The US-EPA is celebrating Fix a Leak Week from March 20-26 and is providing valuable information and resources to save water.
Visit the EPA website for more information on fixing leaks and saving water
Household leaks in the USA waste nearly 1 TRILLION gallons of water – every year.
Fresh water is an essential part of life and it is a limited resource. We can all do our part to conserve water by preventing leaks. Also, saving water means saving money!
The most common types of household leaks are:
- Toilet Leaks
- Check for leaks with food coloring
- Worn-out toilet flappers are a common cause of leaks
- Faucet Leaks
- Showerhead Leaks
- Outdoor Leaks
A leak of one drip per second can waste over 3,000 gallons of water annually. This is water that you pay for on your utility bill.
Here are some easy ways to tell if you have a water leak:
- Look at your water usage during a colder month, such as January, February or March when you are not irrigating outside. If a family of four exceeds 12,000 gallons per month, there could be serious leaks.
- Check your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter changes at all, you probably have a leak.
- Identify toilet leaks by placing a drop of food coloring in the toilet tank. If any color shows up in the bowl after 10 minutes, you have a leak. (Be sure to flush immediately after the experiment to avoid staining the tank.)
- Examine faucet gaskets and pipe fittings for any water on the outside of the pipe to check for surface leaks.
- Old or worn-out toilet flappers (e.g., valve seal) can cause leaks. Because the rubber can wear out, the flapper should be checked periodically and replaced at least every five years. An old or worn flapper can cause your toilet to flush on its own or silently leak thousands of gallons a year.
- If you have an in-ground irrigation system, check it each spring before use to make sure it wasn’t damaged by frost or freezing.