How Much is the Average Water Bill?

There’s more to consider when you’re budgeting out your housing expenses than just your monthly rent or mortgage payment amount. And unless you’re planning to live totally off the grid, these extra expenses include your utility costs—including your water bill. The average water varies by location, but knowing the general scope of what you can expect to pay will help you set your budget and figure out what you can afford. It will also help you avoid any unwanted surprises when you get your first bill.

The average American family spends at least $2,200 a year on home utility bills, which include electric, water, and gas, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. That’s nearly $185 a month that needs to be set aside for utilities, though depending on your usage it could be even higher. (There are quite a few ways though to save on utilities and keep your costs down, especially when it comes to your water bill—more on those later.)

So what should you anticipate spending on water each month? Below, we’ve broken down what you need to know about the average water bill and how it’s determined. We’ve also shared a few smart tips for maximizing efficiency in your home so that you can reduce both your environmental footprint and your monthly bill. Let’s get to it.

Cost of the Average Water Bill

The average water bill in the United States is $72.93 a month for a family of four using 100 gallons of water per day per person.

This number goes up or down depending on usage, with families that use 50% more water than average spending about $115.50 a month and families that use 50% less water than average spending about $36.90 a month. If you heavily water your grass, have a pool, or have more than four people living in your home, your monthly bill will likely be quite higher than the average.

There are two major factors that determine the amount you spend on your water bill:

1. Your total water usage. This one is probably a no-brainer: the more water that you use in your home, the higher your average water bill is going to be. Beyond personal consumption habits, other factors that affect this variable include the size of your house and the water efficiency of your appliances.

2. The cost of water in your area. The cost of the average water bill varies depending on state, but also on zip code and region. For that reason, your bill might not necessarily be the same after moving, even if your monthly usage doesn’t change.

You generally won’t have a choice when it comes to your water provider, so there’s no use trying to shop around. The best thing that you can do if you want to bring your average water bill down is to take steps to reduce your usage. And fortunately, that’s actually a lot easier to do than you might think.

Easy Ways to Lower Your Water Bill

The average water bill of $72.93 a month is based on 100 gallons of water per day per person in a family of four—about enough for each person to fill a standard bathtub two and a half times. And while it might be hard to imagine yourself using that much water each day, it’s surprisingly simple to use more water than you think you are. The good news: that means it’s simple to cut back too.

Here are six super easy ways to reduce your water usage each day and month so you can lower your monthly water bill.

Turn off the water when you brush your teeth

Cut back your shower time

Use your dishwasher

Fix that leaky faucet

Aerate your faucets

Rethink lawn maintenance

Keeping your average water bill down is as easy as being aware of how and when you use water and making basic changes to cut down on usage as you can. There’s no such thing as being perfect all of the time, but little changes now can lead to big savings over time on your bill.