Making every drop count

50L Home Coalition project

Brushing your teeth, washing a greasy pan, putting on a load of laundry. Water is constantly part of our daily routines at home, often without us even thinking about it. But today, increasing demand, pollution and climate change are placing growing pressure on global water supplies. In fact, one in four people experience severe water scarcity for at least one month each year.

At IKEA, we are committed to creating solutions that empower and inspire people to live more water-efficient lives at home, saving time and money in the process. That is why we are proud to be part of the 50L Home Coalition initiative, a global collaboration bringing together industry leaders and other partners to rethink how water is used in everyday life.

Together with the US Green Building Council California and coalition partners, we recently completed a pilot project to explore how people could live well on just 50 litres of water a day, without compromising comfort or convenience. Read on to discover how the initiative dramatically reduced water use while making daily routines feel easier and more satisfying.

With LA as our test lab

The pilot launched in 2023 and took place in real homes in Los Angeles, one of the largest and most water-stressed cities in the United States. Over the space of two years, 31 households participated. Researchers first measured typical water and energy use, after which 15 homes were retrofitted with water and energy-efficient solutions including the IKEA VIMMERN kitchen mixer tap and BROGRUND showerhead, while the remaining homes served as a comparison group. Early results proved strong.

Read more about the early results from the pilot

The final wave

In the third and final phase of the 50L Home Coalition pilot project, the team introduced a range of newly launched and emerging innovations to see just how much further water savings could be pushed. From IKEA, these included products such as a prototype bathroom faucet, ÅBÄCKEN mist nozzle, BROGRUND hand shower with a BERGVATTNET booster and the BERGVATTNET bucket.

The pilot explored how combinations of efficient technologies, high-performing products, and detergents could simplify everyday routines. For example, in the laundry, cold-water detergents and efficient washing machines enabled washing everything in cold water without sorting by colour. In the kitchen, high-efficiency dishwashers, effective detergents, and well-designed faucets helped eliminate steps like soaking and pre-rinsing dishes. And in the bathroom, ultra-low-flow shower heads paired with multi-use personal care products helped to reduce time in the shower.

Along the way, the study followed homeowners' experiences to understand how people adapt to water-saving technologies in everyday life.

Making saving water easy

Interestingly, the results show that when household chores are made both easier and more efficient, people simplify their routines and save time, energy, water, and money. Skipping unnecessary steps, like sorting laundry for cold-water washes or pre-rinsing dishes, everyday tasks become quicker while using fewer resources.

We also found that more water doesn't necessarily improve the experience. For example, the shower booster, designed to provide an extra surge, was often overused, increasing water consumption. Yet compared to similar low-flow showers without a booster, there was no difference in user satisfaction or shower duration. These findings help us focus on features that reduce water use without compromising comfort or quality of life.

For us at IKEA, this reinforced an important insight: saving water at home isn't just about efficiency. It's about finding the right balance and designing products that fit naturally into everyday routines, so water-saving habits become effortless.