Water Conservation Buyers Guide

Water Conservation Buyer's Guide

Water Conservation Products:
Save Money, Save Energy, Save the Planet

As implied by their name, water conservation products help you use less water, thus conserving the limited fresh water supply and saving energy, money, and the planet along with it. In this guide, we'll discuss:

• Why water conservation is important
• How saving water saves energy and money
• Products to purchase to help you save

Fresh water is limited
Although it may seem like we have an abundant supply of fresh water, this is not the case. Less than 1 percent of the world’s water is available for use. The rest is too salty (ocean water), frozen in ice caps, or otherwise inaccessible. And while the natural water cycle always returns the one percent we are using, it’s not always to the same place or in the same quality.

Water requires energy & money
It takes energy and resources to move, treat, and heat water. Every drop you save helps conserve the supply, saves energy, and saves you money. With that said, the first step in saving water is to recognize just how much we use.

• The average American family uses over 300 gallons of water per day at home. 70% of this use occurs indoors
• Bathrooms are the largest use of water in the home, using more than 50% of all indoor water use
• The average shower lasts about 8 minutes and uses more than 16 gallons of water
• Across the United States, we use more than 1 TRILLION gallons of water each year just for showering
• Approximately 5-10% of US homes have easy-to-fix leaks that drip away over 90 gallons a day

How (and How Much) Do Water Conservation Products Help Save?

Water conservation products help save water and the energy required to move, treat, and heat it. Not only does this help the environment, but also helps you save money on your utility bills.

According to energy.gov, water heating is the second largest energy expense in the home, typically accounting for about 18% of your utility bill after heating and cooling. When you start conserving hot water, savings really start to add up.

Water Conserving Showerheads

Though this marketplace doesn't offer all the water conservation products your home needs for a full water-conscious makeover, we have many to get you started, beginning with showerheads.

Standard showerheads use 2.5 gallons of water per minute (gpm), but WaterSense certified showerheads use less than 2.0 gpm, offering significant water and energy savings. Worried about sacrificing a great shower for great savings? Don’t be! WaterSense showerheads are intelligently designed to still offer great water pressure and spray coverage using less water, so you won’t even know the difference.

Water Conserving Faucet Aerators

An aerator attaches to the end of your faucet and ultimately determines its maximum flow rate. While the standard faucet flow rate is 2.2 gpm, water conserving aerators restrict flow rates from 0.5 to 1.5 gpm. They work by incorporating air into your water stream, which effortlessly reduces water consumption without affecting water pressure. They are inexpensive and very easy to install (just screw them on), making them one of the most cost effective ways to save water and energy.

Contributor: Al Nadeau, September 13, 2024

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