Summer brings many changes – the kids are out of school, which means it’s time for fun in the sun. You may also be hard at work tending to your garden or watching your flowers grow. You’re using your sprinklers more often, filling pools, and doing other activities that increase your water bills. Your summer bill can bring an unpleasant surprise, but it doesn’t have to. Just follow these simple tips to decrease your summer water expenditure.

Be Smart When Mowing Your Lawn

Cut your lawn as short as possible, and you won’t have to do it as often – right? Unfortunately, this sucks all the moisture out of your grass and leads to more watering. Cut your grass at least three inches high, which will lessen your need to use the sprinkler. Instead of collecting your clippings in a bag, leave them on the lawn and let them serve as natural, water-retaining mulch.

Check Your Toilets

If your water bills seem suspiciously high, your toilet may be to blame. Kids home from school means that this hardworking area of your home gets even more traffic. A toilet with a leaky gasket may appear to function normally, but you could be using hundreds of gallons of water needlessly. To see, open your toilet tank and squirt in some red food coloring. Wait a half hour, then check the bowl. Is the water pink? That means it’s time to replace your flapper, which could seriously decrease your water bill.

Give Your Garbage Disposal a Break

Your garbage disposal does a lot of hard work in your home – unfortunately, most manufacturers recommend flushing your sink for 30 seconds or more to clear the debris. Summer brings more fresh produce and seasonal food into your home – and a perfect opportunity to start composting. Composting not only provides environmental benefits, it will also decrease your water bills.

Summer may bring more water use, but it doesn’t have to lead to sticker shock. Follow these simple tips to conserve water and lead to more affordable water bills this season.