Water is a precious resource, and it’s important to be mindful of how much you use.
With the drought still going strong, we’re all trying to cut back on our water usage.
Whether you’re in Santa Rosa or anywhere else, if you use water, then you have to pay for it. But some people are finding that their bills are higher than they should be, and there’s nothing more frustrating than paying more than you have to.
Fortunately, there are ways to save money on your water bill.
In this article, we’ll go over what causes your high water bills and then offer some tips for saving money on your water bill in Santa Rosa.
Some Stats to Shed Light on High Water Bills of Residentials
Here are five useful statistics on high water bills for residential properties:
- According to a study by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), household leaks can waste, on average, more than 10,000 gallons of water per year, accounting for approximately 10% of an average household’s water usage. [Source: Environmental Protection Agency – “Fix a Leak Week” (2019)]
- The average American household uses about 300 gallons of water daily, with approximately 70% of that water used indoors. [Source: United States Geological Survey – “Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2015” (2017)]
- In the United States, residential water rates have been increasing faster than the rate of inflation. From 2010 to 2018, the average price of water service increased by about 41%. [Source: Circle of Blue – “Water Costs Rising Faster Than Inflation” (2018)]
- A study conducted by the Alliance for Water Efficiency found that water-efficient fixtures and appliances, such as high-efficiency toilets and washing machines, can reduce residential water usage by 20% to 30%. [Source: Alliance for Water Efficiency – “Residential End Uses of Water” (2016)]
- The average monthly residential water bill in the United States is around $70. However, this can vary significantly depending on factors such as location, household size, and local water rates. [Source: Circle of Blue – “Price of Water 2019: Four Percent Increase in 30 Major U.S. Cities” (2019)]
What Causes Your High Water Bills?
Water bills are a fact of life. But why do some people pay more than others?
We’ve all heard stories about people who got huge water bills because they had a leak, but that doesn’t explain why some people’s bills are $200 while other people’s are $300. What causes the variation in water bills?
There are many reasons for high water bills, but here are some of the most common:
Water Leaks
Leaks are one of the most common reasons that people in Santa Rosa have high water bills. Leaks can occur anywhere in your home or business, from your toilets to your faucets, from the washing machine to the dryer. Even if a leak is small enough that you don’t see or hear it, it will still cause damage over time—and cost you money in wasted resources and repair costs.
Increased Water Usage
If you’ve noticed an increase in usage since last year’s bill cycle, there may be an issue with your plumbing system or appliances. If this is happening to multiple fixtures in one area of your home or business (such as a bathroom), it might be caused by a faulty toilet fill valve or a leaking shower head (or both). If this is happening all over the house or building at once—or if there’s just no way for you to determine where exactly the problem lies. Increased water consumption naturally leads to increased charges.
Faulty or Aging Fixtures
Old pipes and fixtures can cause leaks, which are a major contributor to high water bills. Other issues that can cause leaks include loose fittings, worn-out parts, and improper installation. You’ll know if you have a leak if your water meter is spinning faster than usual. If you suspect a leak, call a Santa Rosa repiping specialist immediately!
Seasonal Variation
Seasonal variation refers to the difference in water usage between summer and winter months. In general, you will use more water in summer because more outdoor activities like gardening or swimming pool maintenance exist. Wintertime brings fewer outdoor activities. The best way to combat seasonal variation is to install low-flow showerheads and toilets that use less than 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf). You can also purchase an electronic meter that calculates the amount of water utilized per hour instead of per day so that you can check your usage hourly rather than monthly.
Water Rate Increases
Every year, most cities and towns raise their water and/or sewage service rates by a certain percentage, usually between 3% and 4%. This increase is usually due to increasing operational costs for providing these services, such as labor and maintenance.
Metering Issues
While this reason might seem obvious for the Santa Rosa water bill, it’s still important to look into if you’re wondering why your bill is so high. If there’s an issue with your meter—like it hasn’t been read recently or is not working properly—it could be causing your water usage to go up without being recorded correctly on your bill, which would make it seem like you’re using more than you really are! This can also happen if there’s a leak somewhere in your house which isn’t being detected by the device itself.
Hidden Water Usage
When you think about the water in your home, you might think of the toilet, the shower, and the sink. But there’s another place where water can get wasted—and it’s not always obvious. If you have a leaky pipe or a faucet that drips, you’re losing money on your bill every month. You may have an old appliance that needs to be repaired or replaced or a new one that uses too much water without realizing it. It’s important to check your water bills every month for any unexpected changes in usage patterns so that you can get those issues taken care of before they start costing more than just money.
Ways To Save Money On Water Bill Santa Rosa
It’s no secret that Santa Rosa’s living cost is high. Whether you’re looking to buy a home or rent an apartment, it’s important to do your research and make sure you know what you’re getting into.
But what about something that’s not so obvious? What about the hidden costs of living in Santa Rosa? What about the cost of the city of Santa Rosa, CA water bill? If you don’t have a plan for mitigating these costs, they could catch you off guard and leave a nasty mark on your budget.
One place where people often get caught off guard is with their water bill. The average person spends $200-$300 per month on water, depending on how many people live in their house and how much they use. This can really add up over time!
If you want to stay ahead of the curve, here are 20 ways to save money on your water bill:
Fix Leaks Promptly.
When you have a leaky faucet, it’s easy to ignore it. You might just turn on the tap and let the water run so you don’t hear it dripping. The problem is that this can be very expensive over time. In fact, if you have a leaky faucet that’s dripping at the rate of one drop per second every day for two weeks, it will waste more than 1,500 gallons of water! That’s enough to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool!
Fix your leaks immediately if you notice them. You can get a drip detector from home improvement stores or online so that you know when there’s a problem before it becomes an issue that costs hundreds of dollars in wasted water and higher bills for things like sewage treatment services or other utilities related to water usage (like heating).
Install Water-Efficient Fixtures.
If your shower head has seen better days and needs to be replaced, consider upgrading it to a low-flow model that uses less water per shower. You’ll use less water and save money on your water bill at the same time!
Check the Toilet for Leaks.
The average person may not think about their toilet when it comes to saving money on the water bill, but this is one of the most common ways for people to waste money. Check for leaks by putting food coloring in the tank and waiting 15 minutes. If the water in the bowl changes color, you have a leak! If you find that your toilet is leaking, try fixing it yourself with a DIY kit or hire a repiping plumber to do the job right.
Use Dual-Flush Toilets.
Dual flush toilets use less water than single flush models, and they’re easier on our environment as well because they don’t require as much processing before being released into our waterways. You can also install an aerator on your sink and shower heads, which will help reduce flow rates while still providing great water pressure (just make sure not too close!).
Shorten Shower Time.
Showers are the most common place for wastewater. It can be hard to resist those relaxing hot showers, but they can really add up. It’s easy to forget just how much water you’re using while you’re enjoying your shower. According to the Santa Rosa Water Department, the average shower time in Santa Rosa is 12 minutes and 10 seconds. That’s a lot of wasted water! If you shorten your shower time by just 5 minutes, you’ll save up to 8 gallons of water per shower, which adds up over time!
Install Low-Flow Showerheads.
If you want to reduce your water consumption even more, consider installing an energy-efficient low-flow showerhead. They’re easy to find at any hardware store and can help you cut back on your water consumption by as much as 80%. They’re available at any hardware store, and some even come with a guarantee that they’ll pay for themselves in as little as one month.
Use Mulch in Gardens.
Mulch is an easy way to keep your garden healthy while saving money on water bills! If you’re growing plants in containers, use mulch instead of soil around their roots so they get enough nutrients without having to drink them up through their leaves (which would require more water). Also, mulch helps keep weeds down so they don’t use up precious resources!
Collect and Reuse Water.
The next thing to consider is whether or not you can collect and reuse water in your home. This means collecting rainwater from gutters or roofs and using it for irrigation purposes. You may also want to consider collecting greywater (from washing machines) and using it for flushing toilets or watering plants. If you have a pool, consider installing a solar pool cover that will heat up the water during the day and keep it warmer at night—this will reduce how much energy-intensive heating is required.
Water Plants Efficiently.
Another way to save money on paying water bills is by ensuring that your plants are efficient. You should check whether the plant needs more or less water and adjust it accordingly. You can also install a sensor in your system so as to keep an eye on how much water is being used by the plant and how much time it takes for the plant to get fully watered. If your system has a timer, then you can set it up so that it waters the plants at a specific time every day or week, depending on your need. This will help you avoid over-watering or under-watering your plants and ensure they get enough nutrients from their environment.
Adjust Sprinklers.
Adjust sprinklers so they don’t waste water by spraying on pavement or sidewalks; instead, ensure they’re aimed at gardens or lawns where they’ll be most effective. This will reduce wasted runoff and increase the efficiency of your system overall—which means a lower bill for you!
Use a Pool Cover.
When you leave your pool uncovered, evaporation can cause up to 20% of the pool’s water to evaporate. Installing a pool cover will reduce evaporation by up to 90%. If you cover your pool for six months out of the year, you could save about $200 on your water bill each year!
Capture Gray Water.
Gray water is the water that goes down the drain after you wash dishes, take a shower, or do laundry. If you capture this water and use it to irrigate your lawn or garden, you can save a minimum of 50% on your monthly water bill. The average family of four generates about 500 gallons of gray water per month. That’s about a quarter of the water a typical household uses!
Sweep Instead of Hose.
Hosing down your driveway and sidewalks is pretty wasteful—especially if you live in an area where it rains most days. If you want to save money on water bills, just sweep the excess dirt into a pile instead. Then pick up the leaves with a rake and throw them away. This will save you lots of money over time because hosing down your property uses more water than sweeping or raking does!
Only Run Full Loads.
It’s tempting to do laundry when there’s only one sock left in your drawer or wash dishes when there’s only one dirty plate from last night’s dinner left in the sink… but don’t do it! Washing less than full loads uses more energy and water than washing full loads does, which means higher bills for YOU at the end of the month! So stick with running full loads and keep those bills low!
Insulate Your Pipes.
You can do this by wrapping them in foam or newspaper. It will help keep the hot and cold water from escaping into the air, which will reduce your bills.
Install Rain Barrels Or A Rainwater Harvesting System.
Rainwater is free—and if you live in an area that gets lots of rain, you might as well take advantage of it! Rain barrels are easy to install, and they collect the water from your roof’s gutters so you can use it later on for washing your car or watering plants.
Adjust the Watering Schedule.
Adjusting your watering schedule is one of the easiest ways to save money on water. You don’t have to do anything drastic—just make sure you’re not watering when it’s raining or when it’s been raining for a while. If it’s been raining for a week, don’t water until it stops raining for at least one day. And if it hasn’t rained in a few days, go ahead and do some watering, but only do what your plants need.
Use the Car Wash Facility.
Don’t wash your car at home—that’s just wasting water! Instead, find a car wash facility near where you live and use their facilities instead of doing it yourself. Many places offer discounts if you pay cash, so keep some spare change in case they don’t take credit cards!
Educate Household Members.
While the above tips are great ways to save money on your water bill, they do require some effort on your part. However, educating others in your household about how much water they use can be very simple. All you need to do is tell them how much each person uses and what steps they can take to reduce their usage rate. This could include using less water when cooking or taking shorter showers.
Monitor Your Water Usage.
You can save even more money by monitoring your water usage and finding out how much you are actually using each month. The easiest way to do this is by installing a home water meter or getting one from your local utility company. You can also install low-flow shower heads, toilets, or faucets in order to help reduce your usage even further!
We Can Help!
Santa Rosa is a beautiful city, but if you’ve been living there for a while, you may have noticed that your water bill has been steadily increasing.
If this sounds familiar, it could be time to call Holman Plumbing to inspect your home and repiping solution in Santa Rosa, CA.
Repiping older homes can reduce the amount of water that’s wasted due to leaks and reduce the cost of heating and cooling your home. It can also increase the value of your home!
At Holman Plumbing, we understand that the older homes in our community are often plagued by leaky pipes and other problems that lead to higher water bills. That’s why we offer a full range of Supply Lines Repair and Repiping Services in Santa Rosa designed to address all issues related to aging pipes and plumbing systems that can save you money in the long run.
When you work with us, our repiping specialists will first assess your plumbing system for any potential problems. Then we’ll come up with a plan for addressing those issues before we begin any work. Once we’ve made our assessment and have a plan in place, we’ll get started on replacing any parts of your system that are causing leaks or other problems—and then install reusable piping from scratch if necessary. We’ll also make sure everything is up-to-code so that you can rest assured knowing the fact that everything is in good working order!
Moreover, we offer several different types of repiping solutions for Santa Rosa homeowners: partial repipe, full repipe, and whole house repipe. Each option has its own set of benefits based on what type of pipe material is being used as well as how much labor is required to complete the job correctly without damaging walls or other structures within homes during installation stages.
So, if you’re tired of paying high water bills and want to learn more about our repiping Services in Santa Rosa, CA, call us today at (707) 504-0974!