Save On Your Water Bill

by Nicole Humphrey | More from this Blogger

03 Aug 2006 09:46 AM

Not only is conserving water an excellent way to work towards conserving the environment, it's also a great money saver as well. In addition to all the different water savers available on the market, through appliances and attachment gadgets, you can save money by following a few simple rules.

Toilets:

Toilets are absolute water guzzlers. The older the model, the more water is seems to use. In fact, older models typically use five to seven gallons of water per flush! That's a lot of water. Of course purchasing a new toilet might be out of the question for you, but please at least consider it. The newer models often only use about 1-2 gallons of water per flush. But if it's really not in the budget to replace the whole toilet, I understand and I do know a way to help you out. Consider filling a water bottle with water, and placing inside the tank on the back of the toilet. This forces the toilet to use less water, because it takes less water to fill it back up and to flush it in the first place.

Sinks:

This one is a bit more challenging. If you are in the financial means to do it, purchase a low flow aerator, available at home improvement stores such as Lowes and Home Depot, and install it on your sink faucets. This helps to regulate the amount of water that is coming out each time you use the sink. Also be sure to clean your sink faucets often. Using some white vinegar and an old tooth brush, scrub the mineral deposits and lime scale. This helps keep the water fresh and clean and the water flowing freely.

Showers:

Have you considered replacing your shower head? This is the fastest way to saving money in the shower. A typical shower is approximately ten minutes. In ten minutes the average shower uses nearly fifty gallons of water! If you purchase a new shower head, preferably a low flow shower head, you can cut your usage in half! The amount of water and money saved is outstanding in comparison to the cost of the new shower head! Other ways to help are to be sure the shower head is cleaned regularly, lime scale and build up are removed. You can also try cutting your shower time in half. Avoid baths all together if possible. Essentially you are filling your bathtub with 30 gallons of water and soaking in dirt and oils from your body. This doesn't exactly get you clean, nor does it help to save money at all.

Do you have any ways to save money on your water bills? A tried and true method that might help others? Please feel free to share it in the comment field!!

Learn more about Nicole Humphrey

Nicole Humphrey is a freelance writer, consultant for CTMH and a Sr. Blogger for families.com. She resides in St. Charles, Missouri with Mike and their five children and two furbabies.

View Full Profile | More from this Blogger