Why Are Water Bills Going Up So Much?
Let's be honest: water bills in Southern California have never been cheap. We live in a semi-arid region that imports most of its water from the California State Water Project and the Colorado River hundreds of miles away, and every step of that journey costs money.
Now add two consecutive years of 8.5% rate hikes from the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) driven by rising infrastructure costs, regulatory compliance upgrades, climate adaptation investments, and a drop in revenue caused by conservation-driven usage reductions. Add the doubling of the district's property tax assessment, and the numbers get harder to ignore. The average Inland Empire household is paying considerably more for the same water they used two years ago and rates are still climbing.
Local water agencies, including those serving the Inland Empire, pass these wholesale increases on to residential customers, often with additional local surcharges on top. For many households, the combined effect has pushed monthly water bills 15–25% higher than they were two years ago, even with no change in usage.
What that means for you: every gallon that leaks, gets wasted, or passes through an inefficient fixture now costs more than it ever has. Fixing those problems has never delivered a better return.
The good news: a significant portion of what most homeowners spend on water is preventable. Here are seven actions you can take right now to stop the leak both literally and financially.
7 Ways to Stop Leaking Money on Your Water Bill
1. Hunt Down Hidden Leaks - They're More Common Than You Think
A single dripping faucet can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year. A small toilet flapper leak can lose upward of 200 gallons per day. That's nearly 6,000 gallons a month without making a sound loud enough to notice. At today's Southern California water rates, that's real money disappearing down your drain.
How to check for leaks yourself: Turn off all water in your home and find your water meter. Note the reading, then don't use any water for two hours. If the meter has moved, you have a leak. Common culprits include toilet flappers, supply line connections under sinks, irrigation valves, and outdoor hose bibs.
Did You Know?
The EPA's WaterSense program estimates that household leaks waste nearly 1 trillion gallons of water annually across the U.S. Fixing leaks in the average home can save about 10% on water bills.
2. Fix Running Toilets - The #1 Silent Water Waster
A running toilet is the most common and most overlooked cause of a sudden spike in a water bill. Toilet flappers deteriorate over time, and even a minor seal failure can release a steady stream of water from the tank into the bowl 24 hours a day.
The test is simple: put a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank (not the bowl) and wait 15 minutes without flushing. If color appears in the bowl, the flapper is leaking. Replacement flappers can be a DIY project or you can call Burgeson's if you want the professionals to handle it.
3. Upgrade to WaterSense-Certified Fixtures
Older toilets, showerheads, and faucets use far more water than modern equivalents. A toilet manufactured before 1994 uses 3.5–7 gallons per flush. Today's WaterSense-certified models use as little as 1.28 gallons, a reduction of up to 80%.
| Fixture |
Older Model Uses |
WaterSense Model Uses |
Est. Annual Savings |
| Toilet (per flush) |
3.5–7 gallons |
1.28 gallons |
Up to $100/yr |
| Showerhead (per minute) |
2.5+ gallons |
2.0 gallons or less |
$50–$75/yr |
| Bathroom faucet |
2.2 gpm |
1.5 gpm |
$20–$40/yr |
| Kitchen faucet |
2.2 gpm |
1.8 gpm |
$15–$30/yr |
gpm = gallons per minute. Savings estimates based on average Southern California household usage.
4. Audit Your Irrigation System
In Southern California's climate, outdoor irrigation is often the single largest category of household water use during the summer accounting for 50–70% of total water consumption for many properties. That also makes it the biggest opportunity for savings.
- Check for broken or misdirected sprinkler heads watering pavement instead of plants
- Upgrade to a smart irrigation controller that adjusts run times based on weather and soil moisture
- Convert high-water-use grass areas to drought-tolerant landscaping (California rebates often apply)
- Water early in the morning (before 8 a.m.) to minimize evaporation
- Check drip irrigation emitters for clogs or failures - a failed emitter either wastes water or kills plants
5. Install a Whole-Home Water Filtration System
This one surprises people when they hear it, but water quality and water efficiency are directly connected.
Southern California's water supply is notoriously hard as well as high in dissolved minerals like calcium and magnesium that accumulate inside pipes, water heaters, dishwashers, washing machines, and every appliance that uses water. Scale buildup reduces flow rates, forces appliances to work harder, and dramatically shortens their lifespan. A water heater working against a layer of mineral scale can use 25–30% more energy to heat the same amount of water.
A whole-home water softener or filtration system addresses this at the source, before water reaches any appliance or fixture. Benefits include:
- Extended appliance lifespan for water heaters, dishwashers, washing machines
- Reduced soap and detergent usage (hard water requires more)
- Fewer plumbing repairs from scale-related pipe narrowing
- Better-tasting drinking water without bottled water costs
Burgeson's installs whole-home water filtration and softening systems throughout the Inland Empire. Ask about current options and financing when you call (909) 792-2222.
6. Check Your Water Heater for Efficiency and Leaks
Water heaters are quiet water wasters in two ways: they can leak slowly from the pressure relief valve or tank connections, and an aging or scale-clogged unit can waste significant energy heating water less efficiently than it should.
If your water heater is more than 8–10 years old, has visible corrosion on connections, or takes noticeably longer to deliver hot water than it used to, it's worth a professional inspection. Upgrading to a tankless or heat pump water heater can reduce heating costs by 20–50% compared to a conventional tank unit.
7. Schedule a Professional Plumbing Inspection
Some leaks aren't detectable without professional equipment. Slab leaks in pipes embedded in your home's concrete foundation can silently waste hundreds of gallons per day while slowly damaging your foundation. Corroded or deteriorating supply lines inside walls can lose water for years before any visible sign appears.
A professional plumbing inspection from Burgeson's can identify problems you can't see, evaluate your fixtures and appliances for efficiency, and give you a clear picture of what's actually driving your water bill. In most cases, the cost of an inspection pays for itself quickly in water savings and avoided emergency repairs.