Interested in the quickest and easiest way to cut back on how much water your household uses in one month? I've got the trick.

The biggest (hidden) water waster in your home or business is perhaps a leaky toilet that you don't even know is faulty. Often they won't run continuously or make much noise at all when they're doing it. But I assure you, an inefficient toilet or faucet can waste HUNDREDS of gallons of water EACH MONTH. I know from experience and I'm embarrassed about it.

To prove just how wasteful one stupid (rarely used) toilet can be, I'm sharing our household's personal water use over the last 12 months. This info comes to you every month via email from the City of Bozeman.

City of Bozeman Water Conservation
City of Bozeman Water Conservation
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All you have to do is check your dropcountr water use report on the City's website when you pay your bill or get it sent to you automatically. By checking this email or the website, you'll immediately see if your water usage has spiked.

I paid no attention to our water use. We have always tried to be conservative with water use, but you just won't realize a problem until you see it on paper. A toilet that "ran mysteriously" downstairs that we never heard or noticed wasted SO MUCH WATER.

Dropcountr water usage - City of Bozeman
Dropcountr water usage - City of Bozeman
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Look at that INSANE water usage (waste) until mid-August when I had a plumber fix the stupid leaky toilet!!! I feel terrible about how much we wasted without even knowing it. However, this is something that I'll never forget and will forever check bathrooms in every home I live in.

It's especially important to check toilets if you have bathrooms in your home that don't get used very often. Guest bathrooms, basement bathrooms...whatever. If a toilet makes noise in any way when it's not in use, you've probably got a leak. Ours was barely noticeable...it's not like it flushes all by itself.

There are other ways the City of Bozeman helps you conserve water. Tips, rebates and recommendations can all be found on the COB website. So go check your bathrooms :-) You might have to stand there for a while to see if it periodically makes noise. It's not like it runs all the time...that's why these wasteful toilets are so sneaky.

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