The Submarine Shower

 You may have heard in the news recently the topic again of showerheads. Why does our federal government feel the need to be involved in our bathing habits, and define what a showerhead should or shouldn't be able to do? Don't get me wrong, it is about a legitimate cause in water and energy conservation. But, can't we the people decide if we want to enjoy higher water pressure, maybe a bit longer relaxing shower, or a submarine shower?

The political back and forth on showerheads is annoying. To low flow, or not to low flow? That is the question. Does a low flow showerhead save water and energy? Sure, as it limits the amount of water flow per minute. Gallons per minute is the go to measurement for determining what is low flow and what is not. Two gallons of water per minute or less is typically considered low flow. I'm sure many find low flow to be perfectly adequate, whereas others feel they can't get the soap off. 

I can't say I use a low flow showerhead for myself, but I do have a teenager in the house. We had two teenagers in the house at one point. Guess what showerhead they have? Yep!  Mr. Low Flow. As a dad I still yell through the door, "time to shut it down", when they have carried on for 10 plus minutes. Of-course, another 10 minutes generally goes by before it's finally shut down. 

When my kids were entering teenage years we had the conversation about "submarine showers". Having visited a few submarine memorials over the years we learned about the submarine shower. For purpose of water conservation and saving time, the sailor on the submarine was expected to shower within two minutes or less. Maybe even turning the water off intermittently while they scrubbed up. It's not an easy thing to do, especially as a teenager. If they're in a hurry to get somewhere though, they may take a modified submarine shower. 

My first submarine visit came when I was 6 or 7 years old. I don't remember much of the day, but I am reminded of the experience by a souvenir I was given by a sailor attending to the memorial. I was given one of the flags from the USS Batfish (SS-310). Memorialized in Muskogee, Oklahoma, at War Memorial Park, the USS Batfish is known for its tremendous feat of sinking three Imperial Japanese Navy submarines during World War II.  In my later years, I've also been able to visit the USS Bowfin (SS-287) in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and the USS Blueback (SS-581) in Portland, Oregon. If you're at all a history buff, these would be great memorials to visit if you're in the neighborhood. 

So, when it comes to showerheads, do what makes you comfortable and happy. I will say, it is never a bad thing to make efforts at water and energy conservation.