Keep Your Summer Water Bills Low

Peninsula Light Co.’s service area receives between 30 and 70 inches of rainfall a year. Unfortunately, rainfall is highest in the winter months when demand for water is low. High summer demand impacts both surface and groundwater.

Here are tips to help you conserve summer water use and keep your bills low.

1. Go to the car wash. Washing a car at home can use 100 gallons of water. Commercial car washes often use 40 gallons or less of fresh water, which is recycled.
2. Rethink old, inefficient toilets. Toilets account for nearly 30% of indoor water use. Replace an old toilet and save up to 13,000 gallons of water every year.
3. Check for leaks. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, leaks can waste more than 10,000 gallons of water every year in an average household from toilets, faucets, showerheads, outdoor faucets, and hoses.
4. Water your yard in the morning or evening. Water evaporates quickly when the sun is high. A drip irrigation system works better than sprinklers, sending targeted amounts of water exactly where you want it.
5. Shorten your shower. Trimming just two minutes off your shower can save up to 1,750 gallons of water per person each year. Save more by turning the water off while you soap up and/or shave.
6. Use the dishwasher. Hand-washing dishes takes 27 gallons of water compared to just 3 gallons per load for a new Energy Star-rated dishwasher.