Low Flow Shower Heads—Saving More Than Just Water

The environment, water conservation and the green movement as a whole, usually doesn't rank at the top of our list when shopping for a new shower head. As well intentioned as we may be—trying our best to be good global citizens—the simple fact is, we tend to look at our own benefits first. Namely, the hit to our own pocketbook, followed by how it looks, and its function and features. It goes without saying (but I'm going to say it anyhow) that conserving water is good for the planet. Anytime we can reduce waist, the better off we are. Water saving shower heads are designed to do just that, conserve water. Unfortunately some "green" products have a bad reputation of having an over inflated sticker price without the noticeable return on utility and energy savings. So, what are the real savings we can expect to see from a low flow shower head? We're not talking about the planet anymore. Let's bring this closer to home.

Low Flow Shower Head Efficiency And Savings

The standard shower head uses 2.5 GPM (gallons/minute), compared to low flow, or efficiency fixtures that only use 1.5 GPM.

• The Breakdown. Depending on the actual fixture you purchase, some low flow shower heads use even less water. For this example we see a difference of 1 GPM. The average shower last 8.2 minutes. So by using a low flow shower head, you have already conserved 8.2 gallons per day. Assuming you shower everyday (which we hope you do), you will save 242 gallons per month, or 2,993 gallons over the course of a year.
  • Consider the impact one person can have on the environment over the course of a year. Now consider if a thousand people started using low flow shower heads, that would add up to approximately 2.9 million gallons of water saved.
• The Savings. The average cost of water is approximately $1.50 per 1000 gallons. That means a gallon of water costs less than a penny. So where are the savings? For an individual, the savings on your water bill add up to less than $4.5 over the course of a year. I don't know about you, but I don't like taking cold showers. Energy consumption accounts for the majority of the savings.
• Energy Savings. The fact is, when you use less water, you use less energy—gas or electric energy—to heat your the water. This is where the real cost savings emerge.
  • If you have a 40 gallon electric hot water heater it takes 6.84 Kwh to raise the temperature from 50°F to 120°F
  • The average coste per Kwh is about $0.12
  • For the average length shower, using a low flow shower head saves $0.16 per day. Over the corse of a month you will save $4.80 on your electric bill. After a year, you will save $58.40 just for one person to take a shower. NOTE: For a family of four, the savings are multiplied by four. What does this mean for you? Your savings would be approximately $233.60 for the year.

The amount of savings are all dependent on a number of facts including, the size of your hot water heater, the temperature the water enters your house, the time spent in the shower, and the exact low flow shower head you buy.

In Conclusion

It's important to reduce the amount of water and electricity we use every day. The planet thanks you and so do the generations to come who will have to deal with the decisions we make now. When looking at the numbers, breaking down the cost and the amount of unused water, low flow shower heads are a smart investment. If you're expecting instant saving on next months bill, then plan to be disappointed. Remember, we have to be in this for the long haul.

Citations:

http://www.home-water-works.org/indoor-use/showers https://www.fcwa.org/story_of_water/html/costs.htm http://waterheatertimer.org/Kwh-temp.html

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