We are starting to see an increase in the uptake of smart technology in our homes. This is attractive to many homeowners because of the added convenience and to save money on utility bills. Many of us use far too much energy in our homes, and now we have the equipment to reduce that usage. One aspect that is less understood is the effect that smart technology can have on reducing our water usage. In this article, we will look at how you could save water, money and the environment all at the same time.
Water Usage in the Average Household
Across the U.S. there is a great variation in water use based upon location. For our purposes, we will use an average figure of 90 gallons of water usage per day. The average cost of tap water is $0.004 per gallon, and we will use this figure to calculate the cost of water use. A lot of this water is wasted and goes straight down the toilet for flushing. In fact, flushing and showering are the two activities in your home that use the most water. Activities such as using washing machines, dishwasher, and outdoor watering are far less wasteful. Here are some everyday activities and how much water they use.
- Taking a shower for 10 minutes with a regular shower head uses 50 gallons of water and costs $0.14.
- Taking a shower for 10 minutes with a water saving showerhead uses 20 gallons of water and costs $0.08.
- Flushing the toilet with a regular flush uses 6 gallons of water and costs $0.01.
- Flushing the toilet with a low-flow flushing toilet uses 1.6 gallons of water and costs less than 1c to use.
- Using a regular dishwasher uses 16 gallons of water and costs $0.06 to use.
- Using an Energy Star rated dishwasher uses 6 gallons of water and costs $0.02 to use.
- Taking a standard bath uses 36 gallons of water and costs $0.014.
- Outdoor water for 30 minutes uses 60 gallons and costs $0.24.
As you can see these smarter technologies use far less water and are cheaper to use. These savings may seem small, but if they are extrapolated across an entire year, they can really stack up and be significant. The only way to mirror these effects without adopting these
smarter plumbing options is to do fewer loads of laundry and take shorter showers.
Big Annual Savings
High-efficiency faucets and showerheads could save you about $100 over the entire year alone. Adding a faucet aerator will cut your water consumption in half in many cases, and there will be no drop in water pressure. A smart toilet is also a prudent investment, the
EPA state the WaterSense labeled toilets reduce water usage by 20-60%. This alone would save 13,000 gallons of water every year and reduce your bill by about $100. Choosing an energy efficient
Energy Star washer will use 25% less energy and 50% less water saving between $75-$125 per year.
By Giovanni Longo President Flood Brothers Plumbing
Giovanni Longo is a 3rd generation master plumber who has been practicing his craft and trade in the greater Los Angeles area for well over a decade and a half. A plumbing and hydraulics-engineering innovator, Giovanni’s particular world-class expertise focuses on dealing with challenging sewer system designs as well as resolving complex commercial and residential draining issues. As a certified Flood Mitigation expert, he is also well versed in a wide variety of water damage and remediation solution.
