regulations and compliance procedures. The presidential directive is not a product-by-product certification; manufacturers and sellers must check the operative regulatory text and any transition period.
Energy-efficiency standards are set under statute, which provides the department’s authority and rulemaking framework. Any change must be consistent with statutory definitions and applicable administrative procedures. Consumers may care about pressure and water use, but the order does not guarantee a particular shower experience or require a homeowner to replace an existing fixture. The measurable result is the standard that applies to covered products and how DOE enforces it. Reading the order with later agency rules avoids treating a policy announcement as a completed technical regulation.
Before and after
Before the order
Energy efficiency rules treated showerhead components under prior definitions and enforcement interpretations.
After the order
Energy changed its interpretation and pursued conforming regulatory action; manufacturers remain bound by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act and valid rules.
DOE issued a final rule removing its regulatory definition of 'showerhead' and identified this order as its authority; the underlying statutory water-use standard remained separate.
Who had to do what
| Agency / office | Action | Timing / position |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | Publish rescission and conforming interpretation | As soon as practicable |
| Energy | Take appropriate regulatory action | Rulemaking |
What happened next
EO 14264 signed.
Later primary evidence reviewed: DOE issued a final rule removing its regulatory definition of 'showerhead' and identified this order as its authority; the underlying statutory water-use standard remained separate.
Legal and source detail
How it works legally
The President cannot change the statute’s efficiency standard. Binding amendments require Energy to use EPCA authority and applicable Administrative Procedure Act process.
Sources by type
If a source is unavailable, first check the cited publisher or another official repository. The cited publisher remains the authority.
Primary and official sources
Orders, laws, court records and official implementation material.
- www.federalregister.gov (opens in a new tab) Official record
How we checked this
Last checked against the sources above on September 24, 2026. How we research →