Ban on multiple shower heads?

The Department of Energy is considering a ban on multiple shower heads as reported by the NAHB. Good or bad? Most of you know us as proponents of wise energy use and Green Building techniques, but it concerns me from a standpoint of personal liberty as well.

In fact, there are several reasons why I actually think multiple shower heads can be more efficient than the alternatives. I encourage you to consider:

A nice shower with a body spray system can often take the place of a large, water-guzzling whirlpool tub. You can enjoy your body spray shower every time you use it, and you can use it for as short or as long as you wish.

By eliminating a whirlpool, you can save on the square footage of your home. Not only do you not need a $1500 - $5000 whirlpool, you can save between 20 and 60 square feet of floor space by not needing to oversize your bathroom further.

While some shower systems can use as much as 10 gallons or more per minute, this is rare. And,you have the opportunity to still get a refreshing shower with as little as 4 or 5 gallons per minute with greater bursts of water when needed. Or, switch on the single shower head for average use of 2 gallons, and then go to full blast when you rinse your body.

In almost any case, a 10 minute shower is going to use less water than a 70 gallon fill-up of your whirlpool. And in any case, water conservation and energy conservation is up to you. Choose to live your life responsibly. Enjoy it, but why waste it?

I hope that if we all make wise decisions, and bit by bit take personal responsibility, we can avoid misguided, overreaching mandates by the government that intrude into our daily lives.

Your thoughts are always welcome!