Electric bills get plenty of focus once it's warm enough for air conditioners to click on, but this summer, it's smart to pay attention to the water bill, too.
All but six states currently have areas experiencing short- or long-term drought conditions, ranging from "abnormally dry" to "exceptional drought," according to U.S. Drought Monitor data from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's National Drought Mitigation Center. If that's not impetus enough to start conserving, Circle of Blue's Price of Water 2015 report estimates the average monthly cost for a family of four using 100 gallons of water per person per day is up 6 percent compared with last year. The water portion alone can be as high as $150 in some major cities; combined with sewer and stormwater charges, they found, some households are paying more than $300 a month.
"Water efficiency is starting to rival energy efficiency in terms of awareness," said Dan DiClerico, senior home editor for Consumer Reports. Prospective homebuyers now often ask to see a property's water bill as well as its electric bill, he said, to avoid (or at least be forewarned of) the shock value of exorbitant water charges.
Changing your behavior can yield some easy savings—even if you're not willing to cut your shower time in half or wash vegetables in a pot instead of the sink, so you can recycle the water for thirsty houseplants. (Both tricks make appearances on tips lists from Save Our Water and Water Use It Wisely, among other resources.) One easy switch: Scrape, rather than rinse dishes, said Melissa Fiffer, appliance product manager for the government's Energy Star program. Rinsing wastes 1,129 gallons of water a year. Washing only full loads in the dishwasher or clothes washer is another fast fix to save water—to the tune of 1,000 gallons a year.