Is your water breaking the bank? Here are some reasons why

By Product Expert | Posted in Community, Texas on Friday, May 25th, 2018 at 4:04 pm
water bill too high? Question with blurred house exterior background

There are plenty of reasons that your water bill may skyrocket. We are into summer, after all, and that means that keeping any kind of garden or plant alive may require more water. You may even be washing your own car, which can add a water cost. If you are wondering “Why is my water bill so high in Austin TX?” here are a few other common reasons your water bill might go up, and also one big local one.

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Why is my water bill so high in Austin TX?

Appliance or pipe leak

Is your toilet running? Well, you should definitely catch it! Jokes aside, having an appliance like your toilet, faucet, dishwasher or refrigerator develop a leak can cause a major spike in your water usage. On the plus side, getting a newer appliance can in many cases reduce the amount of both water and electricity that you use.

Also be aware that a sprinkling system built into your yard, or even the water connections from your meter to the house can develop a leak. If you suspect that this is happening, the best thing to do is contact a professional to do an evaluation of the system.

plumber fixing something under a sink and happy about it

AC and swimming pools

If you have a personal swimming pool at your house, rather than just going to the local pool, refilling that as it evaporates can start to cost you money. Also, some air conditioners use water to run. If you have recently turned your AC up, that could affect your water bill as well as your electricity bill.

New person in your house

Adding even one more person to your house can increase your water bill. You may need to run the dishwasher or clean clothes more often, and they will hopefully be washing their hands and showering while they are visiting you. These are small things, but they can add up over your bill cycle.

overhead view of a garden and a hose with a sprinkler head
three people watching something, eating popcorn, and showing a big reaction

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Faulty monitoring system

While most of these water considerations can affect almost any area of the country, this one is specific to Austin at the moment. If you see a big spike in your water bill, and can’t explain it with any of these other factors, you may have been unlucky enough to have a faulty monitoring system. If you think this might be the case, you can find more about this issue from the Austin government website. You may even be able to get a credit if it turns out that this is what was causing your high bill!