Impact of Shower Habits on Household Water Consumption
A recent study highlights the impact of shower habits on household water consumption. Small decisions made in the shower, such as hair washing frequency and water usage patterns, may significantly affect water consumption more than previously understood.
Published in the Journal of Environmental Management, the research identifies showers as the largest contributor to indoor household water use, accounting for 25 to 45 percent. The study monitored shower behavior in 319 German households using smart sensors that recorded 8,550 shower events over 40 days. These sensors tracked shower duration, water pauses, and environmental conditions, while post-shower surveys gathered demographic, hair, and product use data.
Findings revealed that shower behaviors strongly influence shower length. Specifically, applying shampoo more than once extends shower duration by about 27 percent. “The biggest drivers of water use are not who you are or where you live. What matters most is what you actually do in the shower,” said Dr. Pablo Pereira-Doel, co-author of the study and fellow at the Institute for Sustainability at the University of Surrey.
Small routines like double shampoo applications or letting water run while lathering can significantly prolong showers.
The study also noted a connection between water-flow interruptions and increased shower time. Those who paused the water three or more times showered about 20 percent longer than those who didn’t pause it. Comparatively, individuals pausing the water only once had showers lasting 28 percent shorter.
Age showed variations in shower duration, with younger and middle-aged adults typically showering longer than those over 50. Additionally, water hardness influenced shower time, with regions having soft water seeing 23 percent longer showers, likely due to a richer lather and more enjoyable washing experience.
With average American showers lasting eight minutes and using 16 gallons of water according to the EPA, focusing on habits during showering could be vital. Although technological and economic measures exist to reduce household water use, the study suggests examining and addressing in-shower behavior may be an effective approach.
Potential strategies include promoting single shampoo applications and reminding individuals to turn off water while lathering. Behavioral nudges, feedback devices, and product design changes could reduce water use without compromising comfort.
“If we want to reduce household water consumption, we need to design solutions that work with people’s habits rather than against them,” Pereira-Doel stated. Examining daily habits alongside existing technologies could be crucial for decreasing water consumption.
Reference: David Morizet et al, Event-level modelling of showering behaviour in German households: Triangulating smart-meter, in-situ survey and contextual public data, Journal of Environmental Management (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.130596
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