Why Is Showering Together Important to Save Water?

Why should you shower together to save water when water is the most abundant molecule on earth?

Because showers are the third largest water use after toilets and clothes washers.

The average American showers for roughly 8 minutes straight and uses approximately 2.1 gallons of water per minute, totaling around 17.2 gallons of water used while taking a shower.

This makes showering one of the most wasteful uses of water one can indulge in if not careful.

How Much Water Can Be Saved by Showering Together?

In order to save water by showering together, there must be a conscious effort being made.

This is because when two people shower together, saving water is usually not the first thing that comes to mind.

Now, assuming you’re hopping in the shower with company and this goal in mind, you can save up to 20 gallons of water per shower, roughly 10 gallons per person.

How Can You Save Water in The Shower?

1. You can save water by showering together and also shortening your showers by 2-3 minutes and saving up to 20 gallons per shower.

2. Install a WaterSense labeled shower head. These are certified shower heads that provide an equally good showering experience while saving water. In order to be WaterSense labeled, these must consume less than 2 gallons of water per minute as opposed to standard shower heads that average around 2.5 gallons per minute.

3. Make sure there are no water leaks coming from the faucet, hose, or shower head. While you’re at it, make sure to eliminate any household leaks.

4. Avoid baths. The average bath consumes up to 50 gallons of water.

5. Turn off the water while lathering up with soap and shampoo, you can also brush your teeth along the process to save even more water.

6. Shower only when you need to. Some people have the habit of taking more than one shower per day and although this is hygienic, it’s a waste of water, time and not very good for the skin and scalp.

Reasons Why We Should Save Water

There is not much awareness of how scarce water truly is as it covers approximately 75% of Earth’s surface and it can be found everywhere, every day, in almost every daily activity.

Only 2.5% of Earth’s water supply is freshwater and only 0.5% of it is drinkable, the remaining 2% is locked up in glaciers. The other 97.5% of Earth’s water supply is salt water, completely useless to drink in its natural state.

Here are some reasons to make you consider saving water:

1. Earth’s water supply won’t ever increase as there’s no more water being produced. Unless we find an extraterrestrial source of water we can use in the future, we’ll be forever limited to the current amount available.

2. Water is a necessity rather than a commodity, it’s essential for life. It’s used to grow food, raise animals, cook, drink, and clean.

3. Saving money. Depending on where you live, chances are that there’s an entity making water available to you. The less water you use, the lower the value to pay on the water bill, you can save hundreds of dollars per year just by keeping the tap closed more often.

4. Reducing the carbon footprint. There’s an enormous amount of energy involved in pumping water to residential areas, by saving water you’re also saving energy and contributing to long-lasting planetary resources.

5. Sustainable biodiversity. By saving water you’ll be taking away less water from other species that also need it, there’s only so much animal extinction allowed to happen before the food supply chain is disrupted.

Advantages of Showering Together

Besides saving water, showering together could be a good phycological aid or work as a form of escape therapy for people who have busy lives, children, or both. It increases intimacy, reduces inhibitions, and strengthens partnerships.

You probably need to blow off some steam once in a while, there’s no better way to reconnect with your partner after a long day of work. Showering together provides the opportunity to relax and focus on each other without distractions.

The Bottom Line

Although showering together with a conscious effort to save water may seem like a small deed, it’s important to keep in mind that 10 billion tons of freshwater are used every day worldwide so in reality, every small deed adds up.

There are some things to look for to help you save water even further such as checking for household leaks and using water-efficient utensils and appliances.

According to The World Counts, we’re less than 20 years away from a global water crisis (check out the counter below).

You can take action without depriving yourself. Always remembering that small steps add up.