To keep your water bill low, proactively hunt for hidden plumbing leaks, install EPA-labeled WaterSense fixtures, and limit running water during daily tasks. Maximizing appliance efficiency and altering small habits will significantly reduce your monthly water consumption.
Some common causes of high water bills include:
A 10-minute shower typically uses 15 to 25 gallons (57 to 95 liters) of water. The exact amount depends on your showerhead's flow rate:
9 Ways to Reduce Your Water Bill
Indoors, the toilet is the largest water consumer in the average home, accounting for about 24% to 30% of total indoor water use.
As you can see, a sudden spike in your water bill can be caused by a variety of issues, including hidden toilet leaks, leaky faucets, increased outdoor water usage, and even a broken water pipe.
For example, we use it when we cook certain foods. We also use water for washing our clothes, our dirty dishes and ourselves. Every time we flush the toilet we use water. Our washing machines and dishwashers also use a lot of water.
Being at home during the day can increase water usage due to an increase in bathroom use, cooking and household activities. Houseguests, new roommates, or a new baby. Extra people, including babies, in your home can increase your water bill due to more bathroom use, dishwashing, laundry and other household activities.
10 Easy Ways to Conserve Water
The 4-minute shower rule is a sustainability and cost-saving initiative advising people to limit their daily showers to four minutes or less. This practice helps conserve water, reduce energy used for heating, and lower household utility bills by limiting consumption to approximately 36–40 liters (roughly 9.6–10.5 gallons) per shower.
This means a lower water and energy bill at the end of the month if a standard shower is compared to a standard bath. However, long, hot showers or the added feature of dual shower heads can double the water consumption, driving water and energy bills even higher for showers than standard baths.
Older toilets (pre-2000) can use up to 13 litres per flush. Modern single-flush toilets typically use 6 litres. Dual-flush toilets offer a choice: typically around 4 litres for a half flush and 6 litres for a full flush.
The #1 water waster in your home is the toilet.
A leaking toilet can waste 15,000 gallons of water a month.
Showers: Longer or more frequent showers, especially with guests, can significantly increase water use. A single 10-minute shower can use 20–50 gallons.
More people than usual staying in your home. New appliances that use more water, such as a power shower or garden sprinkler. Your previous bill being based on estimates rather than a meter reading. Leaks on pipes, toilets, taps or other appliances.
leaks on your internal pipe work are likely the reason for your increased water bill. We recommend fixing any leaks you find around your home. Remember, you pay for all the water you use, including leaks around your home. For help fixing any leaks - you can find Water Safe approved plumbers here.
To tell if your water meter is indicating a leak, turn off all water inside and outside your home. Check the leak indicator on the meter—if it is moving, spinning, or flashing—or note the meter reading and wait 15 minutes to see if it changes.
A bath can contain between 100 and 160 litres of water, which is more than a 5-minute shower but the same as a 10-minute shower and less than a 15-minute shower. In general, choosing to have a shower instead of a bath consumes less water but only if it is a quick shower and the water is not left on for too long.
What is Average? The water industry estimates that an average person uses 3,000 gallons of water monthly, so a family of 4 would use 12,000 gallons for bathing, cooking, washing, recreation and watering. But a lot of factors come into play when calculating average use.
If rain is forecast, switch your system off and let nature do the watering.
Old or malfunctioning meters may record usage inaccurately. Leaks in underground supply lines can cause higher readings without a visible leak. Air trapped in the plumbing system can cause fluctuations in meter readings.
The Monterey Peninsula now ranks #1 with the most expensive water in the United States. The annual cost to Cal Am's Peninsula customers for 60,000 gallons is $1202.
The average water bill in England and Wales is £50 a month (£603 a year), according to Discover Water. But the amount you'll pay depends on where you live and if you have a water meter. Here's how it works.