Overview

Let’s face it: no one needs the full water flow for every second they’re in the shower. But constantly turning the water on and off at the tap can be tricky. This is where the Oasense’s Reva shower head comes in, as it automatically reduces the flow whenever you step back.

The science and other stuff to know

Manufactured by Oasense, the Reva shower head was invented by co-founder Evan Schneider while looking for ways to save water in his home. He realized that when someone is in the shower, they often require little water when doing things like shampooing or lathering soap. So, he created Reva, which is designed to help you save water.

Ideally, when you want to shower, you just turn on the water to your desired temperature. The Reva shower head responds by initially running the water at its 100 percent flow rate, which is 6.8 liters (1.8 gallons) per minute. Once the device’s temperature sensor detects that all the residual cold water has been purged from the pipes, and the incoming water is at the selected temperature, it reduces the flow to about 1.1 liters (0.3 gallons) per minute (approximately 15 percent of the maximum flow). Similarly, the Reva shower head reduces the water flow when you move away from the sprout to wash your hair, apply shampoo, or shave.

When you step back in, an array of infrared sensors in the shower head detects your presence beneath the sprout and bring the pressure back up to 100 percent. And no, the Reva doesn’t use any cameras, nor does it transmit any data to the internet.

So what?

The biggest benefit of the Reva shower head is that it helps you save water. In an average American household, showering lasts around eight minutes, using about 7.5 liters (2 gallons) per minute. This means that every person uses 64.3 liters (17 gallons) of water every time they shower. Not only is this bad for the environment, but it is costly, too. But with OaSense’s Reva shower head, the water easily turns off when you move away from the spout, making it easy to save water and money.

Lots of people who’ve considered getting water-saving shower heads have stayed away from those products because the water pressure of most brands is very low. Nothing’s more inconvenient than having to spend several minutes trying to remove the soap from your body. Thankfully, the Reva shower head doesn’t use any water restrictors, thus the water pressure is high and powerful. It is also one-size-fits-all and can easily be calibrated to fit any standard shower.

What’s next?

One of the most significant aspects of our lives that have been impacted by climate change is water. In fact, water prices in the U.S. have increased more than 80 percent in the past decade, which is why smart, eco-friendly, and sustainable shower heads are the solutions of the future. And Reva isn’t the only new smart product that helps save water in the shower. Other novelty shower inventions already exist, such as Orbital’s Digital Recirculating Shower, which purifies, reheats, and recirculates a few liters of water in a closed loop, promising to save up to 90 percent water and up to 80 percent energy.