How to Save Money on Your Water Bills This Summer

We all want to save money on our water bills, but we don’t want to be inconvenienced, Here are a few ways to save water without even noticing it! And so you know, summertime is when we waste the most water!

• For cold drinks keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap.
• This way, every drop goes down you and not the drain.
• Monitor your water bill for unusually high use. Your bill and water meter are tools that can help you discover leaks.
• Water your lawn and garden in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler to minimize evaporation.
• Wash your fruits and vegetables in a pan of water instead of running water from the tap.
• Spreading a layer of organic mulch around plants retains moisture and saves water, time and money.
• Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway and sidewalk and save water every time.
• If your shower fills a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds, replace the showerhead with a water-efficient model.
• Collect the water you use for rinsing fruits and vegetables, then reuse it to water houseplants.
• If water runs off your lawn easily, split your watering time into shorter periods to allow for better absorption.
• Use sprinklers for large areas of grass. Water small patches by hand to avoid waste.

Follow these simple tips and soon you’ll notice a difference in your water bill!

How To Easily Make Your Old Toilet More Water Efficient

If you really want to save water, experts say you need to stop using the toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket. Some people flush away tissues and other bits of trash in the toilet. Using a wastebasket will save all those gallons of water that otherwise go wastefully down the drain. Most toilets installed before 1980 use 5-7 gallons of water per flush. Toilets installed between 1980 and 1993 use 3.5 gallons per flush. Toilets installed since 1994 use 1.6 gallons. If you think about it, 1.6 gallons is still a big improvement, but that’s a lot of water for one flush.

Does your toilet ever make noises when it is not in use? A toilet with even a small leak can greatly increase your water bill. To check your toilet for leaks, put a few drops of food coloring in your toilet tank, and wait ten minutes. If, without flushing, the color begins to appear in the bowl, you have a leak, which should be repaired immediately.

Plumbers say there is no definite answer on how long the parts in your toilet tank should last? Replaceable parts such as flappers and washers or seals inside the refill valve may last several years. However, factors such as water treatment processes, toilet bowl cleaners, and high water pressure can cause parts to disintegrate much sooner.