Recently on Kickstarter, there was a lot of hype over a showerhead. Yes, a shower head.
Nebia probably got considerable exposure because of it’s close affiliations with the likes of Google, Apple, and Stanford University.
I’ll not go into the technicalities behind the project – there’s more than enough of that on the Kickstarter Page. I will talk a little about the real life practicalities of it, though.
Your typical shower head nowadays uses about 2.5 gallons of water per minute. The head itself can cost just a couple of dollars, or anywhere around $50 or more. However, all still around 2.5gpm, no matter how you look at it.
Showers, and shower heads haven’t really changed that much in, well, many years either. Sure there are “rain fall” and heads that surround you, etc. but the essence and usage is still the same. The more heads, the more water usage, the more money (quite literally down the drain).
The folks at Nebia decided to reimagine and re-think the shower head as we know it, even down to the holes that the water comes through.
And, they claim that this wonder can save you up to 70% in your water usage.
How much for this marvel? Well, lucky Kickstarter backers were able to back the project for less than $300. Current pre-orders are selling for $350.
“$350 for a shower head?! I can buy one for $50!” you cry.
Right, but (up to) 70% savings in water usage?
Let’s put aside the environmental benefits – they sort of go without saying, and while they’re nice I can’t really quantify them in a way that would really sell and idea to the common consumer.
Money? that makes sense, right?
Regular shower head: 2.5gpm, 10 minutes per day, a penny per gallon, over a year would cost $91 per year.
(my figures differ to the graphic because I don’t live in California)
Let’s say you install a Nebia. Nebia claims you’ll save up to 70% on your water usage, so let’s say 50% to be safe. A 1 person household would save maybe $45 per year in their water usage.
Do you pay for your sewerage per month? Take a look at your bill. In my area, we pay about a penny per gallon for sewerage, too. Saving on water usage saves on the back-end, too (pun intended).
So, in a typical 2 person household, you might have a water bill of about $30, and a sewerage bill of about $30 per month – spending about $60 (plus taxes and extras) water going in and out of your home.
Using Nebia you might save $20 per month. You’d start saving money in about 18 months. Not a bad ROI actually.
Of course, this is assuming you don’t realize; “hey, I’m using half as much water, I can spend twice as long in the shower!”
Much like Solar Panels, Electric Vehicles, and other current eco-friendly projects, you’ll spend a premium to save money in the long-term, and help the environment while you’re at it.
Nebia did challenge leaders in drought problem States like California to lead the way, set an example, and use the Nebia Showerhead themselves.
Saving any percentage of water on a daily shower, for millions of users can make a massive impact on any infrastructure.
Of course, using up to 70% less water means that there is up to 70% less water coming through the shower head and ending up on you, right? Surely this can’t get you as clean as a regular shower?
Demo and beta users of the Nebia have said that it works and works well.
By changing the nozzle design in the head, Nebia makes the water more a mist than a stream.
It seems though that by “walking into a cloud”, you still get clean, and possibly more refreshed during your shower experience.
They’ve made installation a breeze and have considered a variety of bath/shower types, including spacers where necessary.
I did email Nebia support with a question, and they were remarkably responsive – always good to see.
The main head comes with an easily mounted wand, giving you 2 heads – one above and one on the wall.
