How Much Water Can You Save Per Shower By Shortening Your Shower By 5 Minutes In Liters

3 min read 24-11-2024

How Much Water Can You Save Per Shower By Shortening Your Shower By 5 Minutes In Liters

Saving water is crucial for environmental sustainability and can even lower your water bill. One easy way to conserve is by shortening your showers. But how much water does that actually save? Let's find out how many liters you can save by reducing your shower time by just 5 minutes.

Understanding Shower Water Usage

The average shower head uses anywhere from 6 to 20 liters of water *per minute*. This wide range depends on the shower head's type and flow rate. Older shower heads tend to use significantly more water than low-flow models. To calculate your savings accurately, you'll need to determine your shower head's flow rate.

How to Find Your Shower Head's Flow Rate

The easiest way is to check the manufacturer's specifications. If you can't find that information, you can measure it yourself. Place a container (like a bucket) under your shower head and time how long it takes to fill the container with a known volume (e.g., 1 gallon or 1 liter). Then, do some simple math to determine the liters per minute.

Calculating Your Water Savings

Once you know your shower head's flow rate (liters per minute), calculating your savings is straightforward. Let's illustrate with a few examples:

Example 1: Average Shower Head (10 liters/minute)

Standard 10-minute shower: 10 liters/minute * 10 minutes = 100 liters
5-minute shorter shower (5-minute shower): 10 liters/minute * 5 minutes = 50 liters
Water saved: 100 liters - 50 liters = 50 liters

In this scenario, shortening your shower by 5 minutes saves you 50 liters of water.

Example 2: Low-Flow Shower Head (6 liters/minute)

Standard 10-minute shower: 6 liters/minute * 10 minutes = 60 liters
5-minute shorter shower: 6 liters/minute * 5 minutes = 30 liters
Water saved: 60 liters - 30 liters = 30 liters

With a low-flow shower head, reducing your shower time by 5 minutes saves 30 liters.

Example 3: Older, High-Flow Shower Head (15 liters/minute)

Standard 10-minute shower: 15 liters/minute * 10 minutes = 150 liters
5-minute shorter shower: 15 liters/minute * 5 minutes = 75 liters
Water saved: 150 liters - 75 liters = 75 liters

An older shower head can result in significant water savings – 75 liters in this example.

Tips for Shorter Showers

Shortening your showers isn't just about saving water; it also saves energy used to heat that water. Here are some tips to make shorter showers easier:

Set a timer: Use a timer on your phone or a kitchen timer to track your shower time.
Turn off the water: Turn off the water while you're soaping up or shampooing.
Take shorter showers consistently: Make it a habit to take shorter showers every day, rather than sporadically.
Consider a low-flow shower head: Replacing your shower head with a low-flow model is a one-time investment that delivers long-term water savings.

Conclusion

Shortening your shower by just 5 minutes can save a significant amount of water, depending on your shower head's flow rate. Even small changes in daily habits can add up to substantial water conservation over time. By making this simple adjustment, you contribute to water conservation and potentially reduce your water bill. Remember to calculate your specific savings based on your shower head's flow rate to see exactly how much water *you* can save.