apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

If you're really concernd about saving water you can always use the ol' 'bucket shower' - fill-up a bucket and use a cup to pour the water over yourself. I got into these when travelling around India/Africa and, for some reason, found them to be much more enjoyable than 'regular' showers (maybe it was more of the reprive from sweltering heat than anything). The best part is that you only use a few gallons of water (however big your bucket) and don't even need a shower head. I don't use it all them time, though, as sometimes nothing beats a nice long hot/cool shower.

a typical shower flow rate is 5-10 gallons per minute, depending on your shower head. Say 5 gallons, and a 20-minute shower uses about 100 gallons total. a typical tub can takes around 30 gallons, but still, i think you win.

as a so-cal native and now a resident of new york, i can say that that stat is pretty true. water prices are MAD in San Diego, and so we were pretty miserly when it comes to all water use (yard, flushing, car washing, clothes, baths/showers, etc) as for the original question...

"The capacity of an average, US, standard run-of-the-mill built in bathtub filled up to the very bottom of the overflow, which is as full as you can get it is approx. 42 gallons"

Typical low flow shower heads are about 2.5Gpm X 20min = 50Gallons

so you guys are only about 8Gallons apart. however, there is a better low flow possible as seen here http://www.bricor.com/prod.htm
at 0.5525 gpm, that's pretty damn low flow (might be too low) but you get the idea.

so you could effectively cut the shower output over 20min to be 11.05gallons, making the bath a relative lake of water in comparison.

food for thought. i need a new showerhead (never take baths myself) i may just get this new ultralow based on me doing the quick info search for this post. YAY (win/win)

She'd be better off getting her roommate to take a shorter shower! Being a native southern Cal girl, I've had water conservation drilled into me from childhood (Ricky the Raindrop, anyone?). I take a less than 5 minute shower and turn off the water to shave my legs.

I even collect the water at the kitchen sink while waiting for the hot water to pour on my potted plants. I can't imagine how I could save anymore if the state mandates it.

gross. you take a bath every day? i can't stand sitting in my own dirty used water....

I tend to shower and my showers tend to run around 15 minutes, perhaps as much as 20 some mornings and on occasion, it's less, it all depends on a, how chilly it is in the mornings (usually during the colder months), b, how awake I am.

I don't do baths too much, but when I do, it's usually for a good long soak and I fill the tub up as much as I can for that and even have a plastic suction cup thing that extends the overflow height but a couple of inches for those occasions and I generally do them when I'm sick and/or tired/sore from something quite physical.

One benefit to a good soak is that when doing so with bubble bath or epsom salts, it's a nice way to relax and sooth aching/tired bones after a strenuous day and I like to do mine in the dark w/ nothing but candles lit.

I hate water wasters. We had a roomate once that would fill our bathtub to the brim (and it was an unusually deep tub), soak in the tub for 30 or 40 minutes, and then immediately follow it up with a half hour shower. Every single day. The real kicker was that he moved out before our first water bill came in, and refused to reimburse us for even a third of it. He should have paid for the whole thing! :(

All of us who are sensitized about the matter of water surely apply saving methods but I wonder if it is really worth it.
Visiting www.ahorraconelcubo.com (www.savewithyourbucket.com) you can watch a useful advice http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1263812/save_water_easily_review_ahorrar_agua_savewater/
Besides, there is a counter to add those litres which we are saving so we can see how many litres we all together can really save...

You both waste a lot of water. Which is the lesser of two evils? Who cares.

You both need to rethink your bathing routines. Your roommates shower should be no longer than 5-7 minutes max and you should do the same. If you want to soak in hot water, make friends wit someone who owns a jacuzzi.

This is like asking if a pickpocket is worse than a shoplifter. You are both being really decadent with the water. In the middle of a drought.

If you were worried about water consumption, you wouldn't be taking a bath. You would be taking a 5 minute shower with a low flow shower head.

What is this question really about?

If you bathe every day, how dirty can that water really be?

I take 20 minute showers, but only twice a week.

If I am overheated in the summer I'll take a 5 minute cold shower during the afternoon.

If I am dirty from gardening, I use a wash cloth to wipe down my arms and legs.

I don't know if it is age or what, but I don't feel the need to shower every single day, if I am not dirty and I just don't care what anyone thinks about it.

Could be apathy, but who cares.

I've had to resort to the bucket method like Toronto_Living only because so many times in my bldg in NYC they have shut the hot water off to fix pipes so I had to boil water put it in a bucket and "shower" not fun when your apt is freezing in a ny winter. And I've had to do it once when I was in High School and they had to shut off our gas so had to do the boil water and "shower".

I try to time my showers and shut the water off while my hair is full of conditioner or when I shave my legs. I keep a cup in there so I fill that with water and just dabble the razor in to clean it.

I think showers might be better if they are timed and you have low flow shower head and low water pressure. high water pressure feels great on sore muscles after a run but they eat up water! baths are great to relax but I think I'm crossed with its relaxing and just how clean is my tub? :\

I catch water in a big jug while I'm waiting for it to heat up for a shower. It's enough to clean the bathroom and water all indoor plants and some of the garden, too.

Why don't you shower together? Or do your laundry while you bathe? Or do your dishes, wash the dog, and shower--all at once?

What a waste of psychic energy. You'll make yourself crazy trying to parse how much, how little, what to eat, wear, drive, buy.

It helps to turn on the showerhead just for rinsing. Whenever you're scrubbing with soap, shampooing, etc., just turn it off since you're not using it anyway. It's super duper easy, and it will become habit in no time.

If you plug up your bath after showering or bathing, you can flush your toilet with the used water.

You can easily halve your water bill this way.