Duke Employees Snap Up all 5,000 Low-flow Showerheads

Shiny chrome sparkled in the sunlight as Ola Williams examined her new low-flow showerhead Monday in front of Duke Chapel.

"I think it's a good that Duke is doing things like this to help in the drought," said Williams, a member of Duke Residence & Housing's housekeeping staff.

Williams was among nearly 3,200 Duke staff, faculty and off-campus students who picked up free showerheads during Monday's giveaway.

The initial batch of 5,000 showerheads purchased for Monday's giveaway is down to about 1,800 fixtures. The remaining lot will be distributed -- while supplies last -- from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Dec. 21 at Duke's Smith Warehouse Work Control Center, 114 S. Buchanan Blvd. (Click here for directions)

Based on the success of the kick-off, more showerheads are being ordered, said Tavey McDaniel Capps, Duke's environmental sustainability coordinator.

"We were really impressed by the turnout, and we only received positive responses," she said "It shows that the entire Duke community is committed to conserving water and that they appreciate Duke's efforts to help them save water at home."

The showerhead giveaway is one of the first initiatives funded by $5 million that Duke recently earmarked for new water conservation projects. Upcoming initiatives will include improvements to facility infrastructure and operational changes aimed at saving water.

Each 1.5 gallons-per-minute showerhead will save an estimated 7,300 gallons of water annually, compared to a standard 2.5 gallons-per-minute fixture, according to Niagara, the showerhead manufacturer. Based on those estimated savings, yesterday's giveaway could save 23 million gallons of water in the coming year.

In addition to the Duke Chapel location, showerheads were also distributed on Monday in the Duke South Food Court and Duke North Atrium. Teflon tape was provided with each showerhead. Instructions for installing the showerheads can be found on the water conservation website.

Ruth Maxwell, an assistant at Duke's Gothic Bookstore who picked up a showerhead in front of Duke Chapel, said she appreciated that a plumber from Duke's Facilities Management Department provided a visual demonstration to help with installation.

"My husband's going to be the one installing it at our home, but I'll be able to help guide him since they showed me how," Maxwell said. "We're already doing things like taking shorter showers and using a bucket in the shower to collect water for other uses, but this will help us conserve even more."

FAQ

Q: I missed yesterday's showerhead giveaway. Can I still get a free showerhead?

A: Yes. The remaining 1,800 showerheads will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 11 through Dec. 21 in Duke's Smith Warehouse Work Control Center, 114 S. Buchanan Blvd. (Free, 15-minute parking is available in the gravel lot next to the building.) For information about the giveaways at Smith Warehouse, call Duke's Facilities Management Department's Work Control Center at 684-2122.

Q: What happens when those 1,800 showerheads are gone?

A: Duke is in the process of ordering more showerheads, based on the positive response so far from the Duke community. When those fixtures arrive, a notice will be posted on Duke Today and on Duke's water conservation website announcing distribution details, including dates and locations.

Q: I forgot to pick-up an instruction sheet at yesterday's giveaway. Where can I get tips for installing my new showerhead?

A: Installation instructions can be downloaded here.