Save Money

These Water Bill Hacks are Simple and Effective at Saving Money

With a new year comes new resolutions, and if you’re like most Lexington, KY homeowners, then your goals for this year probably have something to do with saving money. One of the best ways to save money around the house is by lowering your water bills, because it doesn’t cost you any money to conserve water, and you’ll be helping the environment at the same time.

With that in mind, here are some great hacks to help you save money on your water bills.

Save Water from Around the House to Use in the Garden

Water PlantsThe average American family uses about 90 gallons of water per day for outdoor use alone, and a great way to reduce this number is by reusing water from inside your house. Greywater is the best source, because it’s gently used water that you’ve used to wash dishes, clean clothes, shower, or even boil food.

All of this water is perfectly safe to use in the garden and on the lawn, and if you redirect it to the garden instead of flushing it down the drain, you can save a great deal of water (over 30,000 gallons, in fact) and cut down your water bills.

Stop Washing Your Car in the Driveway

Car WashDid you know that you could keep a family of four hydrated for an entire month with the amount of water that gets wasted when you wash your car in the driveway?

By taking your car to a professional car wash instead, you could save at least 50 percent of the water required to wash the car, and you’ll cut down on your home water bill in the process.

Hop in the Shower Instead of Soaking in the Tub

ShowerOnce in a while, the idea of filling the tub and relaxing in the bath is too tempting to resist, especially on a cold winter’s evening or after a long and busy day. But when it comes to your daily bathing, showering is the way to go if your aim is to save water and lower your utility bill.

Here’s the problem with baths: the average tub takes 70 gallons to fill, and even if you only fill the tub halfway, you’re still using 35 gallons of water per bath. By contrast, a five-minute shower will use 25 gallons maximum, and you can get this down to 10 with a few simple tricks.

In other words, a family of four could save anywhere from 65,000 and 87,000 gallons of water every year by taking showers instead of baths. Expert water-saving tips for the shower: Install low-flow shower heads and turn the water off when you’re lathering up.

Keep an Eye on Leaks and Plumbing Problems

Water LeakNo matter how many good water-saving habits your family adopts, if you don’t address leaks in your plumbing system, then you’ll be waging a never-ending battle against high water bills.

Think about this: even something as seemingly minor as a faucet that drips one drop per second can account for five gallons of wasted water every day—that’s enough for a short shower! A comprehensive water-saving plan, therefore, must include regular leak inspections, and prompt action when you do discover an issue.

Everybody loves hacks to make life easier, and there’s nothing better than tips that will also help you to save money. When it comes to lowering your water bills, these four simple tips will help you start conserving water immediately, which means you’ll see savings right away on next month’s water bill.