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Estimated Water Consumption Calculator

Instructions

  1. Answer all questions with a number
  2. Click the 'Calculate' button
  3. Your estimated water consumption appears on the right
  4. Your estimated savings for the Voluntary Metering Program appear at the bottom

 

    
   
   
Answers
 Estimated Water Consumption (gal)
 Indoor Water Use
per week per month
  How many people live in your household?
  How many showers total are taken per week in your household?  
  What is the average length of each shower? (in minutes)
If you are not sure, use 8 minutes		  
  What is the flow rate of your showerhead? (gallons per minute)
Enter 5 for standard, 2.5 for low flow
  How many baths are taken each week in your household?
  How many flushes total per week in your household?  
  How many gallons does your toilet use per flush?
Enter 5 for standard toilet, 1.6 for low flow
Homes constructed after 1996 have 1.6gpf toilets
  How many times are dishes washed by hand each week in your household?  
  How long does the water run each time? (minutes)
  How many times is the dishwashing machine run each week?
  How many loads of laundry are done in your household each week?    
  The average washing machine uses 41 gallons per load, if you have a water-efficient machine, enter the gallons used by your machine
         
 
Outdoor Water Use
(Summer Months: May - September)
     
  How many times is your lawn watered each week in the summer?    
  How long is the lawn watered for? (minutes)
  How much time is spent each week on miscellaneous watering such as washing cars, pets, watering garden? (minutes)
 

Estimated Water Use

      Gallons
Per Day 		Gallons
Per Week 		Gallons
Per Month 		   
  Indoor Water Use    
  Outdoor Water Use    
 
NOTES: Calculations are estimates and are not an exact representation of your household consumption. The following variables impact household water consumption differently: 		 
 
  • Number of People living in residence
  • Age of Residents
  • Fixture/Appliance makes, models, and manufacturers
  • Seasonal rainfall/temperature for outdoor water use
  • Known or unknown leaks in household
 

Estimated Savings for Voluntary Metering Program

  Metered Rate   Flat Rate  
  Indoor Monthly Water Consumption (units)   Total Monthly Water Consumption (units)  
  Outdoor Monthly Water Consumption (units)   Both Indoor and Outdoor Use Up to 11 units per month.
Includes Lake Whatcom Land Acquisition and Preservation Fee. 		 
  Volume Rate 1        
  Base Rate 2        
  Estimated Bill with Metered Rate   Estimated Bill with Flat Rate  
  Estimated Monthly Savings3 :        
  Estimated Payback in Months4 :        
 
NOTES:   		 
 
  1. VOLUME RATE: Single family residences located in city limits are charged a volume rate of $1.02 per unit of water used, up to 11 units. If consumption is over 11 units, these units are charged $1.29 per unit. (i.e. if a household's consumption is 13 units, 11 units are charged a volume rate of $1.02 and 2 units are charged a volume rate of $1.29)
  2. BASERATE: Typical single-family residences have a 5/8" meter, calculations are therefore based on this meter size. The monthly base rate is calculated by adding together the bi-monthly base rate and the Lake Whatcom Land Acquisition and Preservation fee, and then dividing it by two.
  3. ESTIMATED MONTHLY SAVINGS: If the estimated savings results in a negative figure, switching to a metered account may not be feasible at this time
  4. ESTIMATED PAYBACK: Number of months to recuperate your $150 investment for a water meter (based on current water rates) through the Voluntary Water Metering Program
 
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