The heat of summer means we use more water for drinking and for playing, but that also leads to bigger water bills if you're not careful!

Summer is hot, and hot weather calls for cool activities—often involving water. Whether this means pulling out an old slip-and-slide or regularly filling the kiddie pool, the amount of water you use monthly (and the associated bill) rises quickly. If you need to balance out your summertime fun water consumption, or even if you’re just looking for ways to cut your utility bill, there are several steps you can take to limit water waste and save money.

Check for Leaks

Checking for leaks around your home is the best way to stop needlessly wasting water. Even very small leaks can quickly add up. Don’t believe it? If you’ve got a leaky faucet, plug the tub or the sink or put a large container under the drip. Leave it overnight or for a full day, and see how much water accumulates. You’ll be surprised how much water—and money!—you’re sending down the drain. Every drip that you let go adds up to money and water wasted every single day, but a licensed plumber could fix these leaks easily and safely.

Image courtesy of Delta

Update Your Routines

There are many parts of your routine that may be wasting water without you even realizing it. Take a day and keep track of all the ways you use water and whether or not you could use less in each situation. Do you let the water run while you brush your teeth or shave? Don't—that's wasted water. Do you take an extra 15 minutes in the shower that you don't need? Don't—that's wasted water. Do you run the tap to let it get cold before filling your glass? More wasted water (keep a bottle of water in the fridge and fill from there instead). Each time might not seem like much, but it adds up over the course of the day, every day.

Image courtesy of Parentloves

There are more updates to your routine outside the home that you could try, too. If you usually water your garden during the height of the day, try it in the early morning or late evening instead (less of the water evaporates), and make sure you're watering deeply so you can do it less often. Finally, if you're filling that kiddie pool every day and dumping it every night, don't waste the water. As long as you haven't put any chemicals in the water, use it to water plants when the kids are done playing for the day.

Swap for Water-Conscious Alternatives

You could also swap out some of your fixtures for water-saving alternatives, but some of these swaps will definitely require a plumber. Showerheads are one of the first fixtures most people swap, opting for a newer, low-flow option. Sink faucets could also be swapped out for smart versions so that they automatically turn off (if you have kids, faucets being left on is simply a thing that happens eventually).

Image courtesy of EcoHome.com

The toilet is another fixture that can be upgraded for great savings. You could simply opt for a low-flow toilet that uses less water to flush. Alternatively, you could have a greywater toilet installed. A greywater toilet has an integrated sink and the water going down the drain in the sink is what fills the toilet tank and eventually flushes the toilet.

Do you have any other suggestions for saving water and saving money this summer? Let us know in the comments.