New York State Saying NO To These Types of Showers

The next time you step into the shower, you may wonder whether the showerhead you’re using meets New York State regulations. Believe it or not, New York has specific rules about the types of water fixtures that can be sold and installed in homes, all as part of an effort to conserve water.

Growing Up With One Bathroom and Short Showers

I remember when I was a kid, my father would limit our showers to just two or three minutes. With seven people living in our house, five kids plus Mom and Dad, we only had one bathroom. There wasn’t much room for long, relaxing showers.

My dad was always concerned about the cost of heating the water and keeping the water bill under control. Looking back, it made a lot of sense.

Today, many homes have two or even three bathrooms, making it much easier for everyone to shower whenever they want.

Water Usage Adds Up Quickly

Fast forward to today with my own family, and it seems like the water is never turned off. Between filling water bottles, washing dishes, doing endless loads of laundry, and all the baths and showers, it feels like the water meter is constantly spinning.

If you have kids, you probably know exactly what I’m talking about.

New York State Water Conservation Rules

New York State has implemented water conservation standards that limit the amount of water certain plumbing fixtures can use. The goal is to reduce water consumption while still providing homeowners with efficient fixtures.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has a complete list of approved standards for products such as:

Showerheads
Toilets
Bathroom faucets
Residential kitchen faucets

These efficiency standards were phased in during 2022 and 2023, but many New Yorkers are only now learning about them in 2026.

According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the average person uses about 50 gallons of water every day. That means some households use significantly more, while others use less.

"Approximately nine billion gallons of water are withdrawn each day from the lakes, rivers, streams, estuaries and groundwaters of upstate New York (this excludes Nassau and Suffolk counties). Uses include public supply, thermoelectric power generation, agriculture, commercial/industrial, recreational and more".

What It Means for Homeowners

The next time you replace a showerhead, install a new kitchen faucet, or remodel a bathroom, keep in mind that New York’s water conservation standards may affect which products you can purchase.

It’s understandable that showers tend to last a little longer after the kids have spent the day outside playing, especially during the hot summer months. However, with some areas experiencing drier-than-normal conditions, conserving water can make a meaningful difference.

Even small changes in water use can help reduce waste, lower utility bills, and protect New York’s water resources for the future.