An unusually high water bill can really put a dampener of your month – especially when you have a very strict budget to stick to. Sometimes the reason for this can be an obvious one, as outlined by United Utilities which lists the most common reasons people may expect to pay more for their water usage:
- Visitors coming to stay will equal more water being used.
- A new baby in the family – it’s amazing how much someone so tiny needs!
- A new appliance – something like a power shower will use a lot more water than what you’re used to.
- Family members using more water than they’re letting on – check how long people are showering for, or how long the tap is running when they’re brushing their teeth.
- A garden hose or sprinkler uses a lot of water.
- Estimated bills can sometimes cause an issue, which is why regular meter readings are essential.
- If you’ve moved home your bill may reflect a longer period than you’re used to.
- A balance brought forward from a previous bill.
- Credit that was making your bills lower has now been used up – this can be checked with your supplier.
- Your payment plan may need adjusting.
- The price of water has gone up.
However, if none of these things are an issue, then you may need some information from an expert. Click here for more information with regards to your area. You may find that you have an unexpected leak somewhere that you knew nothing about.
When it comes to saving water and spending less money, the experts at the Eden Project charity have some great tips for you:
- Turn off the tap as you’re brushing your teeth. You’ll be amazed at how much this can save – up to 6 litres per minute!
- Your water provider will be able to provide you with a cistern displacement device. This will greatly reduce the amount of water used per flush, saving on your sewerage charges.
- Shower for less time. This sounds obvious, but can save up to 45 litres per minute.
- If you must use a dishwasher or washing machine, then ensure that you’re doing a full load, reducing the amount of washes needed.
- Get your taps fixed immediately if they’re dripping – this will save you up to 5,000 litres of water per year!
- Install a water butt to your drainpipe – this water can be used to water plants, wash windows, even clean your car.
- Use a watering can rather than a hose.
- Fill a jug of water to put in your fridge. This will save you from running the tap for an extended period of time.
- Consider using a water meter to reduce the cost of your bills.
- Ensure that you buy water efficient products. Picking the right shower, cistern, or washing machine will save you a lot of money in the long run.
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You know in India we don’t really have a water bill. This is new to me since I came to Manchester. But in India too, there is water problem and in some areas water comes only two hours a day.
I live in an apartment and don’t have to pay for water, however this is the main reason my boyfriend and I have reservations about getting a home. There are a lot of costs related to owning a home. Hopefully soon we’ll be able to 🙂
I agree conserving water is possible and it just takes switching off the tap to make a big difference.
Thanks for all the saving tips! We had problems with our water bill being very high one month and it was because our toilet was leaking.
Thanks for sharing these tips. My water bill comes fine though I believe in saving water.
In addition to above, we save water, by doing the following:
1. Washing machine water used water is used for toilet flushing.
2. Instead of a running shower, we use dipper and pale