The following appeared in a letter from the owner of the Sunnyside Towers apartment building to its manager.

“One month ago, all the showerheads on the first five floors of Sunnyside Towers were modified to restrict the water flow to approximately one-third of its original flow. Although actual readings of water usage before and after the adjustment are not yet available, the change will obviously result in a considerable savings for Sunnyside Corporation, since the corporation must pay for water each month. Except for a few complaints about low water pressure, no problems with showers have been reported since the adjustment. Clearly, restricting water flow throughout all the twenty floors of Sunnyside Towers will increase our profits further.”

Write a response in which you discuss what questions would need to be answered in order to decide whether the recommendation is likely to have the predicted result. Be sure to explain how the answers to these questions would help to evaluate the recommendation.

The recommendation that Sunnyside Towers’ showerheads be modified to restrict water flow to one-third of its original flow is questionable. The information listed in the letter, however, does little to prove the validity of the recommendation. The manager’s assertion that there have been no complaints is suspect, considering that the showerheads have not been checked for at least a month. The length of time that the showerheads have been in use will make it unlikely that any complaints would have surfaced.

Since no complaints have been received, the business owner of these apartments should consider calling an independent company to determine the actual water usage. This company, which would probably charge about $100 for the service, would measure the water flow rate before and after the showerhead modification. The amount of water in the supply lines would be measured, as would the amount of water in the showerheads. The amount of water consumed by the residents could be ascertained by measuring the flow rate of the faucets in each dwelling. Additionally, the amount of water that flows to the toilets and sinks in each apartment could be measured. The company might add the cost of its services to the cost of water that Sunnyside Towers pays for each month. The manager should prepare a spreadsheet of water usage, using this information to calculate what the actual savings would be if all the showerheads were maintained at one-third of the original flow rate. Since the water meter and faucets on each floor would be measured each month, the cost savings would be evident in future water bills.

The manager’s assertion that only low water pressure has been reported after the modification could also be questionable. If the residents have become accustomed to much lower water flows, they may not want to report problems. Water pressure could be reduced, however, by changing the type of showerhead that is used in each apartment. For example, a low-pressure, hand-held showerhead might replace the standard showerhead, reducing the water flow without a decrease in pressure. The residents might then be more inclined to report problems if they exist.

If the manager’s recommendation were to be implemented, it would benefit the corporation, but it might not provide the greatest savings. The amount of water saved by the showerhead modification could be one tenth of the amount of water that Sunnyside Towers currently pays for each month. Therefore, the savings would be very small. The manager should consider contacting an independent company to determine the actual water usage and schedule the showerhead modifications accordingly.

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