New faucets are low flow. I think it is max 2.5 gpm flow at 80 psi pressure, or 2.2 gpm at 60 psi. Sometimes the aerator (at the tip of the spout, gives you a nice bubbly flow instead of a hard splashy flow) is designed to restrict the flow. Maybe some faucets have a different design.

The low flow requirement is to save energy (heating water), and water treatment capacity (for example, in Portland we are going to have to build a municipal water treatment facility, and the bigger they are, the more they cost) in addition to the source water itself. Like any conservation measure, what makes sense in the bigger picture can be annoying (or not) at the individual level.

As a separate issue, if a kitchen faucet has a sprayer on a hose (including a pull out) it will have a backflow preventer.

These are so that the faucet can't siphon contaminated water back into the municipal water system. Usually this is a concern with outside hose bibs attached to hoses whose open ends are laying God Knows Where. But I guess a pullout sprayer is in theory a risk too.

You can measure the faucet flow by timing how long it takes to deliver 1 gallon into a pot. If it takes X seconds, then divide 60 by X for the gallons per minute. Or, let it fill a pot for 1 minute and measure the result.

If the faucet is flowing 2.2 gpm or 2.5 gpm depending on your water pressure (I wouldn't worry about which one, it's not much difference) then the faucet is probably working as it was intended.

I don't know what kind of faucet you have. It can possibly be modified to increase the flow, but I doubt the plumber or faucet maker will help you do that. Warranty and maybe permit issues, etc.

On the uneven-ness, it is hard to say what to do without seeing how much it is out of level. Maybe post a picture of the level being held on the faucet and the bubble close up? Also, place the level on the vertical part of the spout, that should be an easier place to do an accurate measurement.

How much off-center, relative to the windows, is it? That sounds potentially aggravating. Is the sink also off-center? Is the faucet centered on the sink (was it supposed to be)? How are you defining ''center line''.

Ours flowed terribly. There is a little plastic disc you can remove. Shhh. Don't tell the EPA. We did this on all four of our faucets and now are happy and, while using more water, have saved on tissues from all the crying I would have done if that was what I had to live with.

Don't get me going on this subject I might end up being too political!

My advice...buy faucets that are made by companies like Grohe that are made overseas and therefore, have removable flow restrictors. Many American-made faucets make their restrictors virtually impossible to remove or won't tell you where they are so you can dig them out.

I do not see how anyone could live with the wimpy stream of water coming from these faucets, especially in kitchens or showers. It is ridiculous. Once you have made sure the faucet is working properly. do some research on this faucet and perhaps call the company and ask where the restrictor is located. Mine took about a minute to remove and what a huge difference! I was in heaven!!!

Hi,
I have a pair of Kohler Vinattas. They have an un-removable flow restrictor. Where the pull-down head screws onto the hose, there is a little swivel ball fitting with only a 1/8" hole about 3/8" in length for water. It can't be drilled out because the wall is so thin. It's really slow. My city water is only at 25 psi, so to fill the teakettle is a major investment in time. Being very familiar with the municipal water pressure limits, I decided pretty early on to invest in a potfiller. It flows twice as rapidly as the Vinattas, or any other newer, unmodified faucet. It is fed with its own 1/2" supply. The best use I have found is filling the humidifier tanks.
Casey

Wow - you guys have all been a TREMENDOUS help, thank you John (I too am in Portland), Sabjimata, Susan and Casey!! I will try filling a gallon of water and also - if absolutely nothing else works - will see if the restricter can be removed. I care greatly about the environment but this really, truly, is ridiculous.

The faucet is a Jaclo Steam Valve Original 10" wall-mounted faucet and I otherwise really love it (besides the fact that it's uneven and the levers were installed improperly - ahem).

I'm seriously questioning now whether this faucet even has a problem (in their eyes at least). I hope it does - I hope this isn't considered acceptable and that something else is the problem. That would SUCK, if it's just the way it's supposed to be.

Here's a pic of it flowing at "full speed" though I'm not sure you'll be able to gather much from the photo. While you're checking it out, it's also there to show you how the faucet's EVER-SO-SLIGHTLY uneven. In fact - though there's not a direct link below here - I'll also include one that shows the carpenter's level and the slightly off-center bubble:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/49559819@N00/4810222603/in/set-72157624195005445/

Here is a link that might be useful: Low H2O flow, and slightly uneven faucet

I looked at your picture.

Assuming the level was set on the faucet correctly, you should have the faucet leveled. The bubble is supposed to be fully within the two lines. If it were just overlapping one line and not quite touching the other line, I'd say good enough. But the bubble is clearly outside of the left line. I built a treehouse for the kids and, even doing rough carpentry 12 feet up, I tried to get things more level than that. (turns out that as the tree grows, level doesn't stay so. But your faucet will not grow)

Also, I guess a picture is hardly definitive, but your 'full blast' trickle looks rather weak. Let us know what gpm you measure.

Measure the flow at an older, unrestricted faucet too. Like your outside hose bib. That will give you an idea if the problem is the new faucet.

You might ask them to measure the pressure, they should have a gauge that they can simply screw to a hose bib. Then call the city and find out what pressure you should have given your location.

I have weak flow so I appreciate your concerns. I don't even have enough gpm to install sprinklers. My line will be costly to replace as it runs 10 feet underground.