Here’s how you can conserve water and save money on your water bill in Philly
Simple tips that can help you find potential leaks in the home, lower water usage, and save gallons of water per year.
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Monthly utility bills have been astronomical this year in Philly as the country continues to deal with inflation and pandemic-related supply chain and production issues. It’s mostly gas and electric prices, but now water bills could increase too in the coming years.
The reason for this increase is that the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) is requesting to raise its rates by 20% over the next two years. They need to get it approved by a regulatory board, but if the increase is approved, the average Philly household’s current bill of around $70 per month would grow to $84 by the end of 2024.
Regardless of whether these rate hikes go into effect, it’s always a good idea to be mindful of your water usage (especially in the bathroom, where more than half of all residential water use takes place). Plus, it can save you money on that monthly water bill.
The Inquirer rounded up some of the best tips from official sources to help you conserve and save.
Reduce your water usage
Of course, simply using less water is a no-brainer, but there are some tricks to use throughout your day that will make reducing your water usage much easier in the long run. Here’s what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advises:
Turn off the faucet while shaving, brushing your teeth, and washing your face. Only turn the faucet on when you’re actually using it.
Baths use more water than showers. Stick with showers and keep them shorter.
When washing dishes by hand, plug up the drain so the water isn’t continuously running.
Use a dishwasher and make sure it’s fully loaded. You waste water by needing to do more smaller loads when you don’t fill up the dishwasher completely. Also, instead of rinsing your plate off with water before loading the dishwasher, use a sponge or utensil to scrape your plate of any leftover food.
Get a filtered water pitcher and keep it in the refrigerator instead of letting the faucet run till it gets cold enough to drink.
If you need to thaw something out for a recipe, put the item in the refrigerator overnight. Using hot/warm water to quickly thaw an item is a waste of water when you can plan ahead.
Start composting instead of using the garbage disposal for food waste.
When doing laundry, make sure the washer is fully loaded. If not, use the exact correct load size and set the appropriate water levels for that load. Also, cold water uses less energy than warm water.
If you like to wash your car, use a commercial car wash instead or fill up a water bucket to use. Continuously running your hose to wash your car is a waste of water.
Check for leaks or running water
According to PWD, a continuously running toilet is a very common cause of increased water bills. Additionally, leaking pipes underneath sinks or a leaky shower head will waste unused water throughout the day.
Fortunately, you can check to see if there is a leak in your house using your home’s water meter.
Turn off all water on the inside and outside of your house.
Find your water meter. (It’s usually in your basement near the wall closest to the street.) Record all the numbers displayed on your water meter (you’ll use these numbers later).
Everyone in the household should stop using water for several hours, either during the night when people are sleeping or while people are out at work and school.
Come back to your water meter after several hours and read the meter again.
Compare the numbers you recorded initially to the current reading to confirm if there’s a leak and how much water is leaking. If you need help making sense of the numbers or if the leak source isn’t apparent, a plumber can help.
PWD is also upgrading water meters in Philadelphia with the installation of nearly 500,000 new water meters in homes, which they’re about halfway through, according to PWD. This upgrade is required, but there is no charge for installation. If your home has yet to be upgraded, call 215-709-5329 to schedule an appointment. Appointments are available Monday through Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
You can also check for leaks on the outside hose spigot or “bib.” Check to see if there is water slowly leaking out of it and make sure the spigot is shut off.
Make sure to check all faucets in your home, including in the basement, garage, laundry room, kitchen, and bathrooms. This means shower heads and utility sinks, too. A leaky faucet can waste more than 5,000 gallons of water per year, according to PWD.
Check the cabinets underneath sinks for puddles. If you find one, then you most likely have a leak.
Remember, homeowners are responsible for the leaks within their own homes, and any damages resulting from a leaky pipe or fixture within the home are the responsibility of the homeowner. PWD is only responsible for leaks and repairs to the water main and sewer main.
Use water-efficient products
Water-efficient products are designed to use less water and energy, and sometimes reuse water to complete a task as compared to their less-efficient counterparts. The EPA sponsored a partnership program called WaterSense to serve as a certification label for consumer products that meet EPA standards for being water-efficient.
These products save 20% more water than the average products in that category and range from sink faucets, toilets, showerheads, and irrigation systems. You can find all these products using the WaterSense Product Search Tool.
There are also energy-efficient appliances to help conserve electricity. Look for ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances — these products are certified by both the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy. You can find all these products online at energystar.gov/products.
Estimated usage is a red flag
This is a small tip, but it can save you big time. Your water bill should tell you the exact amount of water you used for that month. If you see the term “Estimated Usage” or anything other than an exact reading, you may be looking at a steep bill next month. That’s because oftentimes the estimated usage will use a conservative estimate to determine your water usage, when in reality, you may be using much more — which could result in a large back bill for unpaid balances.
If your water bill states you are receiving estimated readings, call PWD at 215-685-6300 immediately to schedule an appointment to have it checked.
Get connected to Neighborhood Energy Centers
There are 16 Neighborhood Energy Centers (NEC) located around Philadelphia that help residents with their utility services and monthly bills. Staffers at an NEC can connect you to affordability programs that lower your monthly bill or help you pay off any unpaid balances, enroll you in home repair programs for plumbing issues, and provide energy counseling.
One element of water services that may lead to increased gas and electric bills is the heating of water in your home. In order to shower, bathe, shave, cook, or clean, many residents will use hot or warm water — which requires a significant amount of energy. According to the EPA, if your home uses an electric water heater, about 25% of your electric bill goes to heating water.
If you get connected with your local energy center, they can help you find resources for all your energy and water bills. You can see a full list of Philly Neighborhood Energy Centers online.
Low-income affordability plans for water utility
If your household meets income requirements, you can enroll in utility affordability programs. The easiest way to get started is to reach out to your utility service provider directly or reach out to a Philly Neighborhood Energy Center.
Philadelphia Water Department
PWD uses a single application for households to apply for their utility assistance programs at water.phila.gov/cap. Call PWD at 215-685-6300 to get help with applying.
Tiered Assistance Program (TAP): Helps lower-income households by setting their monthly water bill payment to a flat rate based on their income. To meet eligibility requirements, your household’s annual income needs to fall under 150% of the Federal Poverty Line. A four-person household would need to make a total of $41,625 or less.
Senior Citizen Discount: Reduces the water bills of adults ages 65 years and older by 25%. The water bill must be under their name and the household must have an annual income lower than $33,000 per year.
Even if you don’t fit into either of the categories, if you’ve recently fallen on hardship, PWD makes exceptions and enrolls eligible customers. These exceptions are: Household size growing, losing a job, serious illness, loss of a family member, or domestic violence. PWD takes these situations case-by-case, so even if your situation isn’t described, you can try to apply anyway.
Utility Service Emergency Fund (USEF)
USEF’s Utility Grant Program helps customers pay off up to $3,000 in unpaid balances on their utility bills. Customers in these situations are eligible if their service was shut off due to unpaid balances and their household makes up to 175% of the Federal Poverty Line. To meet income requirements, a four-person household would need to make a total of $48,563 or less. Call 215-814-6837 or email utility@uesfacts.org to get started.
The Philadelphia Inquirer is one of more than 20 news organizations producing Broke in Philly, a collaborative reporting project on solutions to poverty and the city’s push toward economic justice. See all of our reporting at brokeinphilly.org.