What To Do When Your Water Sewer Bill Soars

Save water and you not only save money but also conserve one of our planet's most valuable natural resource. It's like getting paid twice. It's not hard to conserve water, but it does require a little self-discipline.

If you don't train to turn off the faucet, you risk wasting millions of gallons of water and a lot of money. And, since sewer charges are based on water usage, you can save on that expense as well.

Let's see how much water a family of four uses in one day. Only about 80 gallons are used to bathe or shower. Showering accounts for 30% of total water usage in the home.

You use about half that amount for laundry, 15 for doing dishes, 12 for cooking and drinking, and, believe it or not, almost 100 gallons a day for flushing! All these amounts total to about 250 gallons a day, the equivalent of 7,500 gallons a month. It sure is a lot of water. Can you do something to help conserve water?

First of all, you should make sure your commode has no leaks. Listen even for small dripping sounds. If it is an old model, it might be worth buying a water saving one. Or, place something plastic inside the tank to displace the amount of water being flushed.

Use only as much water taking a bath as you need. A full tub is fun but not necessary. For showering use a low-flow showerhead. Get yourself wet and then turn off the water while you lather with soap. After that you can turn the water back on to rinse. Make sure you turn the water off while you shave or brush your teeth. If the water runs for two minutes while you brush your teeth, you can lose almost four gallons.

Washers can use up until 60 gallons, so you should set the load at the lowest possible setting. Permanent press cycles use a third more water than the regular cycle so use that feature judiciously.

Only run your dishwasher if it is completely full. The water amount used is the same if you wash a few dishes or a lot of them. At the sink, use hot water only when needed. You waste a lot of water waiting for the hot water to reach the faucet.

Only water your lawn when it is absolutely necessary. Mulch around plants to hold moisture. Try to water only in the early morning or in the evening, to avoid water being evaporated during the hot part of the day.

You should opt for a soaker hose rather than a sprinkler. Native plants don't require much water. A broom or blower can clean your sidewalks without the need of getting them wet.

Avoid washing your sidewalks. Turn off the water while you wash your car. You can buy a hose brush with an on and off switch. If you wash your car on the grass, you can use the runoff water to wet your grass.

Fix leaking faucets. The smallest drip can waste over 300 gallons a month. Check both inside and outside faucets. If you can't fix it right away, place a container to catch the drip water and use it to water plants or clean floors. Your whole family should try to take part in this effort, and you will soon see how much extra cash will flow into your bank account.


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