HCUD knows a higher than normal water bill can be concerning, particularly when you don't know what is causing this. Below is a list which may help you identify ay potential reason for high consumption.  

Leaky/Running Toilets

According to the EPA: toilets account for nearly 30.0% of the indoor water use for the average American home. This makes toilets the single biggest source of indoor water use.

A continuously running toilet can waste up to 200 gallons a day or more depending on the volume flow down the drain or 1,400 gallons of water per week.

Not sure if your toilet is leaking? You can check for a toilet leak in four ways:

1. The Sound Check: Simply walk up to your toilet and listen. If you hear an odd hiss-like noise, you may have a leak and will want to check further
2. Conduct the food coloring test; To conduct the food coloring test, you’ll need some food coloring bottles handy. It doesn’t matter which color dye you use. Simply place 15-20 drops into the water in your toilet tank, enough to visibly change the color of the water and wait 30 minutes. Check the water in the bowl for color, After 30 minutes, check the color of the water in your toilet bowl. If any of the dye has made it into your toilet bowl, then there’s a leak at the flapper or a crack in the overflow tube, and a fix is required

3. Check the water level in the tank; When you’ve removed the toilet tank lid, you can check the water level in the toilet tank. Inside the toilet tank, you should see a line that indicates the optimal water level. The water level line is usually marked ‘’water line’’ on the side or back interior wall of the toilet. If the water is above or below this line, you’ll need to make the necessary adjustments to ensure the level of water inside the toilet tank is correct by adjusting the fill valve

In most cases, these leaks will be caused by a faulty flapper in the toilet tank. This is a relatively easy fix that only requires a short trip to your local home improvement/hardware store and a few minutes.

Leaky Faucets & Fixtures

Leaky faucet fixtures are another all-too-common cause of high water bills. The heavier the leak, the more water gets wasted, and the higher the water bill will be. For example, a leaky faucet that drips at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year.

Thankfully, this is a problem easy to spot and fix. A simple visual check of your faucets, shower heads, and other fixtures is all it takes to identify a leak at the fixture.

The most common cause of a faucet leak is a faulty rubber washer in the faucet handle. In most cases, you can shut off the water to the leaky faucet, unscrew the handle, remove the bad washer, and replace it with a new one.

Irrigation Leaks

Not all leaks occur indoors. If you have an irrigation system for your landscaping, a line crack or loose joint could allow water to leak even when the irrigation system is off.

Finding these leaks can be a little tricky, especially if the lines for the irrigation system are buried out of sight.

To spot these leaks, you may need to check your landscaping/lawn for unusually damp patches or areas of grass that are greener than their surroundings.

To fix this kind of leak, you may need to consult a professional plumber to find the location of the leak and to fix or replace the affected irrigation lines.

Lateral Line Leaks

In some cases, one of the underground pipes feeding water from your metered connection to your home may have a crack or loose joint. The causes of these leaks vary, but things such as pipe age, seismic activity, tree root intrusion, and animal activity are often contributing factors.

This problem, while like an irrigation leak, is usually much more severe.

When trying to tell if the leak is in your irrigation line or your lateral line water supply pipe, the amount of extra water consumption noted on your utility bill can serve as an indicator.

For these leaks, the best solution may be to contact a professional. A professional can recommend the best solution for the problem.

Old, Outdated Fixtures & Toilets

Common Plumbing Problems In Older Homes

2. Pipe Bellies (Pipes installed underneath homes, either buried in the ground or encased in the concrete slab)

3. Outdated Fixtures and Connections

4. Bad Repairs

In recent years, there have been numerous efficiency improvements made to common water fixtures, such as new-model aerators for faucets, low-flow water-saving toilets, and water-saving shower heads.

This rarely shows up as a sudden problem—it’s usually something that comes with the house.

Check your home’s faucets, toilets, shower heads, and other water-using equipment for a date of manufacture. When buying a new home, ask the owner or real estate agent how old the plumbing fixtures are.

Recent Changes in Water Use

One small change in your water use habits or household situation can have a big difference on your water bill. Two big reasons you might change your water use habits include a change in the season or adding a new guest/family member to your household.

In some cases, you may need to budget for higher water consumption during certain months or for as long as you have that additional person in your home.

New Water-Consuming Equipment

Adding new water-intensive equipment to your home can also cause a significant increase in your water bill. Pools, sprinkler systems, washing machines, freezers, soft water systems and other new equipment can result in a sudden increase in your water bill.

To minimize the impact of new equipment on your water bill, try to select appliances that are marked as high-efficiency.

If you add a pool to your property, be sure to cover it when not in use to minimize the water loss from evaporation so you don’t have to use as much water to refill it.

Some Water Wasting Habits can cost you $$

Often, a high water bill can be the result of over consumption behaviors affiliated with appliances and home utilities. These include:

• Using top-loading laundry machines, which consume as much as 200% more water than modern, front-loading laundry machines
• Using washing machines for half or quarter loads, as opposed to waiting for full laundry loads
• Overwatering lawns and unmediated use of water-consuming recreational toys and equipment
• Lengthy and unnecessary shower times. Keeping showers less than five minutes can result in up to 1,000 gallons of water savings every month
• Running water to thaw meats and frozen foods, as opposed to taking them out of freezers at earlier, more appropriate times
• Washing dishes by hand. Running water while washing a load of dishes consumes 4-5 times more water than dishwashers
• Keeping water running while brushing teeth or shaving, which is an unnecessary waste of water flow
• Leaking toilet

By limiting water consuming activities and learning alternative methods of water use, you can significantly lower your water bill and save our water resources.

Leaks add up quickly!