Ways to Conserve Water in Home Design
In the U.S., our current daily demand for water is affecting its future availability. Wasteful flush toilets, non-insulated pipes and generous showerheads are all culprits to the water crisis already faced by much of the Southwest. A crisis may soon spread into other areas of the U.S. when local waterways can no longer replenish their resources to meet our growing demand. The time to conserve is now.
According to the American Water Works Association (AWWA), bathrooms are your first and best opportunity to save water inside a home. Conventional toilets, showers, and faucets combine to consume an average of 41 gallons per person per day, or about 60% of a home’s daily indoor drain (and 12% of total daily consumption). Water is a scarce resource that is increasing in. If all the world’s water were to be represented as 100 liters, the fresh water available for our use would be found in just half a tablespoon. Water saving is now mandatory in plumbing design.
Choosing a water-saving fixture for your home not only reduces your water consumption, but you’ll save energy too. Using less water means less energy is required to heat the water, so the benefits are two-fold. We gathered a list of water smart options for minimizing your consumption of this precious resource. Make an appointment to learn about all the options in this growing category of plumbing fixtures and supplies.
Water Conserving Toilets
Dual flush options are on public toilets everywhere. They are available for home installation as well. Designed for use with wall-hung toilets and back-to-wall toilets, concealed dual-flush cisterns let the user choose how much water to use when flushing the toilet. By using a lower volume of water to flush the toilet you can dramatically reduce your annual water consumption and contribute to the protection of this valuable natural resource.
Faucets to Conserve Water
Spray or water efficient faucets are well worth considering, particularly in scenarios where hand washing is the primary use (for example, a powder room.) GROHE EcoJoy™ single-lever faucets feature a flow-limiting with aerator, reducing water consumption without compromising experience. The result: a satisfying, voluminous flow that never exceeds 5.8 liters per minute, which is as kind to your pocket as it is to the environment. And thanks to the inclusion of a temperature limiter, which can be adjusted to meet your requirements, you can reduce your energy consumption even further.
Shower Heads to Conserve Water
Everyone remembers a hotel, an early apartment or a vacation rental that had terrible water pressure in the shower. It’s an important feature. So is conservation. This has manufacturers constructing showers that have the feel of power showers while delivering a lower volume of water. They achieve it through a combination of air entrainment or other technical features to limit water use with little detriment to performance. Rainshower® Icon, Eco and Solo hand-held shower heads all feature a water-saving Eco button on the handle – simply slide the button and you can reduce the water used for your shower by up to 40%.
To learn more about water conservation in your bathroom or kitchen design, schedule an appointment at Immerse.
