You probably know all about the conservation methods that can help lower your water bills. Changes in usage and behavior can save you hundreds of dollars over time, and that’s a good thing.

But what if we told you there was another way that you can save money over time, and a lot more of it? Investments into good equipment not only help you conserve water for the environment here in the Bay Area, but can help you lower your water bills significantly over time. While the investment may seem pricy from the start, the long-term implications will be well worth it. Let’s look at just 3 things you can invest in for your plumbing and lower your water bills.

Low Flow Bathroom Fixtures

The smallest of these investments will be simple plumbing fixtures you may even be able to install yourself. Starting with the easiest of 3 options, get a low flow shower head to start. You can buy these at your any big box home improvement store for around $10 to $100 a pop, depending on the functionality. But, even for the low price, you can cut your water usage in half, which will save a significant amount on your water bill.

Low flow faucet fixtures are also an option for your bathroom. You probably know that you shouldn’t leave the sink running while brushing your teeth, but there may be other ways to help conserve water and save money. Again, you can pick up several styles of faucets at the big box store and install them yourself.

But where you really get the most bang for your buck is with a high-efficiency toilet. Toilets are one of the biggest household consumers of water, and fresh water at that. Many homes and businesses are switching over to low-flush toilet options. A low-flow toilet uses as much as 2 liters less water per flush than their old-school counterparts. Many people are still hesitant to make the switch because low-flow toilets can have a negative reputation, but the technology has improved over the years and these high-efficiency toilets are a much better investment today.

While many of these low flow fixtures say that they can be installed by homeowners, that isn’t always the case. Be sure to call a licensed plumber if you want the job done right the first time.

Smart Water Meters

You probably know all about the new smart home technology. You may even have some in your home today, like an Amazon Echo or Google Home. These little assistants can help out around the house with a variety of things such as keeping your shopping list organized, playing music, setting timers and alarms, and even turning lights on and off.

But more and more people are including bigger picture items in their homes in what’s called The Internet of Things. Smart home technology can work with any aspect of your household from appliances to home security.

A smart water meter is just one of these things and it may be well worth the investment. There are already cities in California that are installing smart water meters on homes and businesses, but you can get ahead of the curve yourself.

Smart water meters collect data and can tell you, as well as the city, about your water usage down to a several second interval. You can buy your own online and it’s a rather pricy investment from the start, ranging generally between $150 and $350 or so. But this one time cost could save you significantly more than that on your water bill over time.

Tankless Hot Water Heaters

Another piece of new household technology tends to fall on a love it or hate it spectrum. Ask any 10 people what they think about tankless hot water heaters and you’re likely to get 11 different answers. But these on-demand heaters can save your family money depending on your typical water usage.

A traditional water heater stores water in a large tank to be used by the next person to turn on a faucet or the shower. But tankless heaters heat the water on-demand, so can be much more efficient in the process. Not only will you be able to conserve water that way, but also energy, which certainly can’t hurt the pocket book. And while tankless hot water heaters are more expensive at the beginning, the savings will be in the long run.

Do you want to know more about technology that can help save you money each month on your water bill? Give us a call today.