Here’s the good news: manufacturers of consumer and commercial water using fixtures, such as those used in kitchens and restrooms, are making their products much more water efficient.  That means these fixtures have met user expectations, but do so using less water.

For instance, a 2016 report by the nonprofit Alliance for Water Efficiency, examines water-using products we use every day in homes and offices.  It compared how much water these products used in the 1980s to the amounts these products use today.

Among the comparisons are the following:
 

“In many ways, we are doing even better than these comparisons indicate,” says Klaus Reichardt, CEO and founder of Waterless Co., Inc. “For instance, no-water urinals are now commonplace, especially in the western half of the U.S.. Further, toilets and faucets that use even less than the amounts listed here are also available.”

But here’s the not so good news: the report also indicated that even though there has been much success in developing fixtures that use far less water than those manufactured 25 years ago, not all states in the country have experienced significant reductions in water consumption. In fact, most of the reduction in the U.S. over the past 25 years has been primarily in four states:  California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.

“But we will see more states reporting less water consumption in the days ahead,” says Reichardt. “There is a lot of construction and renovation going on around the U.S. right now.  Invariably, developers and building owners are selecting the most water efficient fixtures for these buildings.”