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Government Affairs

The U.S. Pump Industry is estimated to include 450+ manufacturers of various sizes operating in 38 states. U.S. pump sales are estimated at 10 Billion* annually and involve motorized pumps used in these industries.

The Hydraulic Institute represents over 85% of domestic manufacturers and is the leading voice of Pump Manufacturers, Suppliers and System Integrators in US. The industry includes the companies that manufacture general purpose pumps and pumping equipment (except fluid power pumps and motors), such as reciprocating pumps, turbine pumps, centrifugal pumps, rotary pumps, diaphragm pumps, domestic water system pumps, oil well and oil field pumps and sump pumps. View Distribution of U.S. Pump & Pumping Equipment Manufacturers Map.

HI’s regulatory and advocacy work tracks the issues that affect the industry and underpins the advances the Pump Industry has made in support of:

Energy Efficiency

Pumps are critical infrastructure and vital components of modern infrastructure. Efficient pumping systems are critical to achieving sustainability goals.

Certain Clean Water Pumps

HI works with members and others, to create consensus on the technical parameters and efficiency standards among manufacturers, energy advocates and other stakeholders. In 2016 the US Department of Energy (DOE) issued the first-ever Energy Conservation Standard for certain Clean Water Pumps. Since 2011, the Hydraulic Institute has led the effort to organize the pump industry by facilitating the data gathering and standards development required for rulemaking process and negotiate the final rule with the DOE on behalf of the industry.

In 2020, DOE began the review process to update the regulations.  Review DOE notices to see the most up to date information and DOE updates to the regulation:

Pump Energy Index Calculator for Certain Clean Water Pumps

For pumps within the scope of the clean water pump final rule, HI has developed a calculator to determine the Pump Energy Index (PEI) of a single pump tested to the appropriate section of the Uniform Test Procedure.

The Hydraulic Institute also has standards and programs to support the clean water pump regulations and accelerate the adoption of energy efficient pumping solutions. The Regulatory Related Programs PDF is a series of three white papers summarizing the DOE regulation for certain clean water pumps and related test lab approval and energy rating programs.

Government Affairs

Circulator Pumps

On November 30, 2016 a 15 member Appliance Standards & Rulemaking Federal Advisory Committee (ASRAC) working group for circulator pumps has concluded its work in development of Term Sheets, recommending standard levels and test procedures for pumps. In 2021, DOE restarted the public process of moving the terms sheets to a regulation.  Review the DOE notices to see the most up to date information regarding DOE’s activities on related to regulations for circulator pumps. 

DOE Notices

Dedicated Purpose Pool Pumps

The U.S. DOE has published a Direct Final Rule and Test Procedure Final Rule for Dedicated Purpose Pool Pumps.  The test procedure effective date is September 6, 2017 and the compliance to the test procedure for representations of the Weighted Energy Factor (WEF) and other test procedure metrics is required on or after February 5, 2018.  Compliance with the Direct Final Rule is required on July 19, 2021. Review the DOE notices to see the most up to date information.

dOE Notices

Domestic Manufacturing

  • Domestic Content Requirements – Updated Feb 22, 2021

    HI On Feb 22, 2021 a change to the Federal Acquisition Regulation was implemented: Maximizing Use of American-Made Goods, Products, and Materials (84 FR 34257).

    Affects Government markets (buildings, prisons, etc.) and related applications (HVAC, booster, fire pumps, etc.).

    Keys for Pump Industry: Increased the domestic content requirements for “domestic end products” and “domestic construction materials” to:

    95% for predominantly iron and steel products (excluding COTS fasteners); and
    55% for all other products and materials;
    Effectively repeals application of COTS exception to predominantly iron and steel products

    Effects solicitation terms issued on or after February 22, 2021 and resultant contracts.

    For Pump Manufacturers – This means:
    Bare pumps now need to meet 95% US iron or steel requirements
    Pump/Motor and Pump/Motor/Drive packages have traditionally used the COTS exemption now need to calculate the % of the final product to ensure it is 55% domestic.
    Expect to see an increase in requests to certify content origin and percentages as this flows through project specification.

Complicated Mandates & Impact

With global supply chains and increasing domestic content requirements for federally funded programs, navigating the mandates and the markets they apply to can be a challenge for pump manufacturers. Learn more about the complicated mandates and impact in our infogram.

Download

Advocacy Activities

HI provides comments on current regulatory and legislative issues:

  • Section 301 Waiver Request

    On October 5, 2021, USTR announced that it was starting a review to possibly reinstate 549 previously-extended exclusions (86 FR 56345).

    HI requested the reinstatement of Section 301 exclusions for certain pump products that were all previously eligible for exclusion.

    View comments by Hydraulic Institute.

  • Process Rule – Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR)

    NOPR revises the process DOE uses to develop energy conservation standards and test procedures.

    Hydraulic Institute Submitted 7 Comments on May 27, 2021 related to the following:

    1. General Guidance Assertion
    2. RFI and ANOPR Requirements
    3. 180 Day Mandate
    4. Case-By-Case Basis
    5. Non-binding Process Rule
    6. Legally Enforceable Rights
    7. Significant Conservation

    All public comments can be accessed at the docket links below.

    Important Information:

  • General Pump Test Procedure – Request for Information (RFI)

    Initial data request from DOE as part of the mandatory 6-year review of test procedures required by law.  Areas of importance include:

    • Covered pump types that fall out-of-scope
      • Data request indicates DOE is considering a scope expansion
      • HI member survey is being conducted to collect data
    • DOE requests comments on use of alternate motor/VFD calculation methods
      • CA IOUs have requested motor/VFD loss calculations use AMCA-207
      • The committee is developing updated/new loss coefficients while maintaining the same calculation methodology
    • Test Standard
      • The committee supports incorporation of HI 40.6-2021 and ANSI/HI 14.1-14.2-2019
    • Small vertical in-line pumps (SVIL)
      • If SVILs become a regulated product, the committee supports them being included as a pump category in the general pumps rule and not with circulator pumps

    Important Information:

  • Circulator and SVIL – Request for Information (RFI)

    Initial DOE action to restart rulemaking of circulators and SVIL products after the 2016 ASRAC Circulator Pump Work Group (CPWG). HI Committee currently meeting weekly to develop comments on 47 request for information. Areas of importance include:

    • Small vertical in-line pumps (SVIL)
      • If SVILs become a regulated product, the committee supports them being included as a pump category in the general pumps rule and not with circulator pumps
    • Test Procedure/Standard
      • DOE should reference and incorporate the updates made in HI 41.5
      • DOE should incorporate by reference HI 40.6-2021
    • CPWG Term Sheets
      • Committee generally agrees with CPWG term sheets except updates made in HI 41.5
      • Current market data should be considered in DOE’s Engineering Analysis.

    Important Information:

In addition to letters and comments, HI’s Advocacy activities include:

  • Annual legislative visits where a HI Delegation meets with Legislators on behalf of HI
  • Support of HI member advocacy efforts to maintain effective relationships with their legislators;
  • Participation in industry coalitions; lobbying on legislative issues, administrative policies and regulations that impact manufacturers of pumps and pump system equipment.
  • Members interested in working with HI’s Government Affairs Committee and helping craft HI’s advocacy agenda should contact Michael Michaud at mmichaud@pumps.org.

To support the needs of its members, HI also has related activities: