Publication date: 10/09/2009

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Slash your water bill through conservation

Living in Michigan, we are blessed with lots of lakes and rivers and many people don't think twice about using a lot of water at home. However, people do start to take water more seriously when they get a big water bill, and that's when doing the little things to conserve water becomes more important.

Running your lawn sprinklers a little less or taking shorter showers is a good start, but often homeowners are missing some key water guzzlers around the home that can make a big difference in the water bill.

Among the biggest offenders are plumbing leaks. According to the EPA, leaks can account for an average of 11,000 gallons of water wasted in the home each year, which is enough to fill a backyard swimming pool. That's why you have heard me preach about fixing those dripping faucets or leaky toilets, because it can save homeowners more than 10 percent on their water bills.

A leaky toilet is often caused by a leaky flush valve and old toilet flapper. It's easy to fix with a toilet repair kit like the Korky Water Wi$e flush valve and flapper ball kits from Lavelle Industries, www.korky.com.

Unseen leaks can result in a huge water bill. Paul St. Henri, superintendent for public works for Livonia, said one resident had an $800 water bill because their back-up water-pressure sump pump was actually operating the pump over an extended period of time.

"People should make sure that their sump pump's electric circuit hasn't tripped, which causes the water pressure back up to operate every time there is a need to de-water the sump pit," St. Henri said.

St. Henri also said a good way to determine if you have water leaks is to shut your water off at the source and then look at your water meter. If the meter is still registering water usage, then you have a leak.

Another big water waster is the time it takes for you to get hot water in your faucets or shower. Mark Ratliff at Hartford and Ratliff, (800) 466-3110, www.hartfordandratliff .com, said it can take up to seven minutes to get hot water to a faucet or shower that is the farthest away from the hot water tank. One way to improve the time it takes to get hot water to the faucet is to install a hot water recirculation system from Grundfos, www.grundfos.us or Laing Thermotech, www.lainginc.com, Ratliff said.

"It costs around $600 for us to install a hot water recirculation system, but with the cost of water rising, it is a wise investment that will pay for itself over time," he said.

One of the key ways to conserve water in the home is to get a low-flow showerhead or faucet, but Jim Kronk at Universal Plumbing Supply, (248) 542-3888, www.universalplumbingsupply.net, said many people don't like these fixtures.

"People get annoyed when their showerhead has a diverter and doesn't have a good flow, but they don't seem to complain if their bathroom faucet has a lower flow rate to it, so you can still save water by putting low-flow faucets in bathroom sinks or sinks where a lower pressure is sufficient."

He also said companies like Delta, www.deltafaucet.com, have a kitchen spray faucet that has a button to change from low flow to full flow, so you can use the full pressure for filling pots with water, but cut back when doing other chores.

So the next time you get a high water bill, make sure you check for leaks and consider upgrading plumbing and fixtures to keep more money in your pocket.

Note: This article was accurate at the date of publication. However, information contained in it may have changed. If you plan to use the information contained herein for any purpose, verification of its continued accuracy is your responsibility.

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