If your water bill is higher than average compared to most of your neighbours, it could indicate your bill is higher, causing worry.
Either your lifestyle is causing you to waste gallons of water over the same period, or something is wrong with your plumbing system.
Leaks or faulty meter readings are often the cause of excessive bills. A pinhole-sized leak can considerably change your water use this quarter and increase your bill.
The two essential plumbing fixtures to scrutinise when dealing with this issue are the water metre and water bill. Once you inspect these two, you will understand the reason behind the hike in the water bill and find ways to lower it.
7 Things To Check If Your Bill Is Higher Than Usual
If your water bill is higher than usual, there might be many familiar reasons. Perhaps you live with elders who use hot water systems more than normal, or there might be an issue with the meter reading.
To keep the water bill within limits, follow these tips and avoid committing a common mistake.
1. Check Your Water Bill
Read your previous bill before determining whether your water meter is functioning correctly. You will find a lot of information here. Search for water usage details and determine how much water you should ideally consume in the present period to keep the cost within limits.
Typically, the first thing to look at is the billing period. Is the bill for a regular cycle? Or was it delayed, resulting in this bill being for a longer period with an accurate metre reading?
2. Measuring Water Use
Monitoring your water consumption is essential to restrict wastage. Water usage is calculated in gallons, litres, or cubic feet units (CCF). To decipher your water bill, it would be best to convert the CCF into gallons or litres.
Investigating water-consuming equipment around your home can help identify where water could be used outside the normal.
Things like your sprinkler systems or increased laundry loads can consume a lot of water quickly.
3. Water Metre Reading
The two main types of water metre readings are actual and estimated readings. As the name suggests, the actual reading would help you identify how much water you have used.
On the other hand, your water company provides an estimated metre reading when you receive an estimated reading that cannot be taken for some reason. It will help if you stay cautious, as an actual metre reading can be far higher than the estimated one.
So, if your bill is higher than usual, it’s time to call in professional plumbing services.
3. Leaks
A leaking pipe is a common problem in many households, often going unnoticed until a water leak causes a Noticeable increase in the water bill. Compare previous bills; sometimes, a burst water pipe may occur in places like the washing machine or toilets. This way, you will use more water without realising that you are doing so.
It would help if you took good care of all the pipes on your property to ensure none leaked. Conducting regular checks for dripping taps and hidden leaks is an excellent way to ensure that every tap is functioning correctly, and in case there is a problem, address it as soon as possible.
When you visit your garden, look at the underground pipes to see if water ispooling anywhere. If anything suggests a leak, call an emergency plumber to identify the potential cause and fix it.
In our experience, a faulty toilet bowl pipe is a common cause of water leaks. If it is not fixed, water can be wasted from your toilet every day.
This could lead to high water usage on your property, as water will drain out of the tank without you noticing it.
4. Sudden Change In Water Usage
If you have many guests staying at your property, the chances are that there will be a high water bill because of the sudden increase in water usage. You might even have installed a new pool on your property to curb the warm weather, which would increase your average daily water usage.
If you are remodelling the garden, the chances are that your water use will be higher than usual.
Some people even take irrigation, which increases the water they use daily. If you have kids in the house, the chances are that their “fun time” in the bathroom has increased your average water bill.
Switching to water-saving shower heads from taps can significantly reduce your water usage.
5. Irrigation Increasing Your Water Bill
Irrigation leaks, especially in summer, can contribute to heightened water usage throughout the year. Automated water irrigation systems are one reason for high water bills.
You should regularly check your sprinkler heads to see leaks, saving money on water bills. If your sprinkler sticks on, it could lead to high water wastage. Ensure that the timer in your irrigation system is properly working and the sprinklers do not keep the water flow on for too long.
6. Using Water Softeners
Many homeowners who use water softeners complain about an inevitable rise in their metre readings. This is mainly because of the backwash cycles or the regeneration work that the units produce.
Water softeners use water to clean the filter media and discharge unwanted wastewater through pipelines. If the device gets stuck while working, it will waste more water.
7. Water wastage leading to a higher bill for water and sewerage services
If you see a sudden spike in the water bill, the chances are that you are overconsuming. Numerous household activities and bad water-wasting habits often result in high bills due to excessive water usage.
For example, some traditional laundry machines consume more water than modern-day washing machines. Hence, changing habits like putting half a load into your appliance instead of a full load might be beneficial.
Sometimes, overwatering your garden could increase your water use. And this is not the only problem! Some people take long showers, leading to a higher bill and high water consumption.
Limiting water use would help improve your kitchen habits. For example, you can take the meat out of the freezer instead of thawing it under hot water before cooking for natural defrosting.
Besides, many traditional owners prefer keeping their taps running while cleaning the dishes, which affects the water supply. However, such ill habits should be checked immediately to prevent high water wastage with practical solutions and zero effort.
At the same time, you should improve your bathroom habits, monitor the water meter to detect leaky taps and avoid flushing too many times in the toilet to prevent water wastage and paying high bills.
No Issues Detected
You won’t find any problem after checking for leaks and other discrepancies. In such scenarios, it is primarily an issue with appliances that can be put on a timer: the irrigation unit or a washing machine on the timer and leaks.
The first step is to check your appliances, and if you cannot detect a problem, move on to examining the valves. If you still cannot figure it out, you get a plumber for a thorough evaluation.
Apart from that, you can monitor the readings every week with your water provider. If there’s a steady or sudden rise in water consumption, it is time to call for professional help for an extensive checkup of your plumbing system.
How To Reduce My Water Bill?
Getting your water bill under control is not difficult if you can figure out the cause. All the points mentioned above should help you manage costs related to urban utilities.
If you see an unusual bill hike without changing water consumption, it is best to contact the water and sewerage services department. Call us to get your meter reading and faucets checked for potential leaks. A seasonal check can help you keep track of all the issues and prevent related problems in the future.
See you next time!
