Incentives to Save Water

September 19, 2012
I don't know about you folks, but when I received my water bill this month, I was stunned. It was huge! I looked all around the house for leaks. I checked the sprinkler system. I found nothing. Did I miss a rise in water rates? The answer is yes. Municipal water providers and water companies are raising their rates.
There has been much publicity about the need to conserve water, but the rising cost of water may be a better incentive than all the public service announcements.
Obviously making sure you have no dripping faucets is a first start. Installing low flow faucets and shower heads can also save gallons a day. Being sensitive to the amount of time you spend in the shower can lead to a reduction in that time. Running only full loads in your dishwasher or washing machine is another rather easy water saver.
You can also start planning for the future when all toilets must be low flow flushers. If a bathroom remodel is in your future, research the various low flow systems. I hate the thought that I shall have to replace my great Kohler one piece toilets, but the California legislature has enacted a law that all homes must have low flow toilets by 2017. My understanding is that there are already communities in California that require retrofitting a a home to low flow toilets in order to complete a sale.
Being water-wise is becoming more and more of a good economic stategy.