Expect a flood of higher costs in this area

Electricity isn’t the only utility cost going up and up.

Water rates are also on the rise – and they could be taking a bigger bite out of your budget than you know.

A recent survey by Waterless Co. shows half of commercial facilities are paying at least 10% or higher water bills than five years before.

Don’t count on those rates coming down anytime soon. U.S. water systems are in bad need of infrastructure overhauls. USA Today estimates upgrade and replacement costs could exceed $1 trillion over the next 20 years.

You know who will foot the bill for those costs – customers like you.

Make sure money isn’t leaking out

Many commercial buildings have leaks that maintenance crews either don’t know about or don’t fix right away. Whether maintenance is handled in-house or by a vendor, check that they inspect for leaks in restrooms, kitchens, etc.

If you don’t have hands-free faucets, toilets and urinals in all restrooms, consider budgeting for it now. Hands-free sensors do more than cut down on germ transfer. They also regulate the amount of water use, cutting down on costs (the biggest benefit is with faucets).

Also: High-efficiency flush valves on toilets reduce water usage. Standard toilets use 1.6 gallons per flush, while high-efficiency models use 1.28.

Are your utility costs on the rise? Tell us about it below.