Water Conservation and Bath Design: Guilt-Free Luxury

Environmentally friendly doesn't necessarily have to mean doing without life's little luxuries. Water usage is an important factor to consider when designing a bath. However, conserving water does not have to mean cutting corners on comfort. With smart planning and today's technology, you can design a bath that offers the best of both worlds. Modern fixtures can significantly reduce water consumption levels, while making very little difference in your lifestyle.

In most households, the toilet is near the top of the list for water consumption, accounting for approximately 30 percent of home water usage. If you are remodeling a bathroom with a toilet that was manufactured before 1994, chances are it is a water guzzler, using between three and a half and seven gallons of water per flush. Newer toilets are much more efficient, complying with a federally set standard of using 1.6 gallons per flush, carrying away waste quite effectively while saving an average of 11 gallons of water daily. Even more efficient are dual flush toilets that use a varying amount of water. These have two flush modes, using a smaller amount of water when just liquid waste is present. Cutting water consumption with a more efficient toilet is a simple way to conserve without putting a dent in your comfort level.

Showers are generally next in line for heaviest water consumption. A variety of low flow shower heads are available today, and unlike older models, many of these are designed so well that they can provide a shower just as satisfying as those old fashioned water guzzlers. Some even provide a better shower experience, offering more powerful massage features and other perks. Simply installing a quality low flow shower head can save up to fifty percent of the daily water consumption in the shower.

Even the bathroom sink can be made significantly more efficient, simply by installing a faucet with an aerator. These simple little devices mix air with the water as it comes through the faucet, reducing water flow by an average of a gallon per minute. You will notice no difference in the daily use of your sink, yet water consumption will be reduced dramatically. Another painless way to make your home more environmentally friendly.

And, just when you thought that all this discussion about water conservation meant that a long, luxurious soak in the bathtub was out of the question, here is some great news. Even that can be made much more efficient, as well as more relaxing, by installing a whirlpool tub with an in-line heater. These tubs allow the water to be heated as it circulates, eliminating the need to heat your bath by adding more hot water as it begins to cool. So, upgrading from a standard bathtub to a whirlpool isn't decadent self pampering at all, it's simply your responsibility as an environmentally conscious homeowner.

There are many other great design ideas that can fit into a bath designed for water efficiency, such as low water or even no water saunas, steam showers, and many others. Whether remodeling or starting from scratch with new construction, carefully chosen fixtures can allow you plenty of old fashioned luxury while meeting today's very real need to reduce our environmental footprint.