earthtalk

Get in the flow, switch to low flow showerheads

Dear EarthTalk: What’s up with all the debate lately as to the flow allowed in new showerheads?

— Bill G., New York, N.Y.

 

The shower is a place of rejuvenation and relaxation for many of us, but it is also a big water hog, accounting for roughly 17% of the average U.S. household’s water usage. We use a lot less water in our showers nowadays thanks to a Clinton-era law mandating new showerheads sold in the U.S. can’t top a flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute (GPM). While some showerhead manufacturers tried to circumvent the new restrictions by utilizing multiple nozzles, the federal government eventually revised the legislation (in 2013) to limit entire fixtures to 2.5 GPM. 

Dissatisfied with the water pressure in his showers, in December 2020, former President Trump reversed the Obama-era amendment; this restored the federal limit of 2.5 GPM to be applied to individual nozzles instead of the entire fixture. A shower head with three nozzles could then use 7.5 GPM.

The loophole posed detrimental environmental impacts. Americans take about 200 million showers every day. The Alliance of Water Efficiency estimates under Trump’s rule U.S. water usage would increase by 161 billion gallons per year, resulting in more energy use to heat that water, in turn increasing greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), homes that switched out older less efficient showerheads with newer models have saved some 2,700 gallons of water per year, equating to a savings of 330 kilowatt hours of electricity annually — enough to power an entire house for 11 days. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) estimates the average American household could save $500 per year on utility bills after switching to low-flow shower heads.

EarthTalk® is produced by Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss for the 501(c)3 nonprofit EarthTalk. See more www.emagazine.com. Send questions to:  question@earthtalk.org.

earthtalk
The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Millerton News and The News does not support or oppose candidates for public office.

Latest News

The Millerton News - May 7, 2026

The Millerton News - May 7, 2026

Download directly

Liane McGhee

Liane McGhee
Liane McGhee
Liane McGhee

Liane McGhee, a woman defined by her strength of will, generosity, and unwavering devotion to her family, passed away leaving a legacy of love and cherished memories.

Born Liane Victoria Conklin on May 27, 1957, in Sharon, CT, she grew up on Fish Street in Millerton, a place that remained close to her heart throughout her life. A proud graduate of the Webutuck High School Class of 1975, Liane soon began the most significant chapter of her life when she married Bill McGhee on August 7, 1976. Together, they built a life centered on family and shared values.

Keep ReadingShow less

‘Women Laughing’ celebrates New Yorker cartoonists

‘Women Laughing’ celebrates New Yorker cartoonists

Ten New Yorker cartoonists gather around a table in a scene from “Women Laughing.”

Eric Korenman

There is something deceptively simple about a New Yorker cartoon. A few lines, a handful of words — usually fewer than a dozen — and suddenly an entire worldview has been distilled into a single panel.

There is also something delightfully subversive about watching a room full of women sit around a table drawing them. Not necessarily because it seems unusual now — thankfully — but because “Women Laughing,” screening May 9 at The Moviehouse in Millerton, reminds us that for much of The New Yorker’s history, such a gathering would have been nearly impossible to imagine.

Keep ReadingShow less
film
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.

By any other name: becoming Lena Hall

By any other name: becoming Lena Hall

In “Your Friends and Neighbors,” Lena Hall’s character is also a musician.

Courtesy Apple TV
At a certain point you stop asking who people want you to be and start figuring out who you already are.
— Lena Hall

There is a moment in conversation with actress and musician Lena Hall when the question of identity lands with unusual force.

“Well,” she said, pausing to consider it, “who am I really?”

Keep ReadingShow less
our community

Remembering Todd Snider at The Colonial Theatre

Remembering Todd Snider at The Colonial Theatre

“A Love Letter to Handsome John” screens at The Colonial Theatre on May 8.

Provided

Fans of the late singer-songwriter Todd Snider will have a rare opportunity to gather in celebration of his life and music when “A Love Letter to Handsome John,” a documentary by Otis Gibbs, screens for one night only at The Colonial Theatre in North Canaan on Friday, May 8.

Presented by Wilder House Berkshires and The Colonial Theatre, the 54-minute film began as a tribute to Snider’s friend and mentor, folk legend John Prine. Instead, following Snider’s death last November at age 59, it became something more intimate: a portrait of the alt-country pioneer during the final year of his life.

Keep ReadingShow less
film

Sharon Playhouse debuts new logo ahead of 2026 season

Sharon Playhouse debuts new logo ahead of 2026 season

New Sharon Playhouse logo designed by Christina D’Angelo.

Provided

The Sharon Playhouse has unveiled a new brand identity for its 2026 season, reimagining its logo around the silhouette of the historic barn that has long defined the theater.

Sharon Playhouse leadership — Carl Andress, Megan Flanagan and Michael Baldwin — revealed the new logo and website ahead of the 2026 season. The change reflects leadership’s desire to embrace both the Playhouse’s history and future, capturing its nostalgia while reinventing its image.

Keep ReadingShow less
sharon playhouse
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.