The highly successful Can You Take a Five Minute Shower? water conservation campaign that began in the University of Florida’s Yulee residential area last fall continues to expand.

The most challenging water conservation effort for residents is to take shorter, cooler showers using the Shower Coach timers, which are 5-minute timers on suction cups that have been placed in showers.

A 5-minute shower uses 12.5 gallons of water. Each additional minute uses 2.5 gallons of water. Residents are being asked to take shorter, cooler showers to support both water conservation and energy conservation efforts campus-wide.

“The Shower Coach timers are a fun way to remind residents about water and energy conservation while they are actively using resources,” said Sharon Blansett, assistant director of housing and chair of the Housing Green Team/Recycling/Sustainability Committee. “This water conservation effort is one of many resource conservation efforts supported by the committee in residence facilities.”

All residence hall areas are participating in water conservation efforts. These residence areas are part of the Can You Take A Five Minute Shower? campaign: Yulee, Murphree, Graham, Lakeside, Tolbert and Jennings. The program will be piloted in Diamond Village, a graduate and family housing area, in late fall 2010.

Last year, residents saved an average of 2.5 gallons of water per resident, per day during the campaign.