A valve assembly for a single-lever faucet is configured to control a flow rate of water and has a valve body, a valve cartridge, and a valve stem. A flow control assembly is operatively connected to the valve assembly and constructed to attach to a faucet handle. The flow control assembly includes a valve stem, a handle actuator that operates the valve stem to control the flow rate of the water, a gear assembly, and a biasing member. Moving the handle actuator to the water-on position from the neutral position increments the valve stem to an open valve position. The handle actuator automatically returns to a neutral position with the water flowing after the user pivots the handle actuator to a water-on position, and automatically returns to the neutral position with no water flowing after the user pivots the handle actuator to the water-off position.