Q. What affects water consumption the most?
A. There are several factors that affect water consumption, and as a result, your water bill. Chief among them are weather, home conditions and leaks.
- Weather: Water consumption typically changes on a seasonal basis. Most people use less water during the cooler months than in the summer. Frequent watering of lawns and gardens increase usage. If you have a sprinkler system, your usage and bill will be higher during the months of its use.
- Living Conditions: Have you made changes or improvements to your home? Expansion (e.g., adding an apartment, bathroom, etc) will increase usage. And of course the more people living in your home, the more usage. Consequently you’re likely to receive a higher bill.
- Leaks: Check your home for leaks. Little things add up. For example a dripping faucet can account for substantial increases in water usage over time. Even a toilet tank leak can add up to higher bills.
Q. How do I detect a leak?
A. There are many ways to determine if you have a water leak.
First check all sinks and faucets for drips. Do you have to jiggle the toilet handle to stop it from running? To detect a silent leak in your toilet tank, test by putting 10 drops of food coloring in the water tank behind the toilet. Don’t flush for several hours. If the colored water shows up in the bowl, the tank is leaking. If you do suspect a leak, we recommend calling a plumber for assistance.
Outside, see if the faucet heads are dripping. An outside hose or faucet mistakenly left dribbling can waste thousands of gallons of water over the course of the summer. With sprinkler systems, look for signs of water pooling around the sprinkler heads.
Q. I’m installing a sprinkler system. Is there anything special I need to do?
A. Have your sprinkler system installed by a professional. A backflow prevention device and a rain sensor are required with the installation of a sprinkler system.
Q. I’m moving… How do I close my account?
A. Please call our office at 631.261.0874. Please have the following information ready:
- Your account number
- Service (current home) Address
- Seller’s Forwarding Address
- Purchaser’s Name
- Please call our office for a final meter reading.