How to Save Money on Your Water Bill

With the current status of our economy and environment, we should all be looking for ways to conserve. Life is impossible without water. It's so crucial that scientists who explore the cosmos for life on other planets do not search for actual living creatures, but just the presence of water as evidence of life.

We have finite resources on this planet, and we should do our part to preserve them. So why not take a few precautionary measures to conserve the most precious element here on earth and save a few dollars while doing it? Here we offer quite a few tips about how to save money on your water bill.

Tips for Saving Water - Daily Habits

Avoid running your dishwasher on a heavy-duty cycle when it isn't necessary.
Plugging the drain in your kitchen sink when doing dishes will save you from a lot of wasted water.
As many as 10 gallons per day can be lost due to leaks and inefficient fixtures. Always be on the lookout for leaks and maintenance methods for improving efficiency.
Shower > Bath...showers on average require a lot less water than baths do.
Laundry accounts for about 1/5 of household water use. Properly planning your wash schedule with full loads and using the right amount of fill water will allow you to save water.
Instead of waiting the time it takes for water from the tap to turn cold, you could have avoided that waste by refrigerating your drinking water.
Turn the water off when not needed during shaving and brushing teeth.
Don't use your bathroom toilet as a garbage can. You may be tempted to toss and flush a Kleenex, but throwing it in the trash will save you water.

Install Efficient Fixtures and Appliances

Install low-flow showerheads. Low-flow can save you more than a dozen gallons on your standard 10-minute shower.
Depending on how much cooking you do, your kitchen sink faucet can make a huge impact on water use and savings.
Your lavatory faucet can make a difference, too.
Install water-efficient toilets. There are 1.8 GPF toilets that significantly outperform the old 3.4 GPF models, in terms of flush power.
Install water-efficient washing machine.
Install tankless or on-demand water heaters that immediately deliver hot water to the user and avoid the inherent waste incurred by tank units.

A recirculating pump can be installed to achieve a result similar to that of tankless water heaters. The hot water that your tank delivers cools off as it sits still in the lines. A recirculating pump, like the Grundfos pump in the image to the right, will recirculate that water so that you can ensure that it's hot when you turn it on. The pump works off a programmable timer so that you can set the pump to work only during waking hours when people are home (which will allow you to save on energy). Installing new appliances and parts isn't always feasible, but keep this option in mind when it's time for a replacement. Energy-efficient appliances save you money in the long run and up the value of your home.

Lawn and Garden Tips

Sprinkler rain sensors will automatically detect precipitation and communicate to your sprinkler system that it doesn't need to run.
Research your region, the type of grass and plants you have, and come up with a watering schedule that is adequate, but not overkills.
Go with plants that don't require as much water.
Mulch prevents evaporation, thus you get more out of the water delivered by your irrigation system.
Avoid watering on windy days.
Don't use the hose to clean your sidewalks or driveway. A broom requires a little more effort on your part but will save you money on your water bill.

Please Share Your Water Saving Tips with Us

Please feel free to share your own expert tips about how to save money on your water bill with us on social media. Check out the rest of our How-to-Plumb section for other helpful resources.