If you’re one of the 113 million Americans who’ve been under a heat advisory already this summer, with or without wildfires nearby; and if you’re also watching your water due to drought or contamination, a Navy shower may sound pretty appealing right now. It’s a brilliant way to get clean, cool, off, conserve water, and save on energy bills all in one speedy four-minute spritz! Give it a try — you might be surprised how easy it is to shorten your shower time.
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Levi Beals, 6, demonstrates brilliant short-shower technique. Credit: Cory Morse/The Grand Rapids Press* via AP
Image may be NSFW.
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WHY? Taking shorter showers is an easy way to significantly reduce your water usage. The average shower length in America is approximately eight minutes. According to the EPA, standard pre 1992 showerheads use over five gallons of water per minute, while standard post 1992 showerheads and low flow showerheads average one and a half to two and a half gallons per minute. You know both how long you shower and your showerhead, so do math. Multiply it by one year. Wow, right?
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If you can, upgrade to a low-flow shower head. This one from American Standard uses only 1.5 gallons per minute.
Navy showers (used on ships to preserve precious water) are a manual way to achieve low-flow showerhead savings without changing a fixture—a great option for the unhandy or for renters.
Using less water bathing allows more to stay in the ground or in a reservoir, which in turn helps maintain a natural H20 balance and saves some for future use. There are many parts of the country that do not have enough water to support the current population and levels of water usage. Even if you live in a place with ample rain, there may be a drought. At least 36 states expect shortages in the next five years.
Taking shorter showers will also save you money on water, heating, and sewer bills.
HOW: Hop in the shower, get wet all over. Turn off the shower, lather up. Turn it back on, rinse off. You’re done.
Navy showers are least painful in warm climates. For those who brave them in cold climates, at least they save hot water.
Learn More
- U.S. Geological Survey: Water Science Questionnaire–Water Use At Home
- Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense Program
- Treehugger.com: Navy Showers–Water Saving Goes Hardcore
- PracticallyGreen.com: Conservation, Preservation, And Stewardship
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* Top photo credit link: http://photos.mlive.com/grandrapidspress/2012/07/triple_degree_heat_in_grand_ra_17.html