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EPA

How Long Should You Shower? EPA’s Water-Saving Guidance

EPA’s water-saving tip is to keep showers under five minutes. Here’s what that guidance means and how showerhead flow rate also affects water use.

By Bettesworth Construction Team 2 min read
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For a practical water-saving target, keep your shower under five minutes. That is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s advice on its WaterSense for Kids page—not a universal medical rule for how long everyone should bathe.

EPA’s recommended shower time for saving water

EPA’s WaterSense for Kids page says: “To save even more water, keep your shower under five minutes long—try timing yourself with a clock next time you hop in!” EPA WaterSense for Kids

This is a conservation tip. The EPA guidance cited here does not establish an ideal shower duration for every person’s hygiene, skin, or hair needs.

Why shower length matters

Showering accounts for nearly 17 percent of residential indoor water use, according to EPA’s Shower Better page, current as reported November 20, 2025. Reducing the time water runs is one way to reduce household water use.

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There is also an energy benefit: heating shower water uses energy. EPA estimates that replacing one showerhead with a WaterSense-labeled model saves an average family 2,700 gallons of water annually and more than $75 in combined energy and water costs, according to that same page. EPA’s Statistics and Facts page gives a different estimate: more than 2,700 gallons and $70 in water and electricity costs. These are EPA estimates, not guaranteed savings for an individual household.

How to reduce shower water use

Time your shower

Use a clock, as EPA suggests, and aim to finish in under five minutes. A simple timer can help you track the time, but EPA does not require a dedicated device.

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Consider a WaterSense-labeled showerhead

EPA’s WaterSense showerhead specification, Version 1.1, dated July 26, 2018, sets a maximum rated flow of 2.0 gallons per minute for labeled showerheads. EPA’s Fall 2024 publication compares that limit with 2.5 gallons per minute for standard showerheads. Look for the WaterSense label and check the product’s rated flow; the standard is a category criterion, not an endorsement of a particular brand.

Duration and flow rate are separate ways to affect water use: a lower-flow showerhead does not necessarily reduce total use if a shower is made longer. A more efficient fixture can complement shorter showers rather than replace the time-saving measure.

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How to interpret the “ideal” time

EPA’s under-five-minute recommendation is specifically about conserving water. It should not be confused with an average shower duration reported in other EPA materials, which can describe typical use rather than a conservation target. The cited EPA sources do not establish a single medical or hygiene ideal that applies to everyone.

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  • WATERSENSE COMPLIANT: Our efficient and cost-saving showerhead is ANSI certified, NSF certified, ASME listed, CSA listed, and Watersense compliant in EPA criteria in water efficiency.

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