Most of the water in a home pours through the bathroom, and reducing how much water goes down the shower drain is an easy fix.
Bathroom fixtures made after 1994 have to meet federal efficiency standards, with showerheads required to use 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm) or less. However, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSense program further reduces the amount of water usage. The program specifies that showerheads must use 2 gpm or less in order to receive the WaterSense label. WaterSense products satisfy the water efficiency requirement for LEED certification.
According to the EPA, showering accounts for approximately 17 percent of residential indoor water use in the United States, so that adds up to more than 1.2 trillion gallons of water each year.
Five popular manufacturers of bathroom fixtures are Kohler, Delta, American Standard, Moen and Waterpik.
Waterpik EcoFlow
GPM: 1.6 gpm to 2.0 gpm
Models available: Fixed mount, hand held and rain shower
MSRP: $9.99 to $49.99
Bottom line: New collection of low-flow showerheads at a low entry price.
Kohler Forte
GPM: 1.75 gpm to 2.0 gpm
Models available: Fixed mount, hand held and rain shower
MSRP: $84.95 and up
Bottom line: Stylish showerheads in a range of finishes for any décor.
Moen Envi
GPM: 1.75 gpm to 2.0 gpm
Models available: Fixed mount, hand held and rain shower
MSRP: $82 to $223
Bottom line: Rain shower features a self-pressurizing system to increase the force and flow of water delivery.
American Standard FloWise
GPM: 1.5 gpm to 2.0 gpm
Models available: Fixed mount and hand held
MSRP: $62 to $478
Bottom line: Collection includes 21 different styles, with the single showerhead offering a super low 1.5 gpm.
Delta Addison
GPM: 1.5 gpm to 2.0 gpm
Models available: Fixed mount, hand held and rain shower
MSRP: $105 to $173
Bottom line: H2Okinetic Technology improves water efficiency by 40 percent over a standard showerhead and uses larger droplets to produce a drenching sensation while using less water.
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