Inaugural Five-Minute Shower Challenge Provides a Flood of Savings

Throughout a week in November, Colby EcoReps challenged students to limit their shower time to five minutes. The result: a savings of some 240 bathtubs full of water.

The EcoReps kicked off the Five-Minute Shower Challenge by providing a timer and short explanation in each residence hall bathroom explaining the terms of the competition. The residence hall with the highest participation rate would win a prize.

Based on the results, Drummond won the Five-Minute Shower Challenge with a 59-percent participation rate. Overall, 22 percent of all dorm rooms on campus participated in the challenge. Honorable mentions went to PeWi and Johnson, which also had participation rates of over 50 percent.

Colby students use an estimated 38,500 gallons of water for showering each day. Those who participated in the challenge and reduced their total shower time to five minutes helped reduce water consumption, saving more than 8,500 gallons—enough to fill roughly 240 bathtubs!

Thank you to everyone who participated. If you are interested in having a shower timer permanently placed in your bathroom, contact your EcoRep or e-mail [email protected]. And look forward to another residence hall sustainability challenge in the coming months!