Water bills have been on the rise for some time. In fact, the average combined water and wastewater costs have jumped 43% since 2012. In some places — particularly drought-prone ones — the problem’s even worse.
Take San Francisco, for example, where water prices have surged 127%. In Houston, analysis shows residents will pay nearly 80% more over the next five years.
When combined with the already-rising prices of groceries, gas, housing and more, the soaring cost of life’s most basic necessity has many Americans feeling the burn.
Fortunately, there are many strategies that can help. Here’s how to cut down on water consumption and reduce that monthly bill.
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Interior Updates
1. Swap out your toilet.
If your toilet is an older model, consider switching it out for a new, low-flow one — ideally with the WaterSense label.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, WaterSense toilets reduce your toilet-related water use by anywhere from 20% to 60% annually — or by around 13,000 gallons per year. They may also come with savings from your utility provider.
“Similar to ENERGY STAR-rated appliances, WaterSense toilets may earn you a rebate from your water supplier,” says David Nadler, assistant professor at the New York Institute of Technology and a former director at the NYC Department of Environmental Protection.
Composting toilets can save you even more. These require no flushing and require “little to no water,” in most cases.
2. Get a new showerhead.
Upgrading your showerhead can help, too, as can changing out your faucets.
“Install low-flow faucets and showerheads,” says Mallory Micetich, home care expert at Denver-based home improvement platform Angi. “A low-flow showerhead doesn’t have to mean weak showers, and they can save around 2,700 gallons of water per year.”
According to the EPA, WaterSense-labeled showerheads also save you enough electricity to power your house for 11 full days.
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3. Monitor for leaks.
Leaks in your pipes — even small ones — can have a big impact on your home’s water consumption. In fact, the U.S. Energy Department says just one drop of water per second can waste over 1,600 gallons of water per year.
“One of the main things you can do is have your pipes inspected once a year to make sure there are no leaks,” says Tatiana Klien, CEO of Anta Plumbing in Toronto. “I see worn-out leaky pipes all the time that never get noticed until it’s severe.”
You can also inspect your toilet for possible leaks.
“Add a few drops of food coloring into the tank and wait 15 minutes,” says Kurt Elvert, manager of field service and water conservation at San Jose Water. “If color appears in the toilet bowls without flushing, then a leak is present and repairs must be made.”
In addition to regular plumbing and toilet inspections, you can also install leak monitoring systems, like Flo or Proteus. These come with high-tech sensors that detect even the smallest leak, alerting you via mobile app or your smart home hub.
Procter & Gamble recently helped install leak-detecting technology in several Los Angeles apartment buildings. On one senior housing project, it has saved more than a million gallons of water and $10,000 in associated costs over just eight months.
“To date, it has reduced building water use and costs by an average of 20%,” says Shannon Quinn, global water stewardships leader at Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati.
Exterior Updates
4. Install a programmable sprinkler system.
Having a sprinkler system that can be programmed and controlled can be another big water saver. The EPA recommends choosing models that use local weather data, rain patterns and soil moisture to adjust your watering schedule, as well as ones that are WaterSense labeled.
“Program the irrigation controller to water your lawn early, before sunrise or after sunset,” says Casey Case, landscape architect at Gates & Associates in Walnut Creek, California. “This maximizes water absorption into the soil and minimizes evaporation loss.”
She also recommends spot-checking each sprinkler head to ensure they’re pointing in the right direction (and not wasting water running down streets or driveways) and customizing the start and duration times specifically for the plants you’re watering.
“Most do not need to be watered every day,” she says.
5. Reduce the areas that need watering.
You can also reduce the amount of real estate that needs watering by installing hardscaping or xeriscaping, or add more functional areas, like a cobblestone patio or wood deck you can use for entertaining.
You can also switch out flowers and hedges for native species, ideally ones that hold up to dry spells well.
“Consider swapping thirsty plans for drought-tolerant species,” Case says, “or bulbs that don’t need supplemental irrigation, like narcissus, amaryllis or belladonna.”
6. Add a greywater system.
Greywater systems let you gather and reuse drain water for watering the lawn, flushing the toilet and more.
“The smartest thing you can do is invest in an at-home graywater recycling system,” says Riggs Eckelberry, founder and CEO of OriginClear, a water treatment solutions provider in Clearwater, Florida. “These are incredible machines that allow you to get the most out of your water. They capture and clean water from bathroom sinks, washing machines, bathtubs, showers and dishwashers so that you can reuse it for secondary purposes.”
Rainwater collection systems are a similar solution, allowing you to collect and reuse rainwater for all sorts of purposes.
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Personal Habit Changes
7. Use the dishwasher more.
You’d think running your dishwasher often would waste water, but it actually does the opposite, at least with an ENERGY STAR model. The Energy Department says these appliances use less than half the energy that hand-washing does and save over 8,000 gallons of water per year.
“Wash dishes in the dishwasher instead of hand-washing,” Elvert says. “Your dishwasher may use as little as 3.5 gallons of water per load, while washing by hand uses about 27 gallons.”
You don’t even need to wipe food off before placing dishes in the dishwasher, which could save even more water in the long run.
As Elvert explains, “Skip the pre-rinse. Modern dishwashers are designed to sense debris.”
8. Change your bathroom habits.
Making a few adjustments to your morning routine can make a big difference, too. For example, turning off the tap while brushing your teeth can save about 3,000 gallons of water per year.
If you swap to a no-rinse conditioner and shave at the sink, rather than in the shower, that can also help.
“Try turning off the tap while shaving and using a small mug of water to rinse your blades,” Quinn says.
You should make it a point to keep showers short and skip the full bath experience. The EPA shows that full bathtubs use up to 70 gallons of water. Showers need just 10 to 25.
9. Monitor your usage.
Finally, stay on top of your water usage. Many water suppliers offer apps or monitoring alerts that keep you informed of your usage throughout the month. If yours does, use these updates to gain a better understanding of how your habits trickle down to your monthly bill.
If you rely on paper statements, make it a point to compare your consumption levels month over month. This can help you pinpoint water-saving efforts that might be working or, even more important, spot a leak or other costly issue before it worsens.
As Elvert puts it, “The best strategy you can use to reduce water consumption is to monitor your usage.”
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How to Use Less Water and Save on Your Water Bill originally appeared on usnews.com
