The Average Bath Volume

Bath Volume

• The average American bathtub holds approximately 24 gallons of water, according to the H2ouse water conservation website. As a point of comparison, the average shower uses 15 gallons of water, as pointed out by the California Energy Commission Consumer Energy Center website. It takes less energy to take a warm shower than it does to warm a bathtub full of water, which is why taking showers conserves water and lowers your energy bill.

Bathing Habits

• As of 2011, the average American household dedicated 1.7 percent of its water usage to taking a bath while the same households use 16.8 percent of their water to take showers, according to the Green 3D Home website. According to the H2ouse website, these numbers translate into an average of 0.1 baths per day per person in the United States. This indicates a significant shift from bathing to showering by each household in the country.

Importance of Conservation

• Water sources are finite, and some rural communities get their water from underground wells. For example, Hillsborough County in Florida relies exclusively on wells fed by rain water for its continuous water supply. Water conservation measures are strongly encouraged to make sure there is water available during times of little or no rainfall. In these sorts of communities, the difference between the average water volume difference between bathing and showering is significant.

Comparison

• You can do a simple test to see the difference between using a shower and a bathtub. Fill the bathtub as much as you would to take a bath and then use a ruler to measure the water depth at the center of the tub. Drain the tub, close the drain and take a shower. The water for your shower will remain in the tub. When you are done showering, use the same ruler and measure the depth of the water at the center of the tub. To convert those numbers to volume, measure the length and width of the tub and multiply length times width times depth. The final number will be in cubic inches.