Is Your Water Bill Far Too High?

If someone wants to cut down on their utility bills, a good place to start is the water bill. While water bills are typically not the biggest bill, there are several adjustments that can be made to help reduce costs. Lowering these bills will allow the homeowner to have money to pay on other utility bills. Having municipal water is great. A homeowner does not have to worry about dealing with well pumps going out or springs running dry. They simply have to pay their bill each month and enjoy fresh water with little to no maintenance. A homeowner is responsible for the amount of water they use. Most water companies will charge by the gallon. Some other companies may have different rates depending on water usage and the area in which the homeowner lives.

How Is My Water Bill Calculated? 

Typically, a water bill is calculated by the volume charge and the minimum bill. Each water company will have a set price that is the minimum bill, no matter how little or how much water is used. A homeowner can calculate their bill by knowing how much water they have used and the water connection size. Billing may also vary if a person lives outside of city limits or inside. Rates may also be affected by issues with drought or other problems. To find out the current water bill rates, homeowners can look at their bill, or they can call the water company. Knowing the rates can help a homeowner to determine how much water they can use and still keep their bill low. If a homeowner still sees an increase after doing what they can to lower the bill, a leak may be present, and they should have a plumber come out to inspect the plumbing lines.

Tips to Lowering Your Water Costs

There are several things that people can do to lower their water bill. These include:

• Low-flow toilets. A homeowner should consider installing low-flow toilets. This will help to greatly reduce the amount of water that is used. If a person does not want to purchase a new toilet, they can make the toilet low-flow by installing weights in the toilet tank.
• Inspecting appliances and plumbing. People who are wanting to save on their water bill should periodically inspect their toilets, dishwashers, faucets, and other plumbing fixtures. If these spring a leak, it can greatly affect the water usage and increase the bill.
• Shorter showers. Homeowners should try and shorten their shower time. By shortening shower times, they can greatly reduce their water usage.
• Using the dishwasher. Some people live under the misconception that they use less water when they hand wash dishes. Actually, a person that hand washes their dishes uses considerably more water than their dishwasher does.
• Choose Energy Star appliances. A homeowner should consider upgrading to energy star appliances. These appliances will use less water and less energy and will save on both the water and the power bill.
• Adding aerators. Faucets should have aerators added to them. This helps to reduce the amount of water used, but makes it come out with better pressure. This can greatly help to save on the water bill each month.

The tips above should help homeowners to greatly reduce their water bill each month. It may take some time to ensure that all the water-saving tips are put in place, so homeowners should be patient and keep an eye out for their water savings. The more they do to conserve water, the lower their bill will be.