Convenient access to water is something that most of us take for granted, and we often don’t consider the cost of this precious resource every time we open the faucet.
One survey of the 50 largest cities in the US found that although overall water usage is declining, the cost of water has been rising faster than inflation since 2001. However, in most cities, water is still considered an affordable utility when compared to other monthly bills.
Reading Your Water Bill
When referring to a water utility bill, there are two or three components:
- Water: This price represents the cost of treating, pumping, and delivering the water to your property.
- Sewer: This price reflects the cost of cleaning the water that goes down the drain. In some cities, the sewer bill is higher than the water bill because more energy is often required to treat the water.
- Stormwater: Cities that include stormwater as part of the bill use this revenue to help reduce polluted runoff water. Not every city adds this to the water bill; some use general tax revenue for this purpose.
How Much Does Water Cost?
The infographic below shows the average cost of water utilities in the United States, along with the cities that have the highest cost for water:
How Do Americans Use Water?
According to the EPA, a family of four may use an average of 400 gallons of water per day. Where does all that water go? Here’s a breakdown of the top ways that water is used in the home:
- Toilet – 26.7%
- Clothes washer – 21.7%
- Shower – 16.8%
- Faucet – 15.7%
- Leaks – 13.7%
- Other – 5.3%
The toilet and the clothes washer combined make up nearly half of a household’s water usage. By replacing these with more efficient models, families can save water. Property managers who are looking to start replacing outdated plumbing fixtures or appliances should keep in mind how much water they use as well. Newer, more efficient models will not only help to save water and reduce utility bills for all parties, but it can also be a selling point to attract new tenants to your property.
One statistic from this list that may come as a surprise is just how much water is lost to leaks. In a previous blog, we discussed the hidden costs of water leaks and how the H2O Degree water leak alarm feature can assist property managers with detecting leaks early, thus reducing wasted water and resulting in lower bills.
H2O Degree Is Here to Help
Property managers of multi-family and multi-tenant buildings can use H2O Degree’s wireless submetering and leak detection systems to not only get accurate data about water usage but also to find leaks sooner so that they can be fixed. To learn more about our products and reporting solutions, or to get a free site evaluation, contact us by phone or email at info@h2odegree.com.
