How to Save Money on Water Bills in NYC

Clean water is in limited supply, especially in the summer. Use it wisely to save some of this precious resource and equip your apartment with some water-saving upgrades. As of January 2017, single-family homeowners paid an average of $1,000 annually for their water, while apartment dwellers shelled out a steep $700 yearly. How can you conserve water to reduce these expenses?

Check Your Toilet

According to the Grace Communications Foundation, toilets typically use the most water in residence. Your daily flushes make up roughly 28 percent of your total water usage. Did you know that older toilets (made before 1995) can use between 3 and 7 gallons per flush? Upgrading to a modern and eco-friendly TOILET can reduce the gallons per flush to a figure as low as 1.28.

If you can’t switch out the toilet, installing a tank bank or float booster can save 10 gallons daily. You can also place a heavy object like a large rock into your tank to take the place of some water.

Do Full Loads of Laundry

If you have a washer and dryer in your unit, be aware that, on average, laundry makes up 22 percent of your total water usage. Consider running only full loads and upgrading to an Energy Star washer to minimize wasted water. These washers use 25 percent less energy, and they also use 45 percent less water per load.

Change Your Shower Routine

Showering is the third-highest water expense for most households, hovering around 19 percent of your bill. The average shower lasts about 8 minutes. Also, the typical shower head has a water flow rate of 2.1 gallons per minute, resulting in 17.2 gallons used in the average shower. Here are some quick shower facts.

If you adopt water-friendly shower habits, you can save on your bill. For example, you can reduce a few gallons during your shower by turning off your water when shampooing, shaving, or using a conditioner. If you prefer a continual water flow, consider setting a timer to limit your showers to 5 minutes or less.

Some gadgets can help you save money during a shower. WaterSense® showerheads are found at any local hardware or home improvement store. Using higher pressure to reduce the water flow, these eco-friendly showerheads can save you 2,900 gallons a year.

Check For Water Leaks

Check for leaks when your bills are still mysteriously high, even after making water-conscious decisions. Leaky pipes are money pits that make up for a whopping 14 percent of your water bill when left unaddressed.

Limit Unnecessary Water Flow

You’d be surprised how often you leave the water running when you don’t need it. When brushing your teeth and washing dishes by; hand, it’s easy to forget how much is going down the drain. When sink usage makes up 16 percent of your bill, you should reduce unnecessary water flow.

Every step to be mindful of how you use water in your apartment will take the edge off New York’s high water bills. If everyone does their part to save water this summer, we can do something good for the environment while saving money.