Via The Wall Street Journal
Water Shortages Spur Restrictions and Low-Flow Designs, but Some People Aren't Willing to Sacrifice, and Skirt the Rules
excerpt...
So the hunt is on for a technological fix. For years, auto makers have used turbochargers, which force more air into the engine, to boost power without burning more fuel. Now, shower-head manufacturers are adopting a similar concept.The idea is to force air into the shower head, where it mixes with water. The objective is a fluffed-up mixture that dupes bathers into believing they are experiencing the same pressure they are accustomed to.One company's low-flow shower head, installed in several high-end hotels, pulls in air using a principle called a "Venturi vacuum." Another's uses a small turbine, which divides the water into tiny droplets and mixes in air. Both produce a powerful spray.But as always with new technology, there are downsides. Small water droplets cool faster than big ones, so aerated shower heads often require hotter water -- and according to some estimates, roughly 10% more energy -- than traditional models. That sacrifices one environmental benefit for another.The more immediate barrier for low-flow shower heads is the stigma that they will ruin people's mornings.
Video: When Showering Many Not Willing to Be Green
An Excellent Graphic explaining three common showerhead mechanical designs.
New Wave: The Push for an Efficient but Powerful Shower Head
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