17 Ways To Save Money On Your Water Bill

With inflation squeezing the budgets of everyone these past few years, the last thing you want in your life is a higher water bill. So let’s talk about some ways to save money on your water bill without having to forgo hygiene altogether!

No one can deny that taking a scalding, skin-melting shower is one of the most gratifying experiences of our human existence. But spend too much time in there and you’ll inevitably feel the pain when your water bill arrives!

In The Bathroom:

Let’s start by saving water in the bathroom. This has a huge impact on your water bill because the bathroom is used by every family member, multiple times a day.

1. Install Low Flow Toilets

Inside the home, toilets are one of our biggest sources of water waste. They can account for 30% of our indoor water use! If you’ve got an older model it could be even worse. Old, inefficient toilets can guzzle up to 6 gallons of water per flush! 

You can expect to save around $140 a year by switching out an inefficient toilet to a low flow WaterSense labeled one. You’ll also conserve about 13,000 gallons of water!

But doesn’t replacing old toilets cost money? 

Of course! But that new toilet will pay for itself in no time. On top of that, many water companies will offer rebates or even cover the entire cost of an inexpensive low flow toilet. Since you can snag a low flow toilet for around $120, that means it could pay for itself within a year. 

This is definitely one of those DIY tasks that sounds harder than it actually is. Replacing a toilet isn’t rocket science. Grab a buddy and get installing!

Bonus tip for the extra frugal: If it’s yellow, let it mellow. Need I say more?

2. Take Shorter Showers

I know, I know! I’m sorry for even suggesting it. But taking shorter showers is one of the quickest ways to save money on water. Shorter showers each day can add up to some serious savings come bill time.

Every minute spent in the shower uses about 2.5 gallons of water, with the average American showering for eight minutes. That means that if you can even just cut your shower down to five minutes, you can shave 7.5 gallons from your water bill. Repeat that for every single shower you take and that adds up.

Plus, taking shorter showers can also lead to savings on your gas or electricity bill! According to the Department of Energy, your water heater accounts for around 18% of your monthly utility payments. Your new shorter shower routine will be saving you money on two fronts!

Another frugal tip: Put a few buckets in your shower. Water will collect in them over time, and you can use those buckets to water plants, or, even flush the toilet a few times each week.

3. Install a Low Flow Shower Head

If you rolled your eyes at the last suggestion and hate the idea of taking shorter showers, or find it impossible to wash your luscious locks any faster, try installing a low flow shower head. 

A low flow shower head can save around half a gallon per minute in the shower. It may not sound like a lot, but if you take an eight minute shower every day, it could save you around 120 gallons of water each month. And that’s per person in your household. Again, your local water company may even cover the cost or provide rebates to ditch your old shower head for a new more efficient one. 

Here’s one that’s a great bang for your buck: High Sierra Low Flow Showerhead. It also comes in different flow paces so you can find the perfect balance that suits your showering preference!

4. Fix Leaks Promptly

Even a small drip can waste a lot of water over time. How much? Check out this drip calculator — One single drip every ten seconds in an average home can waste up to 104 gallons a year! 🤯

Plus, any damage to plumbing gets worse the longer you leave things, so it’s always best to fix leaks ASAP. Regularly check your plumbing and fixtures, and make sure everything shuts off tight.

There are plenty of resources available to help you fix your own household leaks on YouTube. Here’s one from Lowes that shows you how to fix a leaky single handle faucet. Once you’ve performed that repair you’ll be able to instantly save more each month on your water bills.

5. Turn off the Faucet

Remember in kindergarten when your teachers indoctrinated you into the practice of turning off the faucet while you brushed your teeth?

Well, turns out they were onto something. Even just keeping the faucet turned off while brushing your teeth can save about 2-3 gallons every day. 

You could also apply this to other areas of water use within your daily routine.

Lathering up in the shower? Turn off the faucet to save the aforementioned 2.5 gallons per minute. 

In the Kitchen

OK, let’s move onto ways to save money on water in the kitchen.

6. Reuse & Recycle Water

Keeping a small bucket or container in your kitchen sink will save a ton of water when washing dishes. So much water goes down the drain that can have a second use. Watering yards, pot plants, or even left in the sink to rinse more dishes!

So next time you’re cooking pasta and about to strain the noodles, think about what else you could use that pot of water for. A lot of water can be recycled!

7. Fully Load Your Dishwasher

Just because the dishwasher saves time and money, it doesn’t mean you should run it every time you have a cup of coffee. Only run the dishwasher when it’s fully loaded to avoid squashing those savings.

It takes the same amount of water to wash a full load vs. a half load. So use your Tetris skills and pack it as much as you can (without overstuffing it).

If you absolutely need to run a half load, many dishwashers have a speed wash cycle. Use that for small loads to save money on water!

8. Don’t Pre-Rinse Dishes

This might sound counterintuitive, but using your dishwasher as opposed to hand washing can actually lower your water usage, thereby saving you money! 

Studies show that washing dishes by hand uses between 9 and 27 gallons of water for a sink full of dishes. Whereas dishwashers made after 2013 can only use 5 gallons of water per load! (that’s because of a Department of Energy regulation).

Eco settings on dishwashers can save money on water even more, but the cycle tends to take longer. If you are running the dishwasher overnight, be sure to use an eco setting for extra savings!

In the Laundry

There are a ton of ways to save money by doing your laundry better. It’s not only about saving money on your water bill, but being a mindful clothes washer will reduce your gas and electricity bills, too!

9. Run Full Loads

If you’re anything like me, you will wait until you literally run out of things to wear before you do your laundry. It turns out that on this one, your laziness could actually save you money on water! Running a full load of laundry uses less water than two smaller loads. Fewer, larger loads will lead to savings.

Don’t forget that many jeans manufacturers suggest that you should rarely, if ever, wash your denim. Pay attention to those suggestions in order to avoid unnecessary laundering (which leads to undue wear and tear). You can also get away with washing things like outerwear much less often than you think.

10. Use the Right Water Level Setting:

If you must run a smaller load, adjust the water level to match the load size. Don’t get lazy and just hit the “normal” button every time. Most washers have a speed wash that can reduce the amount of water you use, and save you money each time.

Also, unless your clothes are heavily soiled or someone in your family is sick, you can run your washing machine on a colder temperature to make your water heater work less, saving you money on the heating front.

Save Water Outdoors

According to the EPA, the average American uses 320 gallons of water every day, with 30% of that water going towards outdoor uses. In dryer climates, it can account for up to 60% of daily water use!

11. Choose A Native Yard

If you live in an area with decent rainfall, you may be able to skip watering your lawn without it looking like a haunted house.

In desert climates like vast sections of Arizona and California, it’s wise to opt for a native yard, choosing plants that thrive with little water. Decomposed granite (DG) is a solid option instead of grass, or you can add sections of artificial grass if you want more of a green look.

Head out to the garden store and ask the experts there about “native plants” for your region. They’ll point you towards shrubs, bushes and ground cover that has survived naturally in your climate and location for centuries without human interaction. Natural plants not only save money on water, they don’t look all that bad either!!

12. Collect Rain Water

If you have a small garden that needs watering, let mother nature pay for it! Rain barrels can be the perfect way to harness the elements for your gardening goals. Put down the hose and collect that free sky water instead!

Installing a simple rain barrel — like the one in this DIY guide — can be done for less than $20. Depending on the season and rainfall where you live, you can have heaps of fresh rain water for many outdoor (and indoor) needs.

13. Use Mulch

If you put mulch around plants, this not only kills weeds and unwanted growth, it actually retains moisture and reduces the need for watering.

Better yet, you might be able to get mulch FOR FREE with ChipDrop. This is a company that helps connect gardeners with foresters and arrange free wood chip mulch delivery. No kidding!

14. Water Wisely

It drives me nuts when I see people’s sprinklers on in the middle of a hot summer day. They obviously don’t know that ~50 percent of that water will likely evaporate or runoff, and they are wasting good dollars for no reason.

Lawn experts say that 6am – 10am is the best time to water your yard. Not only will you waste less water, it’s better for the lawn, and most plants! Installing a smart irrigation system can save so much money on water, and many new systems have smart rain delay functions!

General Water Saving Tips

Lastly, here are a handful of general tips to help reduce your water bill. By sharing techniques with your friends and family, we can all do a better job saving water, together.

15. Monitor Your Water Bill

Checking your monthly bills is super important. Because if you notice any unusual usage it could alert you to a problem to fix. Like a leak you might not see, or an error in your billing.

Also, you’ll want to monitor your bills anyway to make sure all these new tactics you’re using to save water are actually saving you money! There’s nothing better than seeing all your frugal efforts paying off.

16. Educate Your Family

While some members of your household will be happy to form new habits to conserve water, others might not be too pleased about it. But eventually, you’ll want everyone to adapt and save water wherever they can.

The more people in your house that practice good water saving techniques, the more money you will save. Your family will also be contributing to more environmental conservation. Win/win!

17. Ask Your Neighbors for Tips!

Sometimes the best water saving tips might come locally, because who knows your specific area better than those you live amongst!? Tapping the minds of other folks with frugal habits in your neighborhood is a great way to learn ways to save money on water.

Plus, sharing your money saving tips within your community is a double win. When you help others save on water/waste too, you’re contributing to a better and more sustainable community.

How Much Can You Actually Save?

By taking steps to decrease your water usage, you’re not only helping to conserve a precious resource, you’re saving meaningful money! Shaving a few dollars off your monthly water bill can add up to have a HUGE impact on your wealth building abilities. 

Sure, it’s great to save $50 a month on utilities, but have you ever thought about what that money could do for you if you invested it?

The rule of 173 allows us to estimate what a monthly investment could turn into over the course of ten years. That means that if you invested your $50 water savings each month, you could have an extra $8,650. Save & invest $100 a month and you’re looking at $17,300 in your accounts!

The Bottom Line:

In the kitchen and laundry room, using water-efficient appliances and running full loads can significantly save you money on water. And in the bathroom, using low flow shower heads and toilets will have a noticeable effect on lowering your water bill.

Remember the more household members that learn about these water saving tips (and follow them), the more efficient your household will run and money you will save. Congrats on helping conserve our planets resources, and keeping more money in your pocket!

Related articles:

• 18 frugal hacks to try at least once
• How to save money on electricity
• Slash your monthly grocery bills

**Feature pic by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash