Do you find yourself spending hundreds of dollars on your water bills? Then you might not be using your resources properly. Here are some tips on how to save on water bill every month!
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11 Smart, Effective Ways How to Save on Water Bill Every Month
1. Take Showers, Not Baths
A nice, long, hot bath might be the perfect way to cap off the workday, but it’s also very wasteful In fact, a regular bath uses around 50 gallons of water. On the other hand, a thorough seven-minute shower only uses 15 gallons of water at most.
Even if you can afford to waste water on baths, doing so is very harmful to the environment. As much as possible, limit your baths to every other week or so.
Pro Tip: Want to take baths more often? Try recycling bathwater! This is a very common practice in Asian countries such as Japan.
The idea is for different household members to use the same bathwater. To maintain the water’s cleanliness, make sure you take a quick shower before hopping in the tub.
2. Install a Rainwater Tank in Your Garden
If you’re not collecting rainwater, then you’re missing out on a lot of free resources! Rainwater might not be safe for drinking or bathing, but it’s perfectly fine for everyday household chores.
You can use collected rainwater to wash the car, scrub the outdoor deck, water the plants, or even wash your clothes. This will help you lower your monthly water bill by at least 20% to 30%.
To get started, install a rainwater tank in your garden. Make sure to clean the gutters and pipes regularly to ensure no dirt and debris mix with the water.
3. Set up a Drip Irrigation System
Watering the garden using hoses and cans is easy, but not very efficient. Since you’re only watering the top part of the soil and surface of the plants, the majority of the water will evaporate before they are even absorbed. Not only is this wasteful, but it also hampers your plants’ potential.
To resolve this problem, install a drip irrigation system. The idea here is to insert a long hose into the garden bed and set it up to leak small amounts of water into the soil over the course of the day.
Apart from saving water, using a drip irrigation system is much easier than the traditional way of watering plants. Just turn the system on and let your self-watering setup take care of your garden for you.
4. Invest in Adjustable Sprinklers
A fixed water sprinkler system doesn’t exactly water plants efficiently. It simply sprays water from a fixed position for a set amount of time.
The amount of water and the range of sprinkling is not adjustable. This lack of versatility puts water-loving plants at a disadvantage.
To resolve the issue, get an adjustable sprinkler system. That way, you can move the water sprinkler freely and focus on plants that need a bit more water than the rest.
5. Grow Plants That Don’t Need Too Much Water
Plants that don’t need much water to grow are generally easier to take care of. In fact, some houseplants can thrive and grow without being taken care of. Some low-maintenance plants include:
- Begonias
- Chinese Evergreen
- Air Plants
- Snake Plants
- Succulents
6. Mulch Regularly
Don’t skimp on the mulch! A fresh layer helps keep the soil cool and prevents water from evaporating too quickly. Generally, you should strive to mulch the lawn every week or so.
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7. Reuse Household Water
What’s a quick way how to conserve water without investing in sprinklers, cisterns, or complex water-saving systems? By recycling water.
Don’t be too quick to throw away water. For example, instead of draining the bathwater, you can collect the wastewater in a drum and use it to wash the car, flush your toilets, or clean the house with.
8. Shorten Distance Between Plants
Growing plants close to each other creates a shade that prevents water from evaporating fast. Plus, it’s much easier to water small units of plants rather than large, wide rows of varying veggies and flowers.
9. Use Faux Grass
Laying down natural grass on your lawn is not only expensive, but it’s also difficult to take care of. Apart from the regular trimming and mowing, you’ll have to water them on a daily basis. Miss even one session and they’ll be at risk of turning brown and dehydrated.
If you don’t want to commit to this level of work, opt for faux grass instead. Choose organic, kid-friendly options free of chemicals and harmful toxins.
10. Resize the Lawn
A large garden filled with blooming fruit trees, fragrant flowers, and soft grass is every homeowner’s paradise. However, it’s also a nightmare for those learning how to save on water bill every month. Just imagine how much water it would take to keep these plants alive.
So if you feel your garden is too big for you, consider resizing it. Lay down concrete pavements or set up a wooden deck on the area you don’t want to grow plants in.
11. Fix Pipe Leaks
Even a small, seemingly insignificant pipe leak could add up to hundreds of dollars’ worth of wasted water if left alone. So make sure you address all underlying pipe damages as soon as you can.
The best approach here is to hire a professional plumber to scan for pipe leaks at least once or twice a year. Keep in mind that some leaks are hidden in hard-to-reach places.
Important: Apart from wasting precious water, pipe leaks could also lead to long-term structural weakening. For example, foundation walls exposed to water could crack or deteriorate over time.
Want to learn more ways on how to save on water bill? Check out this video by St. Petersburg, FL for simple yet effective water conservation tips:
Overall, the single most effective way how to save on water bill every month is to use water efficiently. Apply techniques that will allow you to recycle water. For example, you can use collected rainwater to water the garden, wash the car, or clean the deck.
Don’t forget to teach these water conservation tips to your household members as well. Make sure your kids know the importance of not leaving the water running, taking quick showers, and closing faucets properly.
Which of these tips do you think will help you reduce your utility bills? Feel free to share any extra tips on how to save on water bill!
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