If you’ve been reading along with me over the past couple years, you are aware that water and energy have a close relationship to one another. Water is used in the production of energy, and at the same time, it takes energy to treat and deliver water on a daily basis. But it’s not just on the massive scale of industries that water and energy are linked…it’s in your home as well.
Because October is Energy Action Month, and the EPA has declared October Shower Better Month as an aspect of their WaterSense initiative, I thought we could take a look at the relationship between drops and watts that can help you save energy, and water, on a personal level.
Showering is the leading way that we use water at home. According to the Fall 2014 issue of the EPA’s WaterSense Current, the average family uses about 40 gallons of water per day just for showering, equaling over 13,000 gallons of water per year! That’s 17% of your overall water use!
Depending on how much time you spend in the shower, your mind may wander to thoughts of what you’re going to wear that day, what’s looming ahead for you at work, or singing along with last night’s episode of American Idol. What most Americans don’t think about when they’re showering is that it takes energy to pump, heat, treat and deliver this water we use daily – this is the close connection between drops and watts.
By replacing just one showerhead with a WaterSense-labeled model, the average family can save over 2,900 gallons of water each year. And because that’s hot water, it also saves the amount of electricity it takes to power a home for 13 days. So, a WaterSense labeled showerhead reduces both your annual water and energy costs by more than $70. It’s easy to shower better and help your environment, community and wallet!