Did you know that the average household wastes 10,000 gallons of water a year just through leaks and drips? Collectively, Americans waste 1 trillion gallons of water a year through household leaks! It may seem we have an endless supply of water but we don’t. Every drop counts!
It’s easy to fix most leaks. All you do is check, twist, and replace:
- Check for leaks. Look for dripping faucets, showerheads and sprinklers. Check for toilets with silent leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring into the tank, waiting 15 minutes, and seeing if color appears in the bowl before you flush.
- Twist and tighten hose and pipe connections. To save water without a noticeable difference in flow in your bathroom, twist on a WaterSense-labeled faucet aerator.
- Replace the fixture if necessary. Look for WaterSense-labeled models, which are independently certified to use 20 percent less water and perform as well as or better than standard models.
Grab a wrench or contact your favorite handy person or plumber to address leaking toilets, faucets, showerheads, and irrigation systems around your home.
Fix a Leak Week occurs annually in March and is sponsored by the U.S. EPA WaterSense program.