Summer showers! (Efficient ones, too)

After a super 4th of July weekend, the timing has been perfect for a classic Puget Sound cooldown, with cloudy gray skies in the morning and even a little rain. Not enough precipitation to be measurable in a rain gauge (or at least at the National Weather Service recording station at SeaTac Airport) but a few precious drops to clear the air and dampen the lawn.

From May through early July we are on pace for a historically dry summer, and while we may not end up as the driest ever (still a long way to go for that title) there's no doubt we've seen very little rain compared to normal -- and normal is usually pretty dry at this time of the year.

At first glance, the dry spell may not have much of a connection to our work as a natural gas and electric utility, but water use and energy go hand in hand. Much of the water we use is heated through either natural gas or electricity, so being more efficient in how we heat that water -- and how much water we use in the first place -- is vital to the overall drive of energy conservation.

Here's an easy option for being water smart in this dry summer: a free, energy-efficient showerhead from PSE. It will save on your water bill, and your energy bill, and is practical for even the least-handy of home handypersons to install (and I assure you of this as an un-handy handyman myself!). It's also a good step for renters or others who may not be homeowners but who want to save energy, as the showerheads simply screw on and off and can be easily swapped out when you move out. (And landlords, I think putting these in would be my first step if I were in the property management business).

Summer sun will no doubt shine again, but in the meantime it's perfect weather to spend a few minutes in the bathroom upgrading to a low-flow showerhead that will save water, energy and money all through the year.