Receive a high-water bill? Generally, the culprit is a toilet. Since you live in the home and are responsible for its day to day upkeep, pay attention to whether a toilet and other water sources are running constantly. A drip in a sink won’t markedly affect your water bill, but a running toilet, even one barely noticeable, can increase your bill tens of thousands of gallons (and $100s of dollars) over a very short period of time. Toilets can have this happen to them at any time and keeping an eye and ear out for signs of a running toilet is an important part of living in a place of your own. Be on the lookout for a constant or intermittent sound even when the toilet is not and has not been in use. These noises are always a good indicator. But the reality is sometimes the trickle in a toilet is so quiet that the first thing you will notice is, well, a high-water bill.
Not the toilet? Other high-water usage causes:
- In the summer months, water usage is normally higher due swamp coolers or watering the lawn and landscape.
- If there are more people in your house, water usage will generally increase.
- If you have recently made home improvements, such as a swimming pool or lawn fountain, your water use will likely increase.
Figuring out causes of high water usage is the key and, of course, taking steps to reduce the usage as you work to fix the underlying problem. If you suspect you may have a leak, call our office and we will have one of our field personnel go out and see if the meter is moving while no water is being used in your house. If the meter is turning, this may indicate you have a leak on the property and you will want to locate the leak and fix it. If you have any questions or suspect a leak, please contact the Utility Department at 775-785-9930. Possible Leak