Can a Dripping Faucet Increase Water Bill?

Yes, a dripping faucet can increase your water bill and your utility bill. If you’re wondering how much a dripping faucet costs per month, the answer depends on the drip rate and your local water and sewer rates. Even a slow drip can add up over time, which is why the cost of a dripping faucet is worth addressing early.

How Much Can a Dripping Faucet Increase Your Water Bill?

If you’d like a clearer estimate for your home, contact bluefrog Plumbing + Drain before the drip shows up on your next bill.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) WaterSense program, the average household leak can waste more than 10,000 gallons of water every year, and an estimated 10 percent of houses have leaks that can waste 90 gallons or more every day. Household leaks add up fast. EPA WaterSense estimates that household leaks lead to more than 1 trillion gallons of wasted water nationwide every year, an amount equivalent to the yearly water use of over 11 million households.

The EPA WaterSense program says that taking care of common leaks could save homeowners around 10 percent on their water bills each year. Dripping faucets, dripping valves, and worn toilet flappers are some of the common and easily fixable leaks they note. These leaks, even if they appear to be minor, can quickly add up to very expensive levels. EPA WaterSense also says that a single leaky faucet that drips once per second, or 60 drips per minute, can waste up to around 9 gallons of water every day if left unrepaired, which can add up to over 3,000 gallons of water each year.

What Causes a Faucet to Drip?

A dripping faucet often starts with a worn washer, a damaged O-ring, a corroded valve seat, a worn cartridge, or loose parts inside the fixture. Pressure-related wear can also cause a faucet to drip, especially when the leak shows up only at certain times of day.

You can stop some drips by replacing worn faucet parts, but the right repair depends on the faucet design and the exact leak point. If the drip keeps coming back, water is leaking around the handle, or corrosion is visible, those are signs you should call a plumber.

How to Check for Other Leaks Behind a High Water Bill

If a faucet isn’t the only problem, EPA WaterSense notes that other household leaks can raise your bill, too. Depending on the size of your toilet, it can waste anywhere from 1,000 to 4,000 gallons of water if it runs continuously throughout the day.

How to Test for a Silent Toilet Leak

While a leaky faucet is easy to identify, it may be harder to detect if your toilet is running, especially if it’s a silent leak. An easy test to determine if your toilet is silently leaking is to drop nonpermanent food coloring into the tank on the back of your toilet and wait for about an hour. If you check the toilet bowl and see that the coloring has seeped into the water, it’s time to replace the rubber toilet flapper in the tank.

Check Your Water Meter for a Leak

If you notice that your water bill or utility bill has noticeably increased, or your gallons per month have jumped, you may have leaky pipes. Before you call your utility company to see if there was an error on their end, check your water meter, and make sure that you didn’t dramatically change your water usage over the past month.

If there was no error on the utility company’s end and your water usage has stayed consistent, it may be time to call in the professionals. A water meter that keeps moving when no water is running can point to hidden plumbing problems, including service line leaks.

Schedule a service appointment with your local Bluefrog Plumbing + Drain expert.

FAQ

Can one dripping faucet really raise my water bill?

Yes. Even a slow drip can add enough wasted water to raise your bill, and the increase is often higher when sewer charges are included on the same utility bill.

How much water does a dripping faucet waste per month?

It depends on the drip rate. A faucet that drips once per second, or 60 drips per minute, can waste about 270 gallons per month.

Is it cheaper to fix a dripping faucet or ignore it?

It’s usually cheaper to fix it. Replacing worn parts or making a repair now often costs less than paying for wasted water month after month.

How do I know if the leak is the faucet or the toilet?

A faucet leak is usually visible at the spout or handle. A toilet leak may be silent, so the food-coloring test and a water meter check can help you narrow down the source.

When should I call a plumber for a dripping faucet?

You should call a plumber if the drip keeps coming back, the handle area is leaking, corrosion is visible, or your bill keeps rising after you’ve checked the obvious causes.