Save Water, Save Money with Know Your H2O

Published on July 18, 2022

By Traci Peterson, Arlington Water Utilities

Summer months are when Arlington residents use the most water, whether they are filling swimming pools or irrigating lawns. Arlington Water Utilities wants to give residents the tools they need to understand and manage their own water usage. Here are some common causes of unexpected usage and online resources to help:

• A leaky toilet can be a sneaky water waster because the “leak” isn’t outwardly visible, and you cannot always hear it. But, a running toilet can waste as much as 200 gallons of water a day and that can add up to about 5,500 a month or more. The EPA’s Fix-A-Leak Week page, www.epa.gov/watersense/fix-leak-week, has tips on how to identify leaks that could be wasting water and increasing your bill, as well as video links that will help you fix a toilet and other household leaks. Arlington Water Utilities also has a limited number of paperback plumbing repair guides available. Message our NextDoor account to ask that one be mailed to you.

• An irrigation system that is switching on when you don’t expect it to or one that has one or more leaks can add up quickly on your water bill. Just a leak 1/32nd of an inch in diameter (about the thickness of a dime) can waste about 6,300 gallons of water per month. Videos about how to care for your irrigation system are available at www.SaveTarrantWater.com.

• You can also sign up for Weekly Watering Advice to tell you how much water your lawn needs each week. The advice, which is tailored to your address, can be sent to your email or mobile phone. Visit www.WaterIsAwesome.com to sign up.

Remember, the best way to receive up-to-date, accurate answers to your water utilities questions is by contacting the department by email at water@arlingtontx.gov or by phone at 817-275-5931.