How New Water Efficiency Standards Are Changing Shower Heads in Canada
Get Low-Flow Without the Low Pressure With Air Infusion Shower Heads
In this weekly Q&A column, retired builder/building inspector Cam Allen answers readers’ home renovation questions. Have a question? Enter it in the form below.
For years we lived with conventional shower sets in most homes. They provided an invigorating morning “wake-up” to start our day. By the late 70s we began to realize that these morning showers were simply guzzling water and the energy to heat this water at an amazing rate.
New Water Efficiency Standards Coming Into Effect
These standard shower heads consumed upwards of 95 litres (25 gallons of water) for a 10-minute shower. Low-flow shower replacement heads became
available and in some cases, mandated by municipalities. In July 2026, new rules from Natural Resources Canada will mandate not only showers but the taps in your household sinks (with the exception of your kitchen taps)
The new standard for showers will be 7.0L (1.85 GPM) and for bathroom taps it will be 5.7L (1.5GPN). Toilets stay the same for now.
This reduction is expected to reduce water usage by upwards of 25 percent in most Canadian homes. This means any new shower sets sold in Canada will
drop to this new level of water use.
While it’s difficult to pin down actual savings, it is commonly accepted that
going from a conventional 2.5 GPM shower head to 1.5 GPM (considered an ultra conservation upgrade) can save upwards of 60 percent of water usage, estimated at 2,700 gallons a year for a family of four.
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It’s not only the water used, it’s the energy savings involved. This can potentially save the average homeowner anywhere from $70 to $150 annually on their hydro or gas bill, depending upon which energy source you are using.
How to Improve the Shower Experience With Low Water Pressure
I often heard from our clients in the past that the shower was not as invigorating as it used to be. They made attempts to remove the flow control or find an older shower head to get back to that enjoyable morning wakeup.
Sometimes it’s not the shower head, however. In an older home it can be mineral buildup in the water lines, older fixtures, municipal water pressure and in a few cases pressure reducing valves in your home.
There are a couple of options, one being a high-pressure shower head. Through advanced nozzle design these shower heads can improve the spray patterns even with low water pressure. The other option is an air infusion shower system (the technology is also referred to as air injection, air induction or air infused) and when both of these technologies are blended it makes for not only an invigorating shower, I have heard comments that they provide a “spa like” comfortable water flow.
Air Infusion Shower Systems
The makers of these shower sets claim that they offer a massage, rainfall and mist effects. Some higher-end models contain a shower care filter to reduce any solid impurities in the water, giving you the ability to replace the filter cartridge.
So let’s look at this more recent shower design. Air Infusion shower heads and shower wands are designed with a small vent that draws in air, blending it into the stream of water. This process creates larger, softer water droplets that have a luxurious feel to them that also amplify flow efficiency. This method is recognized to reduce your water usage upwards of 30 percent.
Shower heads have also changed. Gone are the days of the basic round shower head. Overhead square shower heads provide the gentle rainfall effect when coupled with air infusion technology. These shower heads are available in different sizes, some are still round while others are square, often ranging from 8” to 12”. I have seen 24″ custom models with a rainfall design that are built into the ceiling of the shower enclosure.
All of the major manufactures offer these air infusion shower sets. Recently I had to upgrade our master bath shower and we looked at the major makers and settled on a Canadian manufacturer called Belanger. Not unlike the well-known US brands like Moen they offer a limited lifetime warranty for as long as you own your home.
Some Tips to Improve your Shower
If you decide to upgrade when the new regulations come into effect make sure the mixing valve is solid brass – some makers use plastic and they have a noticeably reduced lifespan. I did see a couple of makers who integrated their systems with wi-fi capabilities to monitor the water temperature and usage. Also see if the shower set you are considering is finished in stainless steel. This will greatly reduce corrosion and be easier to sanitize. One other small benefit is that a high percentage of stainless steel is recycled material.
While doing some added research for this article I came across a couple of interesting ideas to add for your shower enjoyment and safety. The first one was hanging six to eight eucalyptus branches from your shower head or wall wand. The steam from your shower activates the oil in the leaves, helping clear nasal congestion, open sinuses and reduce stress by lowering cortisol levels. There are numerous suggestions online for preparing these branches to use in your shower.
The other suggestion is meant for children and our growing senior population. I have seen numerous glass company crews bringing in large glass panels for installation on our job sites and they used a suction cup handle attached to the glass. It always amazed me how much these installers relied on these grips. I never once saw them fail.
Now I have seen similar style suction cup grab bars available for inside shower walls. As long as you have a smooth, non-porous surface, this appears to be a great safety idea for any shower installation. They are available in different lengths. There is no need to make any permanent holes in your shower enclosure or tile walls and they appear to be simple to relocate as needed. The better models offer suction cup grip strength up to 300 pounds.
It is no secret we must pay more attention to water conservation. Major parts of the southern United States are already rationing water and it’s only a matter of time it will affect a lot more in Canada.
Read more on this topic in 10 Easy and Effective Ways to Save Water at Home
Images from Depositphotos
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