The average American uses 80 to 100 gallons of water every day! To put that into an interesting perspective, that’s about 850 pounds of water, the same weight as an adult alligator.1 Unfortunately, most people are oblivious to their household water consumption. When all the water you use quickly disappears into a drain or a pipe, it’s hard not to feel like water is easy come, easy go.
BUT WAIT!!! You may be able to install a water meter and monitor your household’s usage on your own. Just being aware of the volume of water you use can help remind you to reduce your water consumption. You can stop by the water meter daily or weekly to check how your water usage changes over time. You might discover leaks in your house, any appliances that use up a lot of water, or any habits that unexpectedly use a lot of water.
If you don’t already have a water meter, you are probably prohibited from installing one on your own. Most municipalities prefer to hire water meter installers and legally forbid households from installing it themselves.2 One reason for this prohibition is that consumers could potentially install the water meter incorrectly, creating false readings or water leaks. Another reason is that during the installation of the new water meter, consumers could potentially contaminate or pollute the general water supply.3
Some municipalities actually allow you to install the water meter on your own. Even so, you probably shouldn’t do it. Unless you have training or experience in pipe fitting, welding, and basic plumbing, you might end up doing some serious damage to your property or to yourself. If you really want to learn, enroll in a local plumbing course that teaches those basics. Before installing anything, make sure to comply with any construction permits, licensing, and fees your city, county, or state requires.4
Fortunately, some municipalities allow you to hire your own independent contractor. This can be a plumbing independent contractor or a professional water meter installer. If you can, ask around for recommendations. Before the contractor comes to your home, set the terms of your contract over the phone.5
Another project to consider… installing an electric power monitor! Electric power monitors display how much electricity your household is using at any given moment. Many power monitors, like TED and The Meter Reader can be installed easily and without an electrician.6 You might also try using Google PowerMeter, which can send your electricity usage data onto a website, where you can see a chart of your electricity usage history.
Both water meters and power monitors are simple, useful devices that help consumers overcome the difficult task of accurately calculating their water and electricity usage only in their head. If you can, try to get one, or both installed. You just might be surprised where all that water and electricity goes…
