President Trump has unveiled a new initiative to overhaul America’s showering experience, aiming to revive multi-nozzle showers and give consumers more control over their water usage.
The White House has announced a new order aimed at ‘making America‘s showers great again’ by easing rules restricting water flow in multi-nozzle showers. The move is seen as a victory for the Trump administration, which claims that the previous regulations were excessive and unnecessary.
In 1992, an energy law was passed that restricted showerheads to producing no more than 2.5 gallons (9.5l) of water per minute. However, in 2020, during Barack Obama‘s presidency, the definition of ‘showerhead’ was redefined to apply overall rather than to each nozzle. This change limited the total amount of water that could be discharged from a showerhead with multiple nozzles.
Consumer and conservation groups had previously argued that the new regulation was wasteful and unnecessary, as it reduced water efficiency and increased energy consumption. However, the White House claims that the previous rules were part of a ‘radical green agenda’ that made life worse for Americans.
Under Joe Biden‘s presidency, the rule change was reversed, allowing each nozzle to produce up to 2.5 gallons a minute. The current administration sees this as an opportunity to return to the ‘straightforward meaning’ of ‘showerhead’ from the 1992 law.
Trump has stated that he is tired of standing under the water for 15 minutes for his hair to get wet, echoing remarks he made during 2020. The White House claims that this change will allow Americans to ‘choose their showerheads without federal meddling‘ and pay for their own water.
The new order will come into effect 30 days after the energy secretary publishes a notice rescinding the definition. While some may see this as a victory for consumers, others argue that it could lead to increased water waste and decreased efficiency.
