The Walker/Pereira-Doel/Daly pressure study (2024 preprint):

• Swansea University press release: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/press-office/news-events/news/2024/03/study-shows-more-powerful-showers-can-be-better-for-environment.php

• Freethink coverage: https://www.freethink.com/energy/water-pressure

• Pereira-Doel's profile (lists all related publications): https://www.surrey.ac.uk/people/pablo-pereira-doel

The Gauley/Koeller 50,000-shower study:

• Green Energy Times summary: https://greenenergytimes.org/2017/06/do-low-flow-showerheads-save-water/

The Cambridge spillover study (Leong, 2024):

• https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/behavioural-public-policy/article/two-steps-forward-one-step-back-negative-spillovers-in-water-conservation/F72BF7C266515FC01DD5E19C23700263

Betting No because the claim that low flow showers waste more water was never made, nor supported by the study cited. It merely stated high pressure showers use less water. You can have high pressure AND low flow. No study to date I can find supports the question as stated. Gauley and Koeller have a study that predates the referenced study that explicitly states low flow showers reduced water usage.

To me this sounds similar to the "wine has health benefits" studies. I don't think it's correct to conclude that the finding holds up, unless it replicates. Also, comments here indicate that the viral headline isn't the conclusion the author thinks you should draw.

The linked tweet discusses showers with greater pressure, not greater flow rate

@NathanNguyen yep, someone asked a similar question in the replies:

Reply: Is that enough data to say I should remove my flow limiter?

Author: No, low flow is better than high flow - but it's even better at high pressure too.

It seems that reducing flow can increase pressure:

"In short, a flow restrictor increases pressure on the upstream side of the restrictor. The flow output is decreased in water output per minute, but the force with which it comes out increases."

This makes intuitive sense: If you partially cover a garden hose, the water jets further (increased pressure) and the flow rate drops (approx constant pressure × flow = power in the pump). If you cover it too much, both flow and pressure drop and the water dribbles out.

@fwbt Makes sense. I bet YES anyways because I don’t expect there to be a “serious academic debate” about this

I want to water blast the oils from my hair.
If I wanted to dampen myself I'd use a sponge.