Enrichment · Passion Projects · Environment

Where the
water goes.

Type how long the showers run, how often the machines go and what the fixtures use. The calculator adds up the household’s day and shows which use to change first.

Count our waterWhat you get

The water footprint calculator

The worked example is a family of four with a watered yard. Nothing you type leaves this browser.

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What you get

Enrichment · Passion ProjectsFree

What you finish with
Gallons a day for the household and per person, gallons a year, the share of each use and the saving with WaterSense fixtures. It prints as a summary for a class project or a family plan.
Who it is for
Families looking to cut a water bill, students doing a water or environmental science project with real numbers, and adults checking a home’s fixtures.
Format
Browser calculator for a phone, tablet or computer, by touch or keyboard. Prints a summary; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); export and import a file.
Access
Free. No account, no sign-in and nothing to install. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Passion Projects space in Caveat Enrichment.
Support
Questions, a correction or a request: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Time a typical shower.
  2. Read the fixtures’ flow ratings.
  3. Count weekly machine loads.
  4. Estimate outdoor watering.
  5. Change the biggest use first.

Count our water

How the gallons are counted

People, habits and fixture ratings.

The worked example: a family of fourShowers80 gal4 × 8 min × 2.5Toilets32 gal4 × 5 × 1.6Everything else140 galfaucets, machines, yardA person63 gala dayThe worked example: a family of fourShowers80 gal4 × 8 min × 2.5Toilets32 gal4 × 5 × 1.6Everything else140 galfaucets, machines, yardA person63 gala day
Each use is people times how often times how much; weekly uses are divided by seven; the total is shared across the household.

Fixture ratings

Federal law caps new showerheads at 2.5 gallons a minute and new toilets at 1.6 gallons a flush. EPA’s WaterSense label marks products that use at least about 20 percent less: showerheads at 2.0 gallons a minute or less, toilets at 1.28 gallons a flush, and bathroom faucets at 1.5 gallons a minute.

What it counts

This is the water that comes through the meter. A full water footprint also counts the water used to grow food and make goods, which is far larger, but only the meter’s share is yours to change at the tap. Outdoor watering often dominates in summer.

Sources

  1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. WaterSense: specifications for showerheads, toilets and bathroom faucets (epa.gov/watersense).
  2. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. WaterSense: how we use water (epa.gov/watersense).
  3. U.S. Department of Energy. Appliance and equipment standards: showerheads, faucets and water closets (energy.gov).
  4. U.S. Geological Survey. Water science school: how much water do I use at home each day? (usgs.gov).

An estimate from typical ratings and your habits; leaks and older fixtures can add more. Your entries stay in this browser. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.