Smarter Showers
The average American family of four uses 400 gallons of water per day – much of that water is used in the bathroom. Installing low flow shower heads and faucet aerators are some of the most effective water conservation measures you can take at home. These devices can reduce water consumption by as much as 50 percent.
Viewer Tip: Typical low flow shower heads use no more than two gallons per minute. You can determine the flow rate of your shower at home by following these easy steps:
- Find a bucket that can hold a few gallons of water. It’s best to use bucket that has measurements marked on the inside.
- Turn the shower on to its normal flow.
- Place the empty bucket under the fixture and fill it up for 10 seconds.
- Measure the amount of water in the bucket and multiply that number by six to determine the gallons per minute (GPM) flow rate.
If you find that your shower is using more than two gallons per minute, you may want to install a low flow showerhead. Check out EPA’s WaterSense website for information about purchasing a water efficient showerhead: www.epa.gov/watersense/products/showerheads.html.
Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
(Source: U.S. EPA WaterSense Program, www.epa.gov/watersense; www.epa.gov/watersense/products/showerheads.html).
