Less water, more euros: but how many exactly
“Install efficient fixtures and you’ll save water.” It’s a message you see everywhere. What they rarely tell you is how much. 50 euros a year? 500? Does the price difference between a standard toilet and a dual-flush one pay for itself in 6 months or 6 years?
At Bathscape, we like putting numbers where others put vague claims. So we’ve done the math with real data: measured consumption of old versus efficient fixtures, the price of water in Valencia per EMIVASA (the Valencia water utility) tariffs, and standard usage frequency per person. The result is a surprisingly short payback period.
The price of water in Valencia: what you actually pay
Before calculating savings, we need to know what each liter costs. And there’s a catch: the water bill isn’t linear.
In Valencia, EMIVASA applies a tiered tariff. The more you consume, the more expensive each cubic meter becomes. For an average household (2-3 people, consumption of 10-15 m³/quarter), the effective cost is around 2.50 €/m³ including:
- Fixed service charge
- Variable rate (potable water)
- Sewerage
- Treatment
- Generalitat Valenciana sanitation levy
For higher-consumption households (>20 m³/quarter), the effective cost can reach 3.20-3.50 €/m³ due to entering upper tiers.
A surprising figure: the INE places the average water price in Spain at 2.08 €/m³. Valencia is 20% above the national average. It’s not Madrid (2.80 €/m³), but it’s not cheap either. Every liter you save counts more here than in most Spanish cities.
Fixture by fixture: old vs efficient consumption
Let’s get to the point. These are the measured consumption figures for typical bathroom fixtures:
Toilet
The largest water consumer in the bathroom. By a wide margin.
| Type | Liters per flush | Flushes/day (2 people) | Liters/day | Liters/year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old cistern (pre-2000) | 9-12 L | 10 | 95-120 L | 34,675-43,800 L |
| Current standard cistern | 6-8 L | 10 | 60-80 L | 21,900-29,200 L |
| Efficient dual flush | 3/6 L (avg 4 L) | 10 | 40 L | 14,600 L |
Annual savings switching from old cistern to dual flush: 20,000-29,000 liters → 50-73 €/year (at 2.50 €/m³).
That’s between 20 and 29 cubic meters per year. To put it in perspective: that’s more water than an average person uses for showering over 4 months.
Shower
The second largest consumer, and where savings depend as much on the showerhead as on usage habits.
| Type | Liters per minute | Avg shower (7 min) | Showers/day (2 pers.) | Liters/year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old showerhead | 15-18 L/min | 105-126 L | 2 | 76,650-91,980 L |
| Standard showerhead | 10-12 L/min | 70-84 L | 2 | 51,100-61,320 L |
| Eco showerhead (aerator) | 7-8 L/min | 49-56 L | 2 | 35,770-40,880 L |
Annual savings switching from old to eco showerhead: 36,000-51,000 liters → 90-128 €/year.
And here’s a nuance that’s often overlooked: with lower hot water flow, you also consume less energy to heat it. The additional energy savings can be 30-60 €/year depending on whether you use natural gas, an electric heater, or a heat pump. We don’t include it in the water calculation, but it’s there.
Faucet
Less impact than toilet and shower, but it adds up.
| Type | Liters per minute | Avg daily use (2 pers.) | Liters/year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old faucet without aerator | 12-15 L/min | 48-60 L | 17,520-21,900 L |
| Faucet with aerator | 5-6 L/min | 20-24 L | 7,300-8,760 L |
Annual savings: 9,000-13,000 liters → 23-33 €/year.
A faucet aerator costs between 5 and 15 €. It screws onto the faucet outlet in 30 seconds. It is, literally, the upgrade with the best ROI on the entire list. If you don’t have one, go buy it now and keep reading after.
The total calculation: 2-person household
Let’s add it all up. Scenario: a couple living in an apartment in Valencia with fixtures over 15 years old (common across much of Camins al Grau, Benimaclet, or Quatre Carreres).
| Fixture | Annual savings (liters) | Annual savings (€) |
|---|---|---|
| Toilet (old → dual flush) | 24,500 L | 61 € |
| Shower (old → eco) | 43,500 L | 109 € |
| Faucet (no aerator → aerator) | 11,000 L | 28 € |
| Total | 79,000 L | 198 €/year |
79 cubic meters per year. That’s enough water to fill a small swimming pool. And it’s 198 € you stop paying on the water bill — every year.
For 3-4 person households, multiply by 1.5-2. A family of four can easily save 300-400 €/year.
Payback period: when you recoup the investment
The million-euro question. How much does it cost to switch each fixture and how long until it pays for itself?
| Change | Cost (material + installation) | Annual savings | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faucet aerator (part only) | 8-15 € | 28 € | 3-6 months |
| Eco showerhead | 30-80 € | 109 € | 3-9 months |
| Dual-flush toilet (full replacement) | 250-500 € | 61 € | 4-8 months (if included in renovation) |
| Dual-flush toilet (standalone replacement) | 350-650 € | 61 € | 6-11 months |
Key note: if you change the toilet as part of a full bathroom renovation, the marginal cost is much lower. The plumber is already there, you’re already dismantling everything. The added cost of an efficient toilet versus a standard one is only 50-120 €, giving a payback of 1-2 years on the difference.
Total payback for all three changes combined (within a renovation): The additional investment over basic equipment is about 150-250 €. Annual savings are 198 €. Payback: 9-15 months.
That’s what at Bathscape we call an upgrade that pays for itself. If you’re configuring your renovation in our configurator, selecting the efficient option is, in our view, the most rational decision you can make.
Beyond the bathroom: whole-home impact
The bathroom accounts for approximately 35% of a household’s water consumption. If you apply the same efficiency logic to the kitchen (faucet aerator, efficient dishwasher), the total household savings can exceed 350 €/year.
But let’s stay focused on our area. If you renovate the bathroom, you have a unique opportunity to upgrade all consumption points at once and start saving from day one. If you only change a single faucet, the impact is smaller. The full renovation is the perfect moment because you’re already working on the entire installation.
In our Smart Tech designs, we include faucets with flow limiters and integrated thermostats, which beyond saving water also eliminate the waste from those first seconds while waiting for hot water. Every detail counts.
The environmental dimension (with numbers, not slogans)
79,000 liters saved per year per household. If the 5,000 bathrooms renovated annually in the Valencia metropolitan area included efficient fixtures, the collective savings would be 395 million liters per year.
For context: that’s equivalent to the domestic water consumption of a town of 8,000 inhabitants for an entire year. Or 158 Olympic swimming pools. In a region with growing water stress where the Albufera depends on the balance between consumption and inflows, every cubic meter carries weight beyond the water bill.
We won’t give you an environmental sermon — there’s enough of that on the internet. But the numbers speak: individual savings of 198 €/year and collective impact of nearly 400 million liters. Both things matter.
What to know before buying
Three practical notes:
Labeling. Look for the EU water efficiency label (similar to the energy label on appliances). Class A is the highest. Many toilets and faucets already carry it.
Minimum pressure. Eco showerheads need a minimum pressure of 1-1.5 bar to function properly with the aerator. In upper-floor apartments of older Valencia buildings without a pressure booster, the experience may not be satisfactory. Check the pressure before purchasing.
Aerator maintenance. Valencia’s water has considerable lime content. Faucet and showerhead aerators need vinegar cleaning every 3-6 months to maintain their effectiveness. Two minutes of maintenance — but something many people forget.
For more details on the complete renovation process, including the installation of these elements, check our how it works guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much money do efficient fixtures save per year in Valencia?
For a 2-person household, the combined savings from a dual-flush toilet, eco showerhead, and faucet aerator is approximately 198 €/year, based on EMIVASA tariffs of 2.50 €/m³. For 4-person households, savings can reach 350-400 €/year.
How long does a dual-flush toilet take to pay for itself?
If installed as part of a full bathroom renovation, the added cost over a standard toilet is 50-120 €, with a payback of 1-2 years. If replaced standalone (350-650 € with installation), payback is 6-11 months. More details on full renovation costs in our 2026 cost analysis.
Do eco showerheads significantly reduce flow?
An eco showerhead with aerator reduces flow from 15-18 L/min to 7-8 L/min, but the pressure sensation is maintained thanks to the air-water mix. Most users don’t perceive a negative difference. The key is verifying that your home’s water pressure is at least 1-1.5 bar.
Is it worth changing only the fixtures without a full renovation?
The fixtures with the best standalone payback are the faucet aerator (3-6 months) and the showerhead (3-9 months). For the toilet, if the bathroom is over 15 years old, it’s worth considering the full renovation — water savings will be just one part of the benefits.
Ready for a bathroom that saves money from day one? Configure your renovation with efficient fixtures in our online configurator and see how much the upgrade costs. The payback will surprise you.