Making every drop count
Water is essential to everyday life and to the products we create, yet around 4 billion people experience severe water scarcity each year. At IKEA, we are continuously exploring ways to help save water. Learn more about our involvement in the 50L Home Coalition initiative and what the results could mean for future water use in the home.
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.
Wait...how much?!
The average person uses around 150 litres (40 gallons) of water a day in Europe and up to 500 litres (132 gallons) in the United States.
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.
15 LA homes, including this family's, were equipped with water and energy-efficient solutions designed to reduce water use.

The study followed the experiences of homeowners to understand how they adapt to water-saving technologies in everyday life.
Well-travelled water
Don't let LA's coastal location fool you. Los Angeles County imports nearly 60% of its water from hundreds of miles away to support its large population in a semi-arid region.
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.
Test home bathrooms were fitted with a BROGRUND hand shower with a BERGVATTNET booster.

Homes were equipped with high-efficiency dishwashers, effective detergents, and well-designed faucets to help reduce water use in the kitchen.
Every sip, every drop... all added up!
On average, participants used just 79 litres (21 gallons) of water a day, that's about 56% less than LA's usual 182 litres (48 gallons) per person.

Results that make a splash
The results from the final phase of the pilot are in, and the water-saving figures are impressive. For example, kitchen sink water use dropped by 16%, as participants no longer needed to pre-rinse or soak dishes. Laundry water use also fell by 32% thanks to high-efficiency washing machines, while hot water used for laundry decreased by 44%, since modern detergents work effectively in cold water.
All in all, daily water use had fallen to an impressive 79 litres (21 gallons) per person per day. This means 25% less water than participants used before the study, and 56% lower than the Los Angeles city average of 182 litres (48 gallons).
Encouragingly, participants also reported that their routines felt easier and more satisfying. In other words, water savings did not feel like a sacrifice; they simply became part of a smarter home. Despite the changes, participants rated their overall quality of life at 4.3 out of 5, showing that efficiency and comfort can go hand in hand.
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.

"At IKEA, we believe good design should make everyday life easier. This study shows that when great products simplify daily routines, saving water becomes easy – and together we can care for our shared resources. In our commitment to affordable, sustainable living, we are happy to have achieved great results and learnt important things for future developments and innovations in this inspiring project."

How else are we working to save water?
At IKEA we are constantly striving to find ways to conserve and better use water. Read more about our latest initiatives.



