A standard shower head in the United States typically uses a flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute (GPM), which is the federally mandated maximum since 1992. This means a shower head should not exceed 2.5 gallons of water flow per minute under normal pressure conditions
. However, many modern shower heads, especially those certified by WaterSense, use no more than 2.0 GPM while still maintaining good performance. Some low- flow models use around 1.8 GPM or even 1.75 GPM to conserve water without significantly compromising shower quality
. In summary:
- Standard shower head: 2.5 GPM (maximum allowed by federal law)
- WaterSense certified shower head: up to 2.0 GPM
- Low-flow shower heads: around 1.75 to 1.8 GPM
The average American shower lasts about 8–10 minutes, so at 2.5 GPM, that equates to roughly 20–25 gallons of water per shower
. Lower flow rates reduce water usage and energy costs while still providing an adequate shower experience. Therefore, most showers use between 1.8 and 2.5 gallons per minute, depending on the shower head model and local regulations.
