A:Answer Hi farmgirl - To produce steam, the dryer must connect to the cold water supply. Since the washer must also connect to the cold water, a “Y” connector is inserted to allow both inlet hoses to make that connection at the same time. Details are provided on page 4 of the Installation Guide at the following link: https://products.geappliances.com/MarketingObjectRetrieval/Dispatcher?RequestType=PDF&Name=31-16769-5.pdf - Matching Washer: GE® 4.5 cu. ft. Capacity Front Load ENERGY STAR® Washer with Steam GFW450SPMDG. Optional Pedestal Accessory SBSC137HDG (Sold Separately). Optional Stacking Kit GEFLSTACK (sold separately). Thanks for choosing GE. Enjoy! Sue