Energy Adviser: Old water heaters soak up power By Clark Public Utilities Share: Tucked away in basements, hidden in closets, hiding behind boxes in the back of the garage — most people don’t think about their water heaters until the hot water stops flowing. Which is unfortunate. Because as you work hard to keep your energy costs down, that big tank is burning a hole in your utility bill. “It’s always a good idea to limit your water consumption, especially with hot water, to keep your energy and water bills low,” said Clark Public Utilities Energy Services Supervisor DuWayne Dunham. “But if you want to take a real bite out of your energy costs along those lines, the best thing to do is upgrade to a heat pump water heater.”