Geberit: To bathe or not to bathe

While “To be or not to be” was what was pondered over many decades ago, today, a far more pertinent, and even tougher, question seems to be “To bathe or not to bathe”.

With bathroom space coming in at a premium, prevailing water scarcity and homeowners motivated to create more sustainable homes and adopt more sustainable lifestyles, the debate about whether to install a bath or a shower is one that’s still being had every day in South Africa.

As a leading designer of bathroom spaces and supplier of sanware and bathroom ceramics, Geberit has joined the conversation. To answer the question, Geberit has spoken to thousands of consumers and crunched the numbers in the bath vs shower debate.

“It has been a lifelong debate for many. Most of us wake up and head to what is available isn’t it so,” says Geberit.“We think we speak for most when we say, “a nice warm soak in a bathtub is an absolute dream after a long day of hustling and bustling. However, is that what we need?”

“If customary statistics are anything to go by, having a bath consumes up to three times more water than taking a shower. An average of 150 litres is required to fill the bathtub. Compared to this, a five-minute shower generally only consumes a maximum of 50 litres of water depending on the shower head and the duration of the shower. If you use the water sparingly, you can even get by with only 30 litres. This includes turning off the water while you soap yourself.”

So, while taking a bath may be great for your mind – it may not be that great for the environment or your pocket.

In fact, having a bath is up to five times more expensive than taking a shower in terms of water and sewerage costs according to Geberit.

When it comes to bathing vs showering, it seems that taking a shower is the best way to go – it takes up less space in a bathroom, is more economical to run and uses less natural resources. Of course, that doesn’t mean a good soak now and then is taboo – instead, it’s a case of viewing it as a luxury rather than a daily necessity.

For the latest in contemporary water-saving bathroom technology, visit your closest Geberit today.