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Free Low Flow Shower Head
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, showering is one of the leading ways we use water in the home, accounting for nearly 17 percent of residential indoor water use. Low-flow shower heads are one of the best ways to conserve water in your home. Low-flow shower heads deliver fewer gallons per minute of water than conventional shower heads.
There is some confusion today in what a low-flow shower head really is. A low-flow shower head, according to industry standards is a shower head that has a flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute or less. Here is a quick test that will determine the need to replace your shower head.
Steps
To calculate your potential savings we’ll say that you take 30 showers per month, assume that your average shower takes 10 minutes and your current shower head has a flow rate of 4 gallons per minute. Taking 30 showers that last 10 minutes each means that you will shower 300 minutes per month. By multiplying 300 minutes by the gallons-per-minute flow rate of your shower head, you will use about 1,200 gallons of water just on showering each month.
Switching to a low-flow shower head (2.5 GPM) and using the same estimates above, those 300 minutes of showering will use 750 gallons. That’s a savings of 450 gallons per month - for a family of four that would be a savings of 1,800 gallons per month. Switching to an ultra-low-flow shower head (1.8 GPM) could result in even greater savings. Stop by City Hall today for more information and to get your low-flow shower head. Quantities are limited. For more information please view the Low-Flow Shower Program Form (PDF).
There is some confusion today in what a low-flow shower head really is. A low-flow shower head, according to industry standards is a shower head that has a flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute or less. Here is a quick test that will determine the need to replace your shower head.
Steps
- Place a bucket underneath your shower head.
- Turn on the water for a timed 10 seconds.
- Measure how much water is in the bucket and multiply the number by 6. This is the gallons of water per minute your shower head emits.
To calculate your potential savings we’ll say that you take 30 showers per month, assume that your average shower takes 10 minutes and your current shower head has a flow rate of 4 gallons per minute. Taking 30 showers that last 10 minutes each means that you will shower 300 minutes per month. By multiplying 300 minutes by the gallons-per-minute flow rate of your shower head, you will use about 1,200 gallons of water just on showering each month.
Switching to a low-flow shower head (2.5 GPM) and using the same estimates above, those 300 minutes of showering will use 750 gallons. That’s a savings of 450 gallons per month - for a family of four that would be a savings of 1,800 gallons per month. Switching to an ultra-low-flow shower head (1.8 GPM) could result in even greater savings. Stop by City Hall today for more information and to get your low-flow shower head. Quantities are limited. For more information please view the Low-Flow Shower Program Form (PDF).