$60 - $70, and I have more than 400 plants lined into a drip system that runs 2 hours twice per week.

ernie, make sure you don't have any leaks, like toilets, valves, etc. I found a slow leak at one of my lawn valves- they can waste a lot of water. So can a toilet leak.

Turn everything off and look at your water meter- it shouldn't creep.

$162 - gulp. I don't think there's a leak. I have lots of greenery I'm trying to keep alive. Some recently planted hedge covers (primrose jasmine and a couple of oleanders), the asparagus bed is just getting established, and I have chili peppers and some beans that all need regular water. The bower vines. Some of these will be fine with lower water once established but much of what's hogging the water right now was planted last fall/spring. Ugh! I agree.

Mines $87 here in Camp Verde. I am watering like a fool. This is high for me this time of year. Just trying to keep the grass, veggie gardens, fruit trees, roses etc. alive.

Most cities offer free water audits (aka evaluations, reviews, etc.) and will check your meter for accuracy, test for leaks in service lines, interior fixtures, pools, water softeners, as well as irrigation lines. Check with your city's water conservation office.

Ernie- I agree you may have a leak. I would have it checked out. You also may need to include -how often do you run the dishwasher, washing machine(full loads?), how many people take a shower how long etc. Like I said my bill is $87 w/1/2 acre fully planted and a pool. There is only the two of us. Yours does seem very high.

I was watering liberally. Probably more than needed.

I have no leaks. I will see how my efforts to parcel the water more carefully make a change this coming month.
I have some large trees I am caring for, some fruit trees, and a few ornamentals. After losing my two huge shade trees in the back yard, everything else is so much more vulnerable to the sun.

one thing I have done to save some water when I moved into this house is to tear into one of the walls and redo the plumbing to my upstairs bathtub. Now it drains near several trees and grape vines in my backyard. I tend to prefer taking baths to showers so this is one way that makes me feel like I'm not wasting as much water. There's no reason why that water can't go to a tree.
my water bill? ugh, not so good. My watering systems aren't the most efficient.

Are you Phoenix folks quoting the bottom line or just the water portion of the bill? I ask because we get trash, sewer, jail and other fees unrelated to water at all tacked on our 'water bill'.

Oh, yeah, I'm including all those other fees, trash, recycling.
I was told that Phoenix doesn't really recycle all that stuff, that it would be too labor intensive and expensive. It's supposed to be a political thing more than anything else.

So what's your actual water bill? Phx contracts with Waste Management to run the recycle facility. Most gets recycled, but a lot does not, much of that due to contamination by idiots who put trash in the blue can.

Just the water portion of my bill was $40, a little over twice that with the waste water, solid waste and other fees added. I water a flower bed in front, a couple of trees and a squash and watermelon patch in back. Also have a 3ft x 10ft grow box and assorted potted plants and a couple of very small areas with grass growing among stepping stones.

My opinion is, if I can't use the amount of water necessary to have a decent green yard, then I need to move out of this state. Sure it's an extra expense in the summer, but worth it IMO.

In Cave Creek water is $50.- a month and the first glass of water is extra! Some people have to pay extra for a pump if they have one on their line.
Had I known when we first moved here I would have put in a well.
I don't water that much and the bill is almost $100.- a month and that is just water.
Mickey

87 bucks here in Cottonwood last month, and I was watering everything like crazy. Squash every day, tomatoes and fruit trees twice a week.

Water is cheap here, but our rates are about to go up by 15-20%.

Centurion your bill and mine were the same 9 posts up
I hope you are talking about rates in Cottonwood only. Not Camp Verde

Pretty funny, CampV. I was watering a lot, also. As far as I know...the rate increase is just for us.

The good news is...this next bill will be much lower.

Now that the tomatoes and cukes are done, my bill is down all the way to $127.

Never, ever, put in raised beds. They drain fast and need watering more frequently. i have two big ones in the front. Even the one with desert plants needs more water than they would in ground.

Ernie, are you mulching? I use straw, and I pile it on 6 inches thick. It helps a lot.