Recent droughts in the U.S., ballooning water bills and the specter of water wars in the not-too-distant future have heightened concerns over one of our most precious resources, good ol’ H₂O. But how many people are actually doing something about it?

One innovator, Kevin Myers of Green Starts Here, wants to help folks conserve water and save money on their utility bills with a device called the ShowerSaver. The device employs an infrared sensor to detect user and then alerts shower takers to when it’s time to towel off. ShowerSaver is easily mounted — stuck on technically — onto shower walls and doesn’t affect the plumbing. Some batteries and an easy calibration procedure are all that’s required to start keeping water use in check.

Increased awareness is the aim, according to Myers. “Shaving just a minute off of your daily shower saves 1,000 – 2,000 gallons of water and 200 lbs of carbon dioxide in a year. Being aware of your shower time is an easy way to feel better knowing that you’re taking a step to lower your carbon and water footprint,” he says in prepared remarks.

Spend a minute less in the shower doing your best [insert favorite singer here] impression and “you could save an additional $15 to $45 per year. That means an average family of four would save over $100 per year, with some saving double that amount,” notes Myers on the project’s Kickstarter site.

So far, it’s well on its way toward commercialization. ShowerSaver’s crowdfunding page on Kickstarter has racked up over $6,300 in pledges, nearly a fifth of the amount required to reach its goal of $33,000 with 26 days to go.

Head over to Kickstarter to check out the tech behind ShowerSaver (and contribute if you’d like). Thanks Frank!

Images: Kevin Myers, Kickstarter