Low-flow shower heads save water

Brandt Hall Sustainability Council, along with Scott Barnes, Luther College plumber, installed 75 low-flow shower heads this year in five residence halls.

BHSC member Adam Voss (‘13) did some testing and found that the original shower heads release approximately 2.5-2.7 gallons of water per minute.

“We can greatly reduce the amount of water we use campus-wide just by using more modern low-flow shower heads,” Voss said.

The program to save water started in Brandt East. Assistant Sustainability Coordinator Maren Stumme-Diers has since organized the installation of three different shower heads into all women’s floors of Miller, and all of Olson, Larsen and Ylvisaker. These new shower heads use only 1.5-2 gallons of water per minute, depending on the model.

Each shower head model was assigned a number, and after spring break, students were asked to provide feedback and opinions regarding their favorites. Comments have been mostly positive, and generally revolve around desired features such as mist produced, pressure, adjustability and kind of spray.

Results for each shower head have been posted by students, and the winner should be announced in the coming weeks on the sustainability website.

Voss has his fingers crossed, and hopes that a certain shower head will receive high marks.

“Out of the three, one produces about 1.5 gallons per minute. This one won the trial phase. Hopefully by this summer, we’ll have these more sustainable shower heads in every dorm,” Voss said.

“The college mission statement calls us to practice ‘joyful stewardship’ so it seems to me that if there is any way we can possibly use less of any resource, it’s a good thing,” Stumme-Diers said.

Results for each shower head have been posted by students, and the winner should be announced in the coming weeks on the sustainability website.

Voss has his fingers crossed, and hopes that a certain shower head will receive high marks.

“Out of the three, one produces about 1.5 gallons per minute,” Voss said. “This one won the trial phase. Hopefully by this summer, we’ll have these more sustainable shower heads in every dorm.”

The shower heads are only part of Luther’s dedication to sustainability.

“The college mission statement calls us to practice ‘joyful stewardship’ so it seems to me that if there is any way we can possibly use less of any resource, it’s a good thing,” Stumme-Diers said.