If your water bill increased sharply from one month to the next, the reasons can vary from the simple to a bit more complicated. First, do you have any new house guests who are using more water? Did you buy a new or additional water consuming appliance like a dishwasher or washing machine? If the answer is no, and nothing else had changed in your water use habits, then it's time for a little detective work. Here are some possibilities in order of likelihood.
1. A leaky toilet
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the
toilet is the single biggest source of indoor water use, accounting for 26.7% of consumption in an average home. A leaky toilet can run through up to 200 gallons in a day. That's 1400 gallons a week or 6000 gallons in a month. A three person household typically uses about that much, so a leaky toilet can double your water bill. There are a couple of simple ways to check if your toilet is leaking. First, just listen. If you hear a hissing noise, that's the water entering the toilet tank. If it's doing that constantly that means the water is leaving constantly as well, likely through a faulty flapper at the bottom of the tank. Another way to test for a toilet leak is to put food coloring in the tank. If the color makes its way to the bowl, you have a leak. A new flapper is an easy fix for most people, but if it looks like a different problem or it's one that you don't want to mess with, call a professional plumber. The money you spend will be made up in lower water bills.
