Are you looking for ways to reduce your household costs? Your water bill is one of the expenses you can control with lifestyle changes. You can make many small tweaks to your family’s behaviors to reduce your water bill and enjoy knowing you have made a positive impact on the environment at the same time.

Check for Leaks

One of the quickest ways for your water bill to be driven up is for a leak to go unnoticed. Regularly check for leaks as some of the biggest culprits include the toilets, your dishwasher, faucets, and showerheads. There can be obvious leaks that result in water on your bathroom floor, but there can also be less obvious leaks coming from the tank bowl. You can add a little food dye to the tank if you want to confirm the water is not leaking into the bowl. You can also replace the toilet flapper annually to reduce the chances of a leak.

Update Your Appliances

If you’re due for a new dishwasher, washing machine, or water heater, this is the time to look for the Energy Star and WaterSense seals to choose more efficient replacements. You can also install low-flow toilets or low-flow showerheads. These are less expensive to replace but can still give you a big change in your water bill. It is also possible to add aerators to your faucets, which will reduce the amount of water flowing out of the faucet and simultaneously make the flow more forceful.

Lower Water Usage Inside Your Home

You can conserve water inside your home with many small changes in your daily behaviors. Try cutting a few minutes off your shower time and even use a timer to guarantee you stick to it. Keep water containers in the fridge for drinking water, rather than running the water out of the faucet until it’s cold enough to drink. You can also make a difference by not running your washing machine until you have a full load and not letting the water run while you’re brushing your teeth. It may seem surprising, but running a full dishwasher load saves much more water than washing your dishes by hand. If you have a dishwasher, use it.

Save Water in Your Yard and Garden

Image from Flickr by Arlington County

If you own a home with a yard, garden, or pool, you can find significant savings for your water bill. One of the easiest things you can do is install a rain barrel to collect rainwater for hydrating your shrubs, flowers, and garden. Many science museums and community centers offer free classes with donated barrels, so check with your local establishments. You can also sweep your driveway, porch, deck, and walkway rather than hosing them down and cut your grass an inch higher, so it needs less water. Consider additional measures, such as covering your pool to reduce evaporation and using native plants in your landscaping.

As you can see, there are many ways to reduce water consumption.  By making even a few changes, you can help the environment and your wallet simultaneously.