DAYTON -- Are you drowning in high water bills? The summer months sure won't help. Many people use more water during these months to water the yard, or if you have a pool and those bills can get pricey.
Trotwood residents will see a 9 percent increase on their bill, starting in June. Overall, they'll see a 45 percent increase over the next five years.
Reporter Annette Peagler met a lady whose last utility bill was nearly $200.
Mary Moore-Peavy, a mother of four on a fixed income, called the city of Dayton to try to get answers.
"I just don't know why it's so high," she said. "I opened it up and looked at it and said, Good Lord, $189.09."
Dayton water officials came out to check her meter and didn't find anything abnormal, but Moore-Peavy says something isn't right.
There have been others who claim their bill is higher than normal.
Below is a list of tips you can do to try to reduce your bill.
1. Store cold water in the fridge. Instead of running the tap and waiting for the water to cool off each time you want a cold glass of water, fill up a pitcher or two and store them in your refrigerator. This works well if you use a pitcher with a water filter attached.
2. Take shorter showers. By reducing the time you shower by just four minutes, you can save almost 4,000 gallons of water per year. Focus on getting in and getting out. This can save as much as $100 on an annual basis and may help you save money on other utility bills, such as gas and electricity.
3. Don't let the water run when shaving or brushing your teeth. Donât make this mistake, since itâs a complete waste of water. To rinse off your razor while shaving, just keep a cup of hot water next to you and dip it in every so often. When brushing your teeth, fill up your rinse cup and turn off the faucet.
4. Install a low-flow shower head. Installing a low-flow shower head can reduce the amount of water you use while showering by as much as 50 percent.
5. Run full loads of dishes and laundry. If you load your dishwasher properly, youâll fit in as much dishes as possible. Running it only when it's full reduces the number of times you need to run it. Likewise, to save water when doing laundry, only run the washer when you have a full load of dirty clothes.
6. Don't hand-wash dishes. You use 1/6 less water by running a full load in the dishwasher. When you're rinsing your dishes before they go in, don't run the tap. Instead, fill up a container with a small amount of water and rinse off all the excess from your dishes with that.
7. Check for leaks and make repairs. Often, water is running and you don't even know it. Check all the sinks and water knobs in and outside of your home to make sure you don't have any leaks.
Follow Annette Peagler on Twitter and Facebook. Have a high water bill? Sound off on our Facebook page and let us know about it.
Trotwood residents will see a 9 percent increase on their bill, starting in June. Overall, they'll see a 45 percent increase over the next five years.
Reporter Annette Peagler met a lady whose last utility bill was nearly $200.
Mary Moore-Peavy, a mother of four on a fixed income, called the city of Dayton to try to get answers.
"I just don't know why it's so high," she said. "I opened it up and looked at it and said, Good Lord, $189.09."
Dayton water officials came out to check her meter and didn't find anything abnormal, but Moore-Peavy says something isn't right.
There have been others who claim their bill is higher than normal.
Below is a list of tips you can do to try to reduce your bill.
1. Store cold water in the fridge. Instead of running the tap and waiting for the water to cool off each time you want a cold glass of water, fill up a pitcher or two and store them in your refrigerator. This works well if you use a pitcher with a water filter attached.
2. Take shorter showers. By reducing the time you shower by just four minutes, you can save almost 4,000 gallons of water per year. Focus on getting in and getting out. This can save as much as $100 on an annual basis and may help you save money on other utility bills, such as gas and electricity.
3. Don't let the water run when shaving or brushing your teeth. Donât make this mistake, since itâs a complete waste of water. To rinse off your razor while shaving, just keep a cup of hot water next to you and dip it in every so often. When brushing your teeth, fill up your rinse cup and turn off the faucet.
4. Install a low-flow shower head. Installing a low-flow shower head can reduce the amount of water you use while showering by as much as 50 percent.
5. Run full loads of dishes and laundry. If you load your dishwasher properly, youâll fit in as much dishes as possible. Running it only when it's full reduces the number of times you need to run it. Likewise, to save water when doing laundry, only run the washer when you have a full load of dirty clothes.
6. Don't hand-wash dishes. You use 1/6 less water by running a full load in the dishwasher. When you're rinsing your dishes before they go in, don't run the tap. Instead, fill up a container with a small amount of water and rinse off all the excess from your dishes with that.
7. Check for leaks and make repairs. Often, water is running and you don't even know it. Check all the sinks and water knobs in and outside of your home to make sure you don't have any leaks.
Follow Annette Peagler on Twitter and Facebook. Have a high water bill? Sound off on our Facebook page and let us know about it.
