A lot of water goes down the drain at my house. We wash our hands, rinse dishes, take showers--and the H2O flows down the pipes. Short of bopping the next boy who showers away all the hot water, can anything be done to conserve?
The average family in the United States uses 22,000 gallons of water per year just for showers and baths. Since most of this water is heated, we also use some kind of fuel to power our water heaters. We are creating an environmental double whammy. We are sending large amounts of fresh water into the sewer systems and we are creating carbon emissions which result in huge clouds of greenhouse gases.
I recently discovered low-flow aerators for faucets and showers. These are gadgets which limit the flow of water through the head but do not lower the water pressure. They are inexpensive and local hardware stores carry several types.
The aerator is located where the water comes out of the faucet or shower head. If you’ve ever replaced a washer, you know where it is. It can easily be twisted off and replaced. Even designer fixtures which do not have aerators are usually threaded to accept them.
Of the two kinds of low-flow heads—aerating and non-aerating—the former are the most popular. Aerating heads cause air to mix with the water while maintaining a steady stream. Because of the added air, the temperature of the water in your shower might get cooler as it falls to the floor, but the bubbly, foamy water is fun. Non-aerating heads use pulsation to save water. This massaging effect causes a strong stream of water and no temperature loss.
Most current faucet aerators allow a water flow of two to three gallons per minute. However, if your fixtures were installed before 1992, they might use as much as 10 gpm. All faucet and shower fixtures manufactured after that date in the United States are required by federal regulations to have a flow rate of no more than 2.2 gpm. The flow rate is marked on the side of the aerator.
A low-flow faucet aerator will restrict water flow to no more than 1.5 gallons per minute, and a high-efficiency showerhead will flow at no more than 2.2 gpm. Considerable savings on water and fuel bills, as well as reduced use of natural resources, will result from their installation. Each household which converts to low-flow aerators will save about 8000 gallons of water per year and reduce its carbon emissions by about 450 pounds.
This is Conservation 101. We can rapidly swing from drought to monsoons--from cracked fields and blowing dust to mushy fields and overflowing rivers. Consistent attention to water conservation must be a fundamental environmental principle for everyone. Every drop saved is important, and low-flow aerators contribute to that end.
The average family in the United States uses 22,000 gallons of water per year just for showers and baths. Since most of this water is heated, we also use some kind of fuel to power our water heaters. We are creating an environmental double whammy. We are sending large amounts of fresh water into the sewer systems and we are creating carbon emissions which result in huge clouds of greenhouse gases.
I recently discovered low-flow aerators for faucets and showers. These are gadgets which limit the flow of water through the head but do not lower the water pressure. They are inexpensive and local hardware stores carry several types.
The aerator is located where the water comes out of the faucet or shower head. If you’ve ever replaced a washer, you know where it is. It can easily be twisted off and replaced. Even designer fixtures which do not have aerators are usually threaded to accept them.
Of the two kinds of low-flow heads—aerating and non-aerating—the former are the most popular. Aerating heads cause air to mix with the water while maintaining a steady stream. Because of the added air, the temperature of the water in your shower might get cooler as it falls to the floor, but the bubbly, foamy water is fun. Non-aerating heads use pulsation to save water. This massaging effect causes a strong stream of water and no temperature loss.
Most current faucet aerators allow a water flow of two to three gallons per minute. However, if your fixtures were installed before 1992, they might use as much as 10 gpm. All faucet and shower fixtures manufactured after that date in the United States are required by federal regulations to have a flow rate of no more than 2.2 gpm. The flow rate is marked on the side of the aerator.
A low-flow faucet aerator will restrict water flow to no more than 1.5 gallons per minute, and a high-efficiency showerhead will flow at no more than 2.2 gpm. Considerable savings on water and fuel bills, as well as reduced use of natural resources, will result from their installation. Each household which converts to low-flow aerators will save about 8000 gallons of water per year and reduce its carbon emissions by about 450 pounds.
This is Conservation 101. We can rapidly swing from drought to monsoons--from cracked fields and blowing dust to mushy fields and overflowing rivers. Consistent attention to water conservation must be a fundamental environmental principle for everyone. Every drop saved is important, and low-flow aerators contribute to that end.
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