 Low flow shower heads
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What is water flow?
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Water flow is the rate - in litres per second - at which water comes out of your taps or showerhead. It shouldn't be confused with water pressure, which is the amount of force (from gravity or pumping) pushing water through the pipes.
The water pressure in your home determines what type of hot water system you can have, but your tapware or shower heads determine the flow.
It is a common misconception that low flow technology reduces water pressure. This is not the case, in fact it could improve it. Low flow shower heads do not reduce the water pressure to save wasting water. Instead they restrict the flow by forcing the water through very small apertures, which aerates and increases the velocity of the water - while still giving you a great shower.
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Low flow shower heads |
The average shower head delivers 12 litres of water per minute and often much more. A low flow shower head can reduce flow to about 5-7 litres per minute, saving water and energy - the overall cost saving can be considerable.
There are a wide variety of low-flow shower heads available, including the popular pulsating or "massage" type. Some of these shower heads incorporate a valve or pushbutton that interrupts the water flow while "soaping up", saving even more hot water.
Replacing a conventional shower head with a low-flow model is usually a very quick and simple job. With a variety of adapters readily available, they can be fitted to most standard shower arms, including the swivel type.
A suitable model can be found from $30-$40 - choose one with a water efficiency rating of AAA or more. All good plumbing stores stock most major brands with a low flow option.
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Testing your shower flow
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If your shower is using too much water, you're wasting money on electricity as well as precious water. If you have an eight-minute shower every day and the shower uses 18 litres per minute, you're using more than 52,000 litres of water a year, and the water heating will be costing you more than $440 a year (based on electricity cost of 18c/kWh). Reducing the flow to 6L/min would cut power costs by about two thirds, that's saving you $293 a year.
To help you work out how much water you're using for your shower Hamilton City Council has developed a specially designed shower flow bag so you can easily measure your shower flow at home. To test your shower flow:
- Pick up a FREE shower flow tester from the Hamilton City Council Municipal Building, Waterworld or Gallagher's Aquatic Centre, Hamilton Zoo or from Plumbing World in Frankton.
- Turn on your shower and set it at the flow and temperature you normally use.
- Place the bag under the shower rose and catch all the water for exactly ten seconds.
- Check the amount of water you have caught against the markings on the side of the bag. This will show you how much water you use per minute and how much less you could use with a low flow showerhead.
- Once you have measured your flow please pass the bag on to friends and family to try. This could also be a great exercise to get your kids involved in as well.
If your shower uses more than nine litres per minute think about installing a low flow shower head available at your local plumbing or hardware store. This will save money and water without affecting the shower flow experience.
Low flow showerheads have the greatest potential for savings on mains pressure systems.
Speak to your plumber, plumbing retailer, or Council's eco-design advisor about fitting low flow shower heads onto your system.
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To save water
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- Not turning the shower mixer on to full flow when you use the shower.
- Installing a flow restrictor. You can fit a flow restrictor yourself. Flow restrictors are placed between the shower head and hose on a slide or hand held system, or within the rose of a fixed system. Restrictors come in different flow rates from four litres per minute to 16 litres per minute. Six to nine litres per minute is suitable for showers. Some modern shower heads include optional flow restrictors although these may still allow high flows of 12L/min.
- Restrict how far you can turn the shower mixer on by adjusting the mixer. You may need a plumber to do this.
- Keeping track of your shower time. Try to shower for five minutes or less. Even a low flow shower head can use about 35 litres of water for a five minute shower.
- Take a shower instead of a bath. An average bath takes 200 litres of water, while a five minute shower uses only 35 litres with an average low flow shower head (7 litres per minute).
- Try our Smart Water Use Calculator and read about more ways to save water.
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How you can save |
Example:
A family of three may take almost 1000 showers per year! Using a conventional shower head using 19 litres of water per minute, and assuming 10 minutes per shower, the annual hot water usage would be 190,000 litres. If the conventional shower head was then replaced with a low flow model rated at seven litres per minute (or a shower flow restrictor reducing the flow to seven litres per minute), and they reduced their shower time to five minutes each, the hot water use would be cut in half, saving about 155,000 litres annually. If this water is electrically heated, the annual cost savings would be at least $200. If the new showerhead cost you $30-$40, the payback is almost immediate.
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Contact
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City Waters
Level 5, Council Offices
Garden Place
Hamilton City Council
Private Bag 3010
Hamilton 3240
Phone: 838 6999
Fax: 838 6998
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