Showerhead Rollbacks Are Not Exactly Practical
Regardless of where you stand on climate science, there are some rollbacks that don’t really make all that much sense. Well, unless you’re trying to recapture the 1980s. But, are we really rolling back legislature on showerhead and washer use?
Well, to be more precise, it’s the water that goes into these devices and how it’s handled. For instance, the average showerhead today will spit out 2.1 gallons-per-minute.
Trump Administration Rolls Back Water Restrictions
On December 15, 2020, the Trump Administration, technically the Department of Energy, issues rules for “improvements” on American life.
And just to be clear, the concern for water use dates back to 1995…prior to the Obama Administration.
Instead of the 2.5 GPM mandated back in 2013, manufacturers can produce units similar to those sold prior to 1995.
In other words, we’re deciding to take a step back in time instead of innovating and advancing as a species.
Today’s change will allow manufacturers to offer consumers new products that can provide more water and more comfort.
To be honest, I feel no discomfort because my shower head doesn’t peel the paint off the walls. And, most of the time, I set the washer and walk away for more than an hour anyway.
So, soaking my clothes doesn’t do anything for me in terms of saving time.
Why is Rolling Back Showerheads and Washers Impractical?
To be honest, I’m not really sure why the current administration declared war on water use. For the last several years, we constantly heard about flushing toilets and unclean clothes.
I, for one, didn’t experience any of these issues. In fact, there are a lot of practical benefits behind water-restrictive devices like showerheads.
Nearly a Third of the US Experiences Drought
According to various studies, about a third of the United States is facing drought conditions. Whether you believe climate change has caused this or not is irrelevant.
If the water doesn’t exist, it doesn’t exist.
Dry weather and conditions have led to some outrageous wildfires on much of the globe over the past few years.
Anyway, pushing more water through showerheads and washers means less that humans can drink. Now, this might not be a concern for places like the Carolinas. But 15 states are in moderate to severe drought phases.
And it looks as though it’s just going to get worse.
Costs More Per Year in Water Use
By moving an additional gallon per minute through your shower head, you’re only adding that to your bill at the end of the month. Well, that is if you live in an area that monitors water usage as a flexible utility.
Many areas simply charge a flat fee. What’s funny is that this fee is also dependant on usage. So if your community exhausts more of the water supply, you can expect the city to ramp up the fee.
In any case, you’re only hurting yourself financially over the long-term.
This includes areas that are on water restrictions when caring for the front lawn. What days can you water?
My point here is that water use is already limited for much of the population. And now, we can exhaust even more if manufacturers jump on this bandwagon.
Energy Efficient Devices Work Great!
I’ve never had a problem with showerhead or washer inefficiency. In fact, I find the new energy-efficient washers today work better than anything from 20 or 30 years ago.
And no, I don’t have to flush the toilet 15 times. If this is an issue for you, it sounds more like you need to visit the doctor or perhaps change up your diet.
At any rate, I would much rather have the efficient devices in my home than to step back into the 1980s. And not merely because I am somewhat living green.
It’s more to do with the advancement of humanity and saving money.
It’s Not Just a Matter of Sustainability
Rollbacks such as this definitely impact the country in terms of sustainability. But, they also deliver a wide scope of issues down the line.
When you live in a location that already has less water than the population can use, pushing more for the sake of “comfort” only hurts those areas even more.
Then again, consumption is one of the major failings of humanity.
I’ll Still Support Efficient Devices
Regardless of the rollbacks to showerhead and washer use, I’ll still buy efficient devices. I’ve experienced the benefits and have no interest in moving backward.
Unfortunately, 47% of the country doesn’t side with me on that aspect. Still, as long as manufacturers provide the goods, I’ll keep buying them.
I’d rather save money over the long term and ensure we have enough water.
Like tires on a fire, these are the days the world burns.
Michael has been interested in the practicality of living green for quite some time. He works closely with GreenGeeks Web Hosting as the Content Marketing Team Lead and an author of various articles.
