Media release 13 September 2004

Switching on the water but not the guilt

A Melbourne invention promises to bring back the guilt-free long showers.

With every state experiencing water restrictions, long showers are a distant memory and a social faux par in a community that is becoming more environmentally aware.

As a plumber, Adrian Nixon came across many people who wanted to save water in the shower but were reluctant to use the water-saving shower heads currently sold in hardware stores.

“You need to run around under them just to get wet”, says Adrian. “They save water by reducing the flow rate right down to a trickle which can be frustrating when you want to rinse out long hair or have aching joints that you want to relieve for a moment.”

“I starting thinking about how you could control the flow rate yourself without having to adjust the taps constantly jumping between too hot and too cold.”

His solution was to build a flow control valve into one of Australia’s most widely recognised shower styles. So it is an adjustable flow, water-saving showerhead.

“Externally the only difference is the flow adjusting handle. By giving the consumer some control over the flow rate, I think the acceptance and use will be a lot higher than with other products on the market,” says Adrian. “People are wanting to do the right thing by the environment.”

With the assistance of the Triton Foundation, a national not-for profit organisation that assists inventors in commercialising their ideas, Adrian has licensed his invention to a leading distribution company, Hardware Supply, for Australia and New Zealand.

Inventors often struggle for years to get their inventions to market. Not Adrian. From conceptualisation  to licensing was an incredibly short 6 months. And he expects the showerhead to be on the shelf at the end of September.

Adrian is now considering a move on the American market where the Australian type of shower head, known as the ‘Wonder-from-Down-Under’, is very popular.

His invention won him a place at Fresh Innovators – a national initiative to bring the work of 16 early career innovators to public attention. Following media and presentation training, the finalists are talking to the media, schools and business about their ideas. One of the 16 will win a study tour to the UK courtesy of the British Council Australia.  

About the Inventor

Adrian has been a plumber for 28 years. The new showerhead is his third plumbing invention.

For interview or more information: Adrian Nixon 03 9580 1883 / 0418 311 927

Prototypes available for viewing and photographing and Adrian is willing to jump in the shower.