Part 2.

The goal of the designers project is to develop a product that will save water
resources by combining the technology found in both low-flow shower heads and timers that are
in place to alert a person in the shower about the amount of water they are wasting. With these
shower heads, the designers hope people in every home can not only save water for the
environment but also save money for all those who implement their design. Water usage is a
significant problem in the society in which the designers live, as only 2.5% (National
Geographic N.D.) of the Earths water is fresh and a large amount of this is being wasted due to
long showers. Since humans are not taking showers with water from the ocean, the designers saw
the need to start conserving fresh water now so in the future people dont regret their wasteful
actions. Homeowners can also look forward to the savings at the end of every year with the use
of this newly-designed shower head. Moreover, if used consistently, as much as thirty-thousand
gallons of water can be saved per year in just one household (US EPA n.d,). One could only
imagine how much water the the average person could save if this shower head was integrated
into every home in America.
Part 3. How do the designers propose to prevent water wastage in the United States without
seriously changing our lifestyles? The designers project moves to create a showerhead that is
affordable, easy to use, and prevents water wastage in the United States and abroad. The average
American can waste as much as two to five gallons of water per minute due to wasteful shower
heads and as many as six gallons of water per shower due to not entering the shower
immediately. This behavior is known as behavioral waste (Behavioral Waste n.d.). It has
come to the point where this is causing severe, detrimental effects to the environment, and many
people often are not even aware of their transgressions.

Part 4. This project relates to many STEM concepts. It relates to Earth science because
there is now a plan to limit water wastage and as such would potentially limit the carbon
footprint of the average human being. This design relates itself to numerous innovations in
water- saving technology such as low-flow shower heads and timed shower circuits. The
combination of these two innovations, as well as the application of them into an economicallyfeasible design, is the fundamental core idea behind this invention. This design also provides a
needed service in engineering as it allows for further innovations to be made in the future,
following the ideas and concepts underlined in this project. Technology is always a driving factor
within innovation, but it is not alone in the inspiration of this low-flow, timed shower head.
Mathematical and engineering principles play a key role in making a working, low- flow
showerhead as well as connecting it to a 555 timer without making a clunky and unattractive
machine. A 555 timer is a device that uses simply circuitry to open or close an electric circuit
after a period of time has elapsed so in this case, it would be utilized to close the circuit leading
to running water. This product also requires the application of engineering principles that would
allow the project to work inside of the average American household with limited aggravation for
the potential consumer. The design will also require research in the fields of electronic
cooperation in order to be able to connect the timed circuit to the hot water tanks of the homes in
which the showers would be installed. These are generally located far from the shower.
Waterproofing technology would also be required in order to create wires that can run from the
shower head to the 555 circuit without becoming water damaged. This product will require a
large amount of research and development into the concept of low-flow shower heads in general
as the innovators move to create a showerhead that will slow the flow of water far more
drastically than it has been done before. Finally, the innovators hope to encourage society, much

as STEM tries to provide encouragement, to be more environmentally aware of the actions that
need to be taken and the decisions that need to be made in order to make a better world for
everyone. Many of the transgressions related to water wastage listed below are not done from a
lack of care for the environment but moreover a lack of understanding of the impact that long
and heavily flowing showers have on the environment. Thus, most importantly, the designers
hope to educate the populace on potential environmental hazards by producing a low cost and
affordable STEM-influenced product,
Part 5. This project is extremely marketable as it will be intentionally low costing,
putting it ahead of competitors that claim to be environmentally friendly. Not only will this
product be far more inexpensive than the competition, it will also be significantly more
environmentally effective than other plans currently put forth. There is a large market for shower
heads of this variety within the overall marketplace because many people want to help the
environment without having actual major effects on their overall lives.
Because of the large impact that water usage during wastefully long showers causes, the
designers have decided to combine a number of existing ideas in order to create an affordable
and overall efficient product. The designers will create a shower head that already has low-flow
technology which prevents the shower from pouring out too much water at once, thus keeping
overall water wastage at a minimum. Furthermore, the designers hope to combine this idea with
a standard simple circuit 555 circuit to limit the amount of time spent in the shower for the
average person (555 Astable Circuit Calculator n.d.and 555 timer n.d.).
The designers expect this project to be very marketable to all people because of its
affordability, but of course it is going to appeal far more to environmentally-aware people. It
would also apply largely to the head of households since they would be responsible for the

purchasing of the shower head itself and who would almost certainly appreciate the long-term
savings from using this product. As such, the designers will attempt to market the product to
parents and grandparents as a safe, cost-effective, and energy-efficient shower head. Many
parents would respond to the product better if the designers chose to market it with frightening
images of what the world could look like for their children if they fail to protect the environment
now. This would not only allow the potential consumer to feel guilty about their wasteful actions
but also make them feel a protective nature over their children and grandchildren. These
marketing options would lead consumers to be more likely to buy this product over others
because it will instill the idea of negative emotions like guilt as well as positive ones like
protection.
Because the designers can use a combination of pre-existing items to create their final
product, it would be relatively cost-efficient to produce on a large scale and could be marketed
for far more than it costs to create. Each of these units would probably cost $86-90 (Numbers
based on information found at "shop low flow shower heads n.d) to produce. On a large scale,
that would lead to very low production costs originally. Unfortunately they would require a
factory to be produced efficiently and with industrial-level equipment. This will incur a large but
worthwhile startup cost for the funders of this project. Light industrial facilities generally cost
roughly $1,500,000 (Stark county warehouses for sale n.d.)
Part 6. The chief competitor of the designers product would likely be Lowes Home
Improvement who have a low-priced, low-flow shower head design that they sell on a large scale
for roughly $84 ("Shop low flow shower heads n.d.) . However, the idea behind this new
product is far more efficient because it combines both low-flow shower head technology and
timed shower technology which would allow the designers to charge the same price for a much

more efficient piece of technology because a 555 timer is very inexpensive with costs totaling
to $.95 ("555 Timer n.d.). This would mean that the designers would be able to easily compete
on a small scale until the sponsors began to receive large profits from the product.
With the above listed facts, the designers have come to test the following hypothesis; If a timed,
low flow shower head is implemented into a home, how much would it positively affect the
people living there as well as the environment as a whole?
This is not the first time the technology of the timed shower head or the low flow shower
head has been made. A low flow shower head can be purchased at most retail stores. While it
may be difficult to find a timed showerhead, they are available in some markets. What the
designers have done is combined both of these two technologies for maximum efficiency. This
will help to reduce water usage on a massive scale if this idea is integrated into many homes in
the U.S. or even in many other countries.
Research conducted by the designers found many examples of low flow shower heads
and have found that on average, they can cut water flow from 12,775 gallons per year to 7,300
gallons ("Nebraska Energy Office" n.d. ) of water a year for a family of four. The designers have
also concluded that a running shower on average wastes 2-4 gallons of water per minute
(Washington Suburban Sanitary commission n.d.) and is the third largest water wastage in the
average household with an average wastage of 2.1 gallons of water per minute. ("Showers."
n.d. ) The EPA estimates that showers account for more than 1.2 trillion gallons of water a year
which is 17% of residential water usage. A low flow shower head can reduce wasted water in
showers by 55% without shortening shower times. ("Bughion." n.d.)

Table 1 ("EPA WaterSense" n.d. Based on study conducted by the American Water Works
Association in 1999. )
The phenomenon described as behavioral waste often occurs with showers also. This
concept occurs when people have their water running while waiting for it to reach their desired
temperature. With a normal shower head, this can account for as many as five gallons of heated
water being quite literally wasted during a shower before the individual even sets foot in the
shower. (Behavioral waste n.d. ) The designers plan cannot change the way people think, but
with a low flow shower head, people would waste far less water because of the simple reason
that less water is flowing per minute.
Finally, its time to consider economics. A 10 minute shower costs an average of $58.27
per month. Switching to a low flow shower head such as the one described by the designers plan
would not only limit the amount of time a shower takes due to the timer within the shower but
would also decrease spending by $1.11 per shower. If one is to shower 30 times a month, this is a
savings of $33.30 per family member each month. (What does it cost n.d)

Table 2 (Tri-rate showerhead November 22, 2013)

The picture above is a one that was taken from studies of a similar low flow shower head
that the designers would integrate into their design. This shows how much water could be saved
from a low flow shower head alone. The designers hope to cut these prices further with the
integration of a timer on every shower unit that would be sold. This picture also demonstrates
how much money can be saved yearly. The numbers are not huge, but as the years go on, one
could save thousands that just goes right back into the family budget. This technology is a great
way to conserve both money and water. With these shower heads being developed designers plan
to further decrease the yearly cost and water usage of the average American family.

Figure 1 (With help from Homemade Circuit Designs January 6, 2012 ;All About Circuits
n.d.) This shower head pictured above is similar to the one the designers hope to create which
will be connected to a 555 timer on the hot water tank will limit the water from the head from
2-5 to 1-3 gallons of water per minute. The average shower lasts approximately 8.2 minutes
(Showers n.d.) which the designers product will hopefully help limit to closer to 5 or 6
minutes per shower per family member as the showers will be timed so that family members will
be more aware of the water they are wasting (Take 5 Minute Showers August 23, 2013).
However, as the picture determines, in order to make the shower head more available to a wide
audience, the designers have allowed the timer to go anywhere between 1-10 minutes with

warning beeps to tell the person taking the shower that time is running out before the shower
will be turned off. Though the designers encourage their customers to take showers ranging
closer to 4-6 minutes, it also can be understood that many people need and want longer showers
and so the designers have allowed that feature to exist within the product to prevent alienation of
potential customers. However, the designers hope that the warning beep, which will be similar
to a seat belt alarm within a car, will help people be more aware of the amount of time being
spent in the shower. Theoretically, this would significantly limit water wastage for the
American family as a whole.
Part 7: The designers would first like to thank Canton South High School where where biology
courses are being attended that allowed for the creation of this low flow timed shower head. The
designers would also like to thank the teachers and staff of Canton South High School for
providing guidance in the STEM fields required that made such an idea a reality. The designers
would further like to thank previous inventors such as David Malcolm of High Sierra for his
innovations in water saving technology and green energy changes that served as a massive
inspiration for this design as well as many more. Other innovators and inventors who have
inspired the project include Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla for their works in electronics and
circuitry. Finally the designers would like to thank the Believe in Ohio foundation for being the
inspiration of the ideas of many youths and potential inventors, innovators, and other individuals
all across the great state of Ohio.
Part 8 References
All About Circuits. (n.d.). Retrieved January 4, 2015, from http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/
Behavioral Waste. (n.d.). Retrieved December 28, 2014, from http://thinkevolve.com/behavioralwaste/

Bugnion, V. (2013, August 27). Water Waste: Your Shower's Dirty Little Secret. Retrieved
February 5, 2015, from http://theenergycollective.com/vbugnion/264916/your-shower-s-dirtylittle-secret
EPA WaterSense | Water Education & Our Water Cycle | Water Use Today. (n.d.). Retrieved
January 30, 2015, from http://www.epa.gov/watersense/our_water/water_use_today.html
Geographic, N. (n.d.). Clean Water Crisis, Water Crisis Facts, Water Crisis Resources - National
Geographic. Retrieved February 14, 2015, from
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/freshwater-crisis/
Homemade Circuit Designs Just for You. (2012, January 6). Retrieved January 19, 2015, from
http://homemadecircuitsandschematics.blogspot.com/2012/01/how-to-make-simple-timercircuit-using.html
Home | Water | US EPA. (n.d.). Retrieved March 11, 2015, from http://water.epa.gov/
Nebraska Energy Office. (n.d.). Retrieved December 30, 2014, from
http://www.neo.ne.gov/hers/hers.htm
Shop low Flow shower heads. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14, 2015, from
http://www.lowes.com/Search=low flow showerheads?storeId=10151&langId=1&catalogId=10051&N=0&newSearch=true&Ntt=low flow showerheads#
Showers. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14, 2015, from http://www.home-water-works.org/indooruse/showers
Stark County Warehouses For Sale - Stark Ohio. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14, 2015, from
http://www.loopnet.com/Ohio/Stark-County_Warehouses-For-Sale/
Take 5 Minute Showers. (2013, August 23). Retrieved January 4, 2015, from
http://www.greenlifestylechanges.com/take-5-minute-showers/
Tri-rate Shower Head (savings: ~$23 /year*). (2013, November 22). Retrieved February 14,
2015, from http://greenifynow.com/wp/?wpsc-product=shower-head-2

Washington Suburban sanitary commission home. (n.d.). Retrieved December 18, 2014, from
https://www.wsscwater.com/home.html
What does it cost to take a ten-minute shower in the morning! (n.d.). Retrieved January 4, 2015,
from http://www.atsecosolutions.com/saveonshowering.html
555 Timer. (n.d.). Retrieved December 28, 2014, from https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9273
555 Astable Circuit Calculator. (n.d.). Retrieved December 28, 2014, from
http://www.ohmslawcalculator.com/555-astable-calculator