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Post by freecharlie on Apr 4, 2015 22:48:06 GMT
So I was thinking about our peeing in the shower thread and California's drought conditions. If only half of California's population peed in the shower instead of flushing and didn't change their showering habits and assuming that all houses have the newer low flow toilets that only use 1.6 gallons per flush (instead of 5 or 7 gallons per flush), Californians could save...
over 31 million gallons of water PER DAY
That would be 11 BILLION gallons per year. (Actually around 11.3 billion)
Would that be worth peeing down the shower drain in the morning instead of flushing?
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Rainbow
Pearl Clutcher
Where salt is in the air and sand is at my feet...
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Post by Rainbow on Apr 4, 2015 23:02:33 GMT
It might be worth it to you. To me it's still just gross.
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Post by chaosisapony on Apr 4, 2015 23:11:03 GMT
I live in California and where I am most people are not taking the drought conditions seriously at all. Last August one house two blocks from me was redoing their entire front yard with a huge water fountain and pond.  Even with potential water savings, I just can't wrap my mind around shower peeing. I wonder if I could even make myself do it? I'm more likely to pee in the toilet and just flush every couple times instead of every time if it comes to that. |
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Post by freecharlie on Apr 4, 2015 23:13:08 GMT
I live in California and where I am most people are not taking the drought conditions seriously at all. Last August one house two blocks from me was redoing their entire front yard with a huge water fountain and pond. Even with potential water savings, I just can't wrap my mind around shower peeing. I wonder if I could even make myself do it? I'm more likely to pee in the toilet and just flush every couple times instead of every time if it comes to that. That might work too. Since you live in California, have you never had water restrictions? Like odd number houses could only water on MW and even numbers on T TH before 11 and after 5 type of thing? |
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Post by chaosisapony on Apr 4, 2015 23:20:05 GMT
I live in California and where I am most people are not taking the drought conditions seriously at all. Last August one house two blocks from me was redoing their entire front yard with a huge water fountain and pond. Even with potential water savings, I just can't wrap my mind around shower peeing. I wonder if I could even make myself do it? I'm more likely to pee in the toilet and just flush every couple times instead of every time if it comes to that. That might work too. Since you live in California, have you never had water restrictions? Like odd number houses could only water on MW and even numbers on T TH before 11 and after 5 type of thing? Not in my lifetime in any area I've lived in. Water has always been cheap and plentiful. My mom has a fully irrigated 5 acre property and her water bill last year in the summer was only about $40/month. That's with her watering mostly 8-12 hours a day, 6 days a week. I do recall hearing that in Sacramento last year they were fining people if the lawn sprinklers got water on the sidewalks. But where I live (about an hour north of Sac) we didn't have any restrictions, fines, or mandatory conservation. |
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 20:06:53 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2015 23:22:32 GMT
I started the last "shower pee" thread and I hadn't done it but DH alerted me to this option.
I have to say..I finally tried it. I don't see what the big deal is and it wasn't too bad. I won't shy away from it again if nature calls while I'm getting clean.
I do know that I never considered peeing there before, so I certainly wouldn't think of it in a drought..but I get it!
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Post by freecharlie on Apr 4, 2015 23:22:41 GMT
That might work too. Since you live in California, have you never had water restrictions? Like odd number houses could only water on MW and even numbers on T TH before 11 and after 5 type of thing? Not in my lifetime in any area I've lived in. Water has always been cheap and plentiful. My mom has a fully irrigated 5 acre property and her water bill last year in the summer was only about $40/month. That's with her watering mostly 8-12 hours a day, 6 days a week. I do recall hearing that in Sacramento last year they were fining people if the lawn sprinklers got water on the sidewalks. But where I live (about an hour north of Sac) we didn't have any restrictions, fines, or mandatory conservation. Wow, that is so foreign to me. I live in Colorado and we have water restrictions most years. Not last year because we had good snowpack and it rained a lot, but probably 8 out of every 10 years we have had restrictions. Since this is apparently California's 4th year of drought, I am surprised there weren't restrictions in place previously. |
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YooHoot
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by YooHoot on Apr 4, 2015 23:25:44 GMT
No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.
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Post by AussieMeg on Apr 4, 2015 23:29:23 GMT
I live in California and where I am most people are not taking the drought conditions seriously at all. Last August one house two blocks from me was redoing their entire front yard with a huge water fountain and pond. When we had our last big drought (that lasted about 9 years), water restrictions were put in place. They were very strict and if anyone had been caught filling a water fountain or pond, they would have been fined and/or had their water supply reduced to a trickle. We weren't allowed to wash cars or windows or water our lawns (unless using recycled water) and some areas were not allowed to water their gardens at all. In my area we were allowed to water between 5am and 8am every second day (or was it twice a week?). I don't think the restrictions forced anyone to shower pee however!!  (Not that I'm against it.) I did hear the phrase "If it's yellow let it mellow" more times than I thought necessary though haha! |
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katybee
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,610
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Post by katybee on Apr 4, 2015 23:30:28 GMT
If it's yellow, let it mellow…
If it's brown, flush it down…
Think of how many millions of gallons of water that could save!
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Post by freecharlie on Apr 4, 2015 23:47:31 GMT
If it's yellow, let it mellow… If it's brown, flush it down… Think of how many millions of gallons of water that could save! Unless it is a public toilet, then please flush. |
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Dani-Mani
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Post by Dani-Mani on Apr 4, 2015 23:51:33 GMT
Hahahahaha, this thread rocks!
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Post by ntsf on Apr 4, 2015 23:52:55 GMT
water restrictions depend on where you live and where you get the water. SF gets water from hetch hetchy dam and we have enough water. the average person in sf uses 44 gal per day...down from 56. very few people have lawns or yards. people in the suburbs who have lawns have it worse...farmers are using ground water. santa cruz has strict regulations as they get water from a river and they are in big trouble.
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Post by marmargirl on Apr 4, 2015 23:55:30 GMT
I'm in Oregon and even though we don't have any restrictions, my husband changed the flusher on our toilet to a dual flush conversion. If it's just liquid waste, you pull the handle up and less water is used; if it's solid waste, you pull the handle down and the normal amount (whatever that is) of water runs through. I don't know if it makes a big difference, but at least I feel we are doing something to conserve a bit of water.  |
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Post by freecharlie on Apr 4, 2015 23:56:17 GMT
water restrictions depend on where you live and where you get the water. SF gets water from hetch hetchy dam and we have enough water. the average person in sf uses 44 gal per day...down from 56. very few people have lawns or yards. people in the suburbs who have lawns have it worse...farmers are using ground water. santa cruz has strict regulations as they get water from a river and they are in big trouble. Wow, the USGS says the average person uses 80-100 gallons, so SF is rather low |
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ingrid
Full Member
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Jun 26, 2014 0:52:41 GMT
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Post by ingrid on Apr 4, 2015 23:57:38 GMT
water restrictions depend on where you live and where you get the water. I don't think that's the case anymore. ETA- I just looked at the Hetch Hetchy reservoir and the levels are very low. Since the source of water seems to be melted snow and the snow pack is dismally below what it usually is this year, things are going to get pretty tight. I'm kind of wondering how many Californians aren't taking the drought seriously because they also believe water is plentiful in their area. Statewide Water Restrictions
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stittsygirl
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Post by stittsygirl on Apr 4, 2015 23:59:06 GMT
I'm the occasional shower pee-er, when nature calls and everything, but I really just want to send good thoughts to everyone in drought stricken regions, especially California. It looks like it may get worse before it gets better, and we could all eventually feel the effects.
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oaksong
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Jun 27, 2014 6:24:29 GMT
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Post by oaksong on Apr 5, 2015 0:08:03 GMT
The governor just mandated a 25% reduction in water usage. Most of us conserve already, so it not sure how we're going to manage that. My brother recently ripped out his lawn. Ugh, I hate the thought of it, but we may not have a choice, if it's between that or peeing in the shower.
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Post by njinkerbelle on Apr 5, 2015 0:10:56 GMT
I can't ever think of peeing in the shower.
I have seen the reports and pictures about drought in California and it's just terrible. When I was kid growing up in northern NJ there was a drought one year. We were hit with forest fires at the same time. I remember the constant smell of smoke. I remember the water restrictions and hope never to have to live though that again.
I feel sorry for the folks going through the drought and hope they have some relief soon.
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Post by blueswede on Apr 5, 2015 0:10:58 GMT
They did have water restrictions in the last big drought during my lifetime. Maybe the 1970s?
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Post by freecharlie on Apr 5, 2015 0:11:29 GMT
The governor just mandated a 25% reduction in water usage. Most of us conserve already, so it not sure how we're going to manage that. My brother recently ripped out his lawn. Ugh, I hate the thought of it, but we may not have a choice, if it's between that or peeing in the shower. What about letting it mellow? |
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Post by cadoodlebug on Apr 5, 2015 0:13:48 GMT
We haven't washed our cars with a hose since restrictions started last year. We give them a sponge bath. Our lawn is still watered but very rarely ~ no one will drive by and think we are wasting water. We use the speed wash on our dishwasher and limit showers. We have decreased our water usage by 50% over pre-drought bill periods. Our town as a whole has decreased water usage by 31%. Our neighbor has left his hose in his pool overnight TWICE. It floods our side-yard and I'm sure chlorine isn't good for it. Last time they fined him $500.
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Post by freecharlie on Apr 5, 2015 0:15:26 GMT
We haven't washed our cars since restrictions started last year. We give them a sponge bath. Our lawn is still watered but very rarely ~ no one will drive by and think we are wasting water. We use the speed wash on our dishwasher and limit showers. We have decreased our water usage by 50% over pre-drought bill periods. Our town as a whole has decreased water usage by 31%. Our neighbor has left his hose in his pool overnight TWICE. It floods our side-yard and I'm sure chlorine isn't good for it. Last time they fined him $500. Speed wash? Is it a newer model or is speed was equivolent to light wash? |
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Post by cadoodlebug on Apr 5, 2015 0:16:52 GMT
We haven't washed our cars since restrictions started last year. We give them a sponge bath. Our lawn is still watered but very rarely ~ no one will drive by and think we are wasting water. We use the speed wash on our dishwasher and limit showers. We have decreased our water usage by 50% over pre-drought bill periods. Our town as a whole has decreased water usage by 31%. Our neighbor has left his hose in his pool overnight TWICE. It floods our side-yard and I'm sure chlorine isn't good for it. Last time they fined him $500. Speed wash? Is it a newer model or is speed was equivolent to light wash? It is about 7 years old. A regular wash is 90 minutes. The *economy* wash is about 35. |
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Sarah*H
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by Sarah*H on Apr 5, 2015 0:19:32 GMT
Around San Francisco there were water restrictions in the late 80's or early 90's. I have a lot of family there and it was always a big issue when we visited.
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Post by krazykatlady on Apr 5, 2015 0:21:29 GMT
That might work too. Since you live in California, have you never had water restrictions? Like odd number houses could only water on MW and even numbers on T TH before 11 and after 5 type of thing? Not in my lifetime in any area I've lived in. Water has always been cheap and plentiful. My mom has a fully irrigated 5 acre property and her water bill last year in the summer was only about $40/month. That's with her watering mostly 8-12 hours a day, 6 days a week. I do recall hearing that in Sacramento last year they were fining people if the lawn sprinklers got water on the sidewalks. But where I live (about an hour north of Sac) we didn't have any restrictions, fines, or mandatory conservation. I'm sorry but I can't wrap my brain around watering 8-12 hours per day., 6 days a week? Seriously? That doesn't water log the plants/grass? The other thing discussed here. I'd much rather pee in the shower than to let pee sit in the toilet all day, and pee on top of someone else's pee, not to mention lifting the lid and seeing/smelling pee in the toilet. That's just gross! |
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Post by Zee on Apr 5, 2015 0:29:49 GMT
I'm on board with not watering the lawn, which I never do anyway, or washing my car (I only do that on nice winter days to get the salt off), but I'm not about to pee in the shower. I'd be much more likely to flush once less in the day than turn my shower into a urinal.
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Post by Sorrel on Apr 5, 2015 0:37:43 GMT
I already pee in the shower.  Not regularly, but if I get in before I remember to go I do. Only DH and I use ours and he doesn't care. It goes right down the drain and gets cleaned every week.... |
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likescarrots
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Post by likescarrots on Apr 5, 2015 0:46:35 GMT
The other thing discussed here. I'd much rather pee in the shower than to let pee sit in the toilet all day, and pee on top of someone else's pee, not to mention lifting the lid and seeing/smelling pee in the toilet. That's just gross! Me too! Leaving pee in the toilet is disgusting. When you shower, it goes down the drain. But I am skeptical of the OPs #s - do they take into account that we pee way more times per day than we take a shower (at least I do...)? |
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georgiapea
Drama Llama
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Post by georgiapea on Apr 5, 2015 0:56:23 GMT
If I lived in a draught affected state I would do that. Not that I really endorse the practice but I can see the benefit as presented by the OP and would fall in line.
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Even with potential water savings, I just can't wrap my mind around shower peeing. I wonder if I could even make myself do it? I'm more likely to pee in the toilet and just flush every couple times instead of every time if it comes to that.
(Not that I'm against it.) I did hear the phrase "If it's yellow let it mellow" more times than I thought necessary though haha! 
Not regularly, but if I get in before I remember to go I do. Only DH and I use ours and he doesn't care. It goes right down the drain and gets cleaned every week....