That is why we have set reference values for NEOPERL products that define, across the EU, what we mean by “water-saving” and which comparison values we use to calculate savings.
Water-saving – but compared to what?
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Saving water means using less water, right? But at what flow rate do showers and faucets actually count as “water-saving”? And when we claim that a product saves water, doesn’t that immediately raise the question: compared to what?
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What does “water-saving” mean at Neoperl?
› You can easily measure how much water flows through your faucet or shower in liters per minute. Subjectively, you can then decide for yourself whether that is a lot or a little. Objectively, however, this amount needs a benchmark for comparison.
Within the EU, there is no single general definition that sets, for all faucets and applications, the flow rate at which a product can be described as water-saving. There are, however, regulations and labelling schemes for specific contexts and applications, including the Unified Water Label and the › EU Taxonomy – we have used these as a guide and derived consistent reference values from them.
NEOPERL aerators and flow regulators are considered water-saving if the flow rate is no more than
- 4 liters per minute at the washbasin,
- 6 liters per minute in the kitchen and
- 8 liters per minute in the shower.
The comparison basis for a non-water-saving reference product is
- 8 liters per minute at the washbasin,
- 9 liters per minute in the kitchen and
- 14 liters per minute in the shower.
Only with this consistent basis for comparison can you put a statement such as “reduces your water consumption by 40%” into context. Of course, the actual savings depend on factors such as the starting situation and your individual usage habits. The same applies to the figures we give for energy, CO₂ and costs: they are based on model calculations and further assumptions, for example about water heating or water and energy prices. We explain in detail which values we use and how we calculate them on our › reference values page.
If you would like to calculate savings based on your own situation, you can give it a try with our › savings calculator and adjust the values individually.
Whether Neoperl describes a product as water-saving or states a specific saving: the defined values give these statements a concrete point of reference. This allows you to see transparently what we mean by “water-saving”, what we compare against and how our savings figures are derived.