Save Cold Cash on Summer Water Bills

by Thomas Kraeutler

Has your grass been looking more like a hay field than the lush lawn you'd like? Record heat and little rainfall are making the summer of '97 one of the driest in recent memory. No drastic water reduction measures have been requested yet, but reserves are being stretched. Major increases in consumer consumption can lead to supply problems that affect us all.

Most of us take our water supply for granted. But in weather like this, it pays to think of ways to conserve. Cutting back on water usage not only helps the environment, but can save you cold-hard-cash during this hotter than normal summer.

Thanks to new technology, saving water is a breeze. Plumbing parts like low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators are surprisingly easy to install. And, when combined with basic outdoor water reduction techniques, can save you hundreds of dollars a year in water. Here's what to do to change your water guzzling habits:

Indoor Improvements

Low Flow Shower Heads

Low-flow shower heads have been around for some time, but, brought complaints of poor water pressure. Not any more! New and improved "flow control technology" allows these devices to deliver up to 2 1/2 gallons per minute with stimulating force. Since old shower heads pour out at a rate of 4 to 5 gallons per minute, a low-flow shower head can actually cut your water usage in half.

Water Faucet Aerators

New faucet aerators should be installed on kitchen and bathroom sinks, where most household water is drawn. Older faucets typically run at a rate of 4 gallons per minute, when fully opened. However, by simply unscrewing the old aerator (located at the end of the spout) and installing a low-flow aerator, you can cut this back to 2.5 gallons minute, a 40% reduction.

Toilet Tune-ups

Plumbing codes have mandated the end to old fashioned water guzzling toilets. Nowadays, only low-flow, 1.6 gallon, units are available. Unfortunately, the technology that makes these low-flow toilets work efficiently is not cheap. The best low-flow toilets utilize a "power assisted flush" mechanism that combines compressed air with water to push waste out of the bowl. Installed, these cost around $500. Less costly 1.6 gallon toilets are available without the power flush feature. However, they simply don't work well and often require you to "flush twice".

If your home has the old-styled 4 to 5 gallon toilets, you can still save water without giving up function. One of the most common sources of toilet leaks is the flush valve, the rubber flapper inside the toilet. To see if it leaks, place some food coloring inside the toilet tank and leave it overnight. Then check the toilet bowl the next morning. If the dye has leaked into the bowl, the flush valve is bad. Replacement is an easy, do-it-yourself job, which will cost about $2 for the part.

Another device that works well is the "Toilet Tank Bank", by Niagara Conservation of Cedar Knolls, NJ. The tank bank is a heavy vinyl bag that mounts inside the toilet tank. When filled with water, the bag takes up space inside the tank and leaves less room for the waste water that rushes down the drain each time you flush.

Outdoor Improvements

Low Water Landscape

Outdoor watering puts great demands on city water supplies and can quickly run up water bills. A few basic techniques will help you reduce the amount of water necessary to keep your lawn and garden green:

Water grass only when necessary and make sure to water accurately. The only thing that will grow when you water sidewalks and streets is the size of your water bill.

Water early in the morning. Mid-day watering can burn plants and much of the water is lost to evaporation. Nighttime watering result in damaging fungus.

Use low water sprinklers. They don't actually use less water, but they distribute the water by bigger droplets. Mists and fine spray type sprinklers lose lots of water to evaporation.

Use mulch under plants and shrubs. Mulching prevents weed growth and keeps soil moist under plants. As organic matter, mulches also decompose over time and release needed nutrients to the soil.

Use soil conditioners. If you're planting trees and shrubs, take the time to properly prepare the soil so it holds moisture. This is usually done by adding organic matter, like peat moss or compost. One interesting new product that can dramatically increase the soil's ability to hold water is a polymer soil conditioner. This looks like ground-up plastic and swells to a gel-like consistency when wet. The water contained in the polymer is then slowly released to the soil when needed, providing a buffer in periods of limited rainfall.

Tom Kraeutler is a hands-on home improvement broadcast journalist and the kind of guy homeowners want to call at midnight when their basement floods. He earned his home improvement stripes as a professional home inspector, amassing over 20 years experience learning how houses are put together, and how they fall apart! Tom appears regularly on CNN, MSNBC, The History Channel, HGTV and the DIY Network. He's a columnist for House Beautiful and do! Magazine and his work has been featured in Smart Money, Reader's Digest and in hundreds of daily newspapers across the nation.