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In the summer, we often get the question, "Why is my water bill so high?"  It is because water consumption goes up during the summer and is most likely due to irrigation.  Due to our smart meters, leaks are caught so much quicker and most customers no longer have large bills caused by leaks.  How can you understand just how much water you are using and paying for based on our rate table?  We like to help customers quantify water consumption by using the example of a 5,000 gallon tank on an 18-wheeler.  Here is how we break down total billed consumption for low to high users per month.  This amount does include home usage, just subtract your winter consumption (without irrigation) from the summer consumption and the difference is a good gauge of home use versus irrigation.  For simplicity, below is a real sample of Annetta bills including irrigation.  Now imagine an 18-wheeler driving up and irrigating your lawn while you sleep 5 times a month or 45.6 times in a month.   

                                                               MONTHLY

Estimated  Water Bill               Estimated Water Consumption                 18-Wheeler Truck 

$200 water bill-            25,000 gallons                                  5

$300 water bill-            37,000 gallons                                  7.4

$500  water bill-           63,000 gallons                                 12.6 

$600 water bill-            76,000 gallons                                 15.2

$800 water bill-            100,000 gallons                               20

$1,000 water bill-         142,000 gallons                              28.4

$1,800 water bill -         227,900 gallons                              45.6

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Further, we can see yearly consumption by family size based on our customer accounts and meter data with no irrigation.  Using the estimate below, you can compare irrigation water consumption in one month to how much an Annetta family uses in a year without irrigation.  Compare this yearly consumption to the monthly irrigation consumption above.   As you can see, it is possible to irrigate less and conserve water.  Call us at 817-441-5770 for your history or log into the web payment portal for two years of water consumption history.

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Family Size                                      Estimated Yearly Consumption -No Irrigation

Family of 2 -                                      20,000 -24,500 gallons

Family of 4-                                       42,000 -45,000 gallons

Family of 5 with children-        59,300 gallons

Family of 5 with teenagers-   68,000 gallons

​Below are many easy and practical ways to help conserve water.  We understand the impact of wasted water;  which causes increased demand on our system, how it affects your families, and our natural environment.  Water consumption is seasonal.  During each season, there are steps that need to be taken to ensure your home is working efficiently.  ​​​Here are tips that can help you maintain and conserve:

•  Leak Notifications:  When notified of a leak, investigate the leak as soon as possible. Water is sneaky,  it will find the path of least resistance and you may not always hear or see it.  Inspect your home top to bottom and the entire yard to include your main water line to your home from the meter.  Even the best plumber and irrigator can miss the leak.   Keep looking!  We are happy to help you source your leak and rule out appliances by using your smart meter data.  We also encourage you to call us to confirm the leak is resolved.  It is possible to have two leaks at one time. Give us a call at 817-441-5770.  

• System checks:  Ensure your appliances, irrigation system and swimming pool/spa are in good working order.   Toilets are the number one cause of leaks in Annetta and can run 140+ gallons per hour.   Check the flapper for mineral build up and perform a dye test on your toilet whenever you suspect a leak.  Inspect your water softener for salt and replace filters.  In our experience, 90% of the time low pressure calls are the result of a water softener in need of maintenance.  Often, we forget about our irrigation system because it runs while we are asleep.  Irrigation system heads can take a beating from extreme weather temperatures and mowing.   Cycle through your zones to inspect your system each season.  Check your pool equipment and auto filler for needed maintenance.

• Work with your licensed irrigation professional to ensure you are irrigating the right amount for your type of grass.  Do not irrigate during the heat of the day.  You can lose up to 30% of the sprayed water due to evaporation from the heat and high winds.  Update your controller and sensors to a WaterSense labeled device.  They help save thousands of gallons of water annually.   Shut it off during rain or install a rain sensor.  Drip irrigation is also an excellent way to get water to the plants and foundations that need it.  Keep an eye on your controller.  Sometimes someone else can tinker with the settings or home inspectors leave it on when they leave causing an unexpectedly high water bill.  Decide whether it is necessary to irrigate your entire property and make adjustments accordingly.

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• Swimming pools are a big consumer of water due to evaporation.  In extremely high temperatures use a pool cover, turn off the water feature during high winds, and keep splashing to a minimum.  Adding sanitizer in the evening helps prevent the sun from dissipating the chlorine too quickly.     Winterize your pool equipment to prevent leaks and damage.   Run your pump regularly to check for operation to keep it lubricated.  Clean debris and change filters. Use a winter pool cover.  Always check with your pool professional on guidance for your particular pool.

• Prepare in advance for a winter freeze.  ​

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We all learned how  important it was during the Winter Storm Uri in 2021.  Here are a few tips to assist you in preparing your               home for a freeze:  

     1.  Cover all outdoor faucets with the insulated covers and buy them in advance as they run out quickly.  Wrap the faucet with pipe insulation in addition to the cover.  

    2.  Open lower cabinets under sinks to allow warm air to circulate.   Be sure to remove chemicals away from small children.

    3.  Keep water moving inside the home.  Set your fully loaded dishwasher timer to run at 3 a.m.   Put a full load of laundry in the washing machine on a long cycle right before you go to bed.  Set faucets to drip.  Some taps may need a steady thin stream of water instead of a drip, such as those that are close to outer walls or on a second floor.   Whenever possible, turn both taps on full blast for a minute during the day or night and don't forget your bathtubs, then return your taps to the drip or thin stream as needed.  The goal is to keep water moving freely through those pipes.

    4.  Insulate all exposed pipes and don't forget your attic pipes.  Get pipe insulation early as it runs out quickly.  Keep an eye on your attic and ceiling for leaks.   Check each room in the house.

     5.  Winterize your irrigation system, backflow device and pool equipment.  We often hear that customers didn't know they needed to be winterized.  Install a freeze guard or freeze switch on your pool equipment.  Did you know that shutting your irrigation system off at the controller does not completely shut your system off?  If not shut off, your pipes remain full of water which may damage the lines.  It must be shut off in the ground and purged.   See section 5. Helpful Links for more details.

    6.  Call us when the freeze is over, and you have stopped running your taps for 24 hours.  We will review your meter data to check if there is a leak you may not see.  817-441-5770.

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