HarryTheSpider

Is this right...?

Our water consumption has gone up from 4,000 gallons per month in March, to 27,000 gallons per month (in May).

Sure, it's the summer and we live in the middle of some kind of desert (Phoenix, AZ) - plants get irrigated and we have a small pool, like many others around here.

I know consumption will go up in the hot season - evaporation will account for a fair bit of that (relative humidity here is often in single digits!)... but 27,000 gallons - that seems ridiculously huge.

Do I have a leak somewhere, or a faulty water meter, or are my expectations wrong?

Cheers

HTS

Ash UK/US

Did you fill your pool in that time?

HarryTheSpider

Good question!

Nope - the pool was already full when we moved in around mid Jan this year.

There was some problem with the irrigation system, seemingly fixed...

Cheers

HTS

sir_eccles

Twice.

27k gallons is a lot. I'd check the meter on a daily basis for a few days to make sure that irrigation fault is fixed.

GeoffM

If my calculations are correct, that's roughly a 5m x 5m x 5m cube of water (or 16' x 16' x 16').

bevinva

Start checking for leaks, food colour in the toilet tanks etc and call the city, they may come out and check underground pipes for free.

1chumly

Ours
4000 gals through Feb
13,000 through March
18,000 through April
32,000 through May

There are just two of us and I was shocked at the last bill, $196.00!
We have a sprinkler system and pool and no rain in our area for months. We are considered in an area of 'extreme drought' but some areas of Houston have been luckier. I still find it hard to believe we have used the equivalent of nearly 1.5 times the volume of our pool in one month. Can't wait to see what this months bill will bring!

robin1234

Bloody hell! You people have to meter and pay for water????
PM me, I'll send you my address. You can swing by here & fill up with water here for free. (Bring your own containers.)

ChocolateBabz

Sprinklers ? Ours will be horrendous this month as we are now watering every other day due to drought and 2 visitors staying with us who seem to shower twice a day .

robin1234

One word;
iceberg

scrubbedexpat097

March them outside and stand them by your plants, that way when you water you can shower them as well

S Folinsky

One word: desert.

One of the first cases I worked on out of law school had to do with "riparian rights" in Oregon. It was interesting to see that water law in the Western United States differed from most of the country. The Common Law presumes enough to go around and is based upon non-interference with other users. [e.g. a farmer upstream can't dam a river and screw the farmers downstream]. Western water law is based upon Spanish Civil law and presumes shortages -- priority is established by date order of when the particular use commenced [an old farm upstream can continue its profligate ways in drought at the expense of newer farm downstream].

S Folinsky

I join in recommending you check out the plumbing system thoroughly. It is amazing what a leaky flush valve can do or even a leaky bathroom lavatory faucet can do.

Also, we found that a very basic Frigiaire front loader washer saved an awful lot. This model does not have all the bells and whistles and doesn't need them. Also, it seems that clothes don't wear out as fast.

I speak from experience.

S Folinsky

A brown lawn is not the end of the world. Also, many people overwater. If you have not done it already, water the plants at night or in the evening. If you have a sprinkler system, check out that you are not watering the driveway and sidewalks. Furthermore, it is better to water every other day for a somewhat longer period.

AmerLisa

Unless you have an HOA breathing down your neck....