7 Tips to Save on your Water Bill

© Anton Maltsev / Dollar Photo Club

 A great way to save money when it comes to your monthly utility bills is to look at ways you can improve your conservation of water.  Many people wonder how to save water so I wrote this post in order to help save water.

I was recently watching TLC’s Extreme Cheapskates and was blown away by a particular woman’s efforts at saving on her water bill.  If you caught it you know what I am talking about.  Rather than flush the toilet, she pees in a bottle and dumps it in her compost in order to save $10 a month.  If that is your thing, and you can live like that… well good for you.  I, however, feel no need to deprive myself of such a luxury as a flushing toilet in order to save $10.  I do however like the idea of saving on my utilities in ways that don’t deprive my family.

1) Low Flow Toilet

If you are in need of a new toilet, consider investing in a Low Flow Toilet. 

You could also easily retro-fit a toilet to use less water.  The old tactic was to simply place a brick in the water tank of the toilet however over time this could actually cause plumbing issues if the brick begins to fall apart.  If you do prefer this method simply wrapping the brick in a sturdy plastic bag should prevent issues.  You could also use a water filled bottle.

Don’t use the toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket, every time you flush a cigarette butt, facial tissue or other small bit of trash, five to seven gallons of water is wasted.

2) Check for leaks

 First step is to check your toilet for leaks.  Drop some food colouring into your toilet tank and leave it for 30 minutes.  If, without flushing, colour has appeared in the bowl  then you have a leak to repair.

Next check your faucets.  Even a small drip can waste over 75 litres of water a day.  Usually a simple worn out washer is the culprit and can be easily replaced.

Your next stop should be your water meter.  Read your meter before and after a two-hour minimum period when no water will be used.  If the meter has changed you have a leak to find.

Don’t forget to check outdoor taps, sprinklers and hoses for leaks as well.

3) Only Run Full Loads

Your dishwasher and washing machine should only be run with full loads in order to maximize water usage.  

When loading your dishwasher skip the pre-rinse if you have a newer model.  It is not necessary and is a huge waste.

Do not use the permanent press cycle on your washing machine as it uses an extra 20 litres for the extra rinse cycle.  If you must run a partial load then adjust the water level to match the size of the load.

4) Save in the Shower

Install water-efficient shower heads.  They can save you as much as 2839 litres of water a month,   They are inexpensive (or even provided for free by some utility companies) and easy to install by the homeowner.  

Consider limiting your shower to 5 minutes or less.  Taking a shower over a bath is already saving you around 200 litres of water a day.  Save even more by turning the water off while you lather your hair.

5) Turn off that Tap!

If you don’t actually need the water running, turn it off.  For example, when washing the dishes do leave the water running for rinsing.  If you have a double sink fill one with soapy water and the other with rinse water;  if you have a single basin then put washed dishes into a dish rack and rinse all at once with a small pan full of hot water.

You can save 25 gallons a month by turning the water off while brushing your teeth.

Another small thing you can do to save water is to keep a pitcher of water in your fridge to keep cool rather than running the tap for each glass.

6)  Reuse your water

Think of ways to reuse water you would normally just throw down the drain.  A great idea is to collect water from rinsing food and then water your houseplants with it.

7)  Insulate your water pipes

Insulate your water pipes.  It is inexpensive to do and you will end up getting your hot water faster which avoids wasting water while it heats up.