My water bills are getting outrageous, what could cause this?

Just like everything else these days, the price of water is on the rise. You can determine if the increased bill is a result of increased rates or something else by comparing your usage over a couple of years in gallons consumed. If the usage is consistent, then the increased cost may well just be an increase in the rates. If the usage has increased significantly, consider if you have changes anything like installed a larger tub, added members to your household, sprinkler use, etc. Obviously, leaking pipes, faulty toilet flappers and faucets can cause increased water usage as well. If you eliminate to first two as possible reasons, it may be time to contact a qualified plumber to evaluate your systems and find the problem.