Michael Bates Your Oahu Realtor

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How to Save Water in Honolulu

If you own a home on Oahu, you may have noticed that the water bills are on an upward trend.  And if you've been reading the newspapers, you might also realize that they will continue going up for years.  

The primary reason for these increases is that our City and County of Honolulu settled with the Federal Government - the EPA to be exact.  In recent years there were times when two sewer treatment plants - Sand Island and Honoululi discharged raw sewage into streams and the ocean because they were pushed beyond capacity or just broke down.

The City and County is required to upgrade the two sewer treatment plants and storm water discharge systems over the next 28 years or so.  And it's going to be expensive.

So what does this have to do with water?  Well, sewer charges are built into our water bills.  The sewer charge is based on the amount of water we use.  So whether we wash dishes, flush the toilet or water the lawn, those uses affect the amount we pay for sewage treatment.

Taking a look at my most recent "water" bill, 86% of the total bill is for sewer charges.  Your bill may vary.

Here are some tips to keep your water (and sewer) bill down.

1. Install a newer toilet.  Older toilets (16+ years) used 3+ gallons of water per flush.  In 1995 the National Energy Policy Act took effect and mandated 1.6 toilets for the entire U.S.  Newer toilets, such as the Toto Eco-Drake use just 1.28 gallons per flush.  Guess what?  The Eco Drake works great and doesn't clog.  I know firsthand - we have one in our home.
2. Limit yard watering.  And when you do water, do so in the early morning or early evening.  Watering during the day results in more evaporation and less water stays with your grass.
3. Fix leaky pipes and faucets.  Those water leaks are not helping your yard nor your house.  That's water and money down the drain.
4. Turn off the faucet while brushing teeth.  No need to let the water run when you're not using it.
5. Take shorter showers.
6. Put a barrel under the rain gutter drains at home, then use the captured water to keep your yard and plants green.

We live in the middle of the ocean and water is plentiful.  Well, yes if we include salt water.  But we need fresh water for drinking, bathing and maintaining our yards.  Fresh water is a precious commodity.  Please don't waste it!

Aloha, Mike Bates (RA)

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