If your bill suddenly jumps, don’t panic—be suspicious. Check for leaks first (toilet dye test, look under sinks). Then call your utility. Sometimes they miss a reading or charge a phantom fee. My other friend Dave once got billed $400; turns out the meter reader misread a “1” as a “7.” Imagine paying for a phantom 600 gallons a day. They corrected it in a week.
At the end of the day, water is cheap compared to, say, streaming subscriptions. You pay for clean drinking water that comes to your house without you lifting a finger. So the next time you see that average bill of $50, take a deep breath. And then turn off the tap while brushing your teeth. Your wallet—and the planet—will thank you.
