What's your average monthly water bill?

[JEFF IN MODESTO]

We pay a flat rate here so I can use as much as I need without fluctuations. Its $24.73 a month. This along with the richest topsoil on earth are two of the very best reasons to garden here in the great Central Valley of California.

Now... If Global warming would raise the air temps just 5 degrees... perhaps we could grow most of the palms we'd like.

[Jason Baker Portugal]

I pay less than 10 € a month. I use well water on my plants. This year I discovered that flooding gets much better growth than using the sprinkler. Does anyone else use flooding to water? Jason

[palmmermaid]

We have a well and water the garden from the canal behind the house so our water bill is negligible. Our electric bill averages $100 a month - 2K suare feet house, 2 pumps. In the summer our bill is around $175 andin the winter around $50 - we turn the AC off and open the windows and doors.

[Mark Heath]

I definitely need to get A) a well or a separate sewer meter. I'm paying Cali rates and all my Floriduh brethern are paying a third or less as I do. Anyone in central FL know the going rate for a well to irrigate? I'm on city water for all other - which is my problem.....

Rich,,

You need to sink a well. Think about it, no meter at all and all it takes is the power to run it. I have two shallow wells and i run them only when needed. Give me a call and maybe i can help you out in some way. I pay SQUAT for water, whatever power the pump pulls is what i pay. Also, your palms will not get all the crap that city water has,, chlorine and such!

Mark

[LilikoiLee]

In the last year ours has averaged about $750 - the price of planting water-loving palms, heliconia and ginger in a relatively dry area (Kona) of the Big Island and the fact that we had a long drought period. Very costly for only an acre. I am hoping that as the palms mature I won't have to supplement the rainfall as much as we do now.

I was relieved to see that a couple of others are paying about the same and someone is paying even more. It would be nice to hear from them in terms of their location, size of garden and species planted and other Kona gardeners as well. Dypsis Dean is just a hop, skip and a jump above us but I believe he gets more rain. We can see it raining up there when it is dry here.

Lee

[Patrick]

Couldn't vote, I only spend about 50-100 and $100 I've NEVER paid.

I use micro (drip) irrigation only. Cost goes up significantly when I decide to water the lawn (you might be a redneck if.....).

I use those Orbit octo-emitters they sell in the sprinkler section at the big orange box store plus the little black bubblers- I have them everywhere. some regular micro sprinklers here & there to get a little even layer of moisture out.

Of course I have a smaller yard- maybe 8000 sq. ft. with a house on it.

One thing I've noticed is that a lot of people run their lawn sprinklers for 15 minutes or so, and for 7 of them there's massive amounts of water running down the yard, over the sidewalk and into the rain gutter. Higher frequency of watering with shorter times is the key in the clay.

I pay less than 10 € a month. I use well water on my plants. This year I discovered that flooding gets much better growth than using the sprinkler. Does anyone else use flooding to water? Jason

Jason, I do suppliment my yard by flooding, but it is in addition to the sprinklers. It helps with those palms that are water hogs. In the summer sometimes the more water you can get a plant, the better.

[Jeff zone 8 N.C.]

I have my own well which is used for all my water needs. It costs $2800.00 to drill but that included a deeper than normal well (my choice) which is way over sized and with an oversized submersible pump, wire, pipe, parts and labor and permits to certify it as a safe drinking water well. I could have drilled it much much cheaper than that but I have 10 acres and wanted to have enough water to irrigate more than normal or to supply several homes if needed in the future. If I had opted for a shallow well I could have done that myself for about $150.00. After the up front cost I only pay for electric for the pump. My electricity comes from a non-profit cooperative so it's as low of a cost as it gets. The cost of irrigation is so low I have never even bothered to figure how much. Plus I use two extremely efficient water source heat pumps to heat and cool my home so the water that they use and dump is re-used to irrigate so I get double use from it. I guess one could argue the irrigation water is free even though I pay to use it for heat and cool. Here on the coast we are very sunny and most rain comes in the night in summer and is generally reliable (not this year) so, after established, most plants are ok on their own and most people do no irrigation at all. Winters are pretty sunny too but wetter and generally require no irrigation.

[Tassie_Troy1971]

$ 11 per month for me and still smiling

[palmcurry]

$50 average a month. My place is small and has so much clay that I water very mindfully (don't want to lose anything to rot) But our bill always seems low to me 'cause I feel like I water alot. I hand water everything with a wand which is as effective use of water as line irrigation IMO.