You’ve probably heard that if your toilet is running, it costs you a fortune in wasted water. But how much does a running toilet really cost? We understand that you don’t always have the time or the money to get a running toilet fixed right away, so it’s important to know how much it is costing you to ignore the problem for a little while. Here’s how to figure out how much your running toilet is costing you.
How Much Water Does Your Toilet Use?
A toilet that is moderately water-efficient wastes, on average, two gallons of water a minute. That is 2,880 gallons per day. A toilet like this uses about 30 percent of the home’s water when it is working properly, so it wastes an alarming amount of water if it is left running.
Extremely low-flow toilets may waste less water. However, the difference isn’t as much as you may think. Low flow toilets still have large tanks to hold flushing water in. Manufacturers also want these tanks to fill up quickly so that you can flush again within the minute if you want to. While the low-flow toilet uses much less water when it’s working properly, it can still waste a ton if it’s running all of the time.
For example, an extremely water-efficient toilet may use 1.28 gallons of water per flush. We can assume that, at the slowest, the toilet can refill this amount of water every minute. So, this toilet is still wasting 1,843 gallons of water per day.
How Much Does Water Cost You?
Now you have to figure out how much all of this water is costing you. If you live in Tracy, California, the city charges $2.10 for every 100 cubic feet of water you use.
If your toilet is wasting 2,880 gallons per day (as the average new toilet does), that works out to 385 cubic feet per day. In a 30-day month, your toilet is wasting 11,550 cubic feet of water. That works out to $242.55 in extra water bill costs if you live in Tracy.
Your extra water costs could be smaller if you have a more water-efficient toilet, which runs slower. For example, a toilet that wastes 1,843 gallons of water per day wastes a more moderate 7,380 cubic feet of water per month. This amount of water would only cost $88.56 per month.
As you can’t measure exactly how much your toilet is wasting, it’s better to assume that your toilet is on the higher end of waste. You’ll find out exactly how much extra you’ll have to pay when you get your water bill.
As you can see, letting the toilet run for a month or more quickly becomes costly. Often it is cheaper to call up a plumber to take a look at the problem. In the long run, you’ll save money the sooner you can get a plumber involved. Besides, if you wait, you could be letting the problem get worse, which could result in a higher repair cost. If you’re struggling with a running toilet and are located in Manteca, Ripon, Modesto, or the surrounding area, be sure to give Simpson Plumbing a call for expert help at an affordable price.
