Can my watering habits cause my water bill to skyrocket this summer?
People may feel the need to turn on their irrigation systems, but SAWS cautions customers that doing so will lead to higher water bills than expected. Back in the summer of 2019, some SAWS customers experienced having higher bills after they turned on their automatic irrigation systems or laid out their sprinklers. By increasing watering to just once a day could lead to your water bill doubling in price for a home with even an average sized lawn. Households with bigger than average lot sizes or customers that choose multiple sprinkler cycles per week can experience a tripling of bills compared to when it was raining. We want to remind people that once-a-week irrigation is better for both their landscape and their pocketbook, said Karen Guz, Conservation director. Actually, its normal for lawns to be less green in the hottest part of our summers. Trying to keep them lush can get very expensive and is not necessary for their survival.  To avoid the headaches of a high bill surprise, customers should:   Check their irrigation system for leaks or missing nozzles.  Make sure all old schedules are deleted before adding new ones on their irrigation controller.  Schedule a free SAWS Irrigation Consultation to get expert advice on managing their landscape and become eligible for efficiency rebates.  Consider reducing the grass portion of their landscape using SAWS WaterSaver Landscape and Patioscape coupons