Using Less Water in the Bathroom

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Anyone who has ever lifted wet laundry knows just how heavy water is: moving it around a home uses a great deal of energy – as much as 20% of all home energy in some cases.

The less water your home uses, the less energy you burn and the more efficiently you can move that water around, the better.

Most modern bathrooms use water in three distinct ways: toilets, wash basin faucets and showers. Bath tubs aren't ranked for efficiency because the water flow rate is irrelevant: it's how much you use that matters... and we all know it's more efficient to take a shower!

There are two major rating systems for bathroom fixtures - LEED and EPA WaterSense - both of which maintain lists of products that meet their criteria:

LEED products list.

EPA WaterSense products list

Buying Tips

  • Wash basin faucets can usually be installed with very low flow rates. Unlike elsewhere in the home, people don't mind so much if a bathroom tap has less power, so you can often put one in with as low as 0.5 gpm. Remember to check whether your hot water supply will kick in at such a low flow rate if you're using a tankless system.
  • If your usage pattern warrants it, consider installing sensors to automatically switch faucets on and off like in public lavatories. They're relatively expensive but some homes can benefit enormously from the investment.
  • You can install flow restrictors if you want to minimize water usage in both faucets and showers but, as above, remember to check that your hot water supply will still work.
  • Showerheads are much harder to pick, partly because the dynamics are so complex but mostly because everyone has a different opinion of what a shower should be like! Your best bet is to pick a low-flow head and try it out.
  • If you can find a showerhead you like with a navy valve (which switches off the water flow temporarily while you lather up), it'll save you some water wastage.