Did you know that an average home can waste more than 10,000 gallons of water every year due to running toilets, dripping faucets and other household leaks? Nationwide, more than one trillion gallons of water leak from U.S. homes each year. In honor of national Fix-a- Leak Week, March 18-24, we remind you to check your plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems. To help save water for future generations (and save a substantial amount on your utility bill each month), simply check, twist and replace!
Check for leaks. Look for dripping faucets, shower heads and fixture connections. Also check for toilets with silent leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring into the tank to see if appears in the bowl before you flush. Don’t forget to check irrigation systems and spigots, too.
Twist and tighten pipe connections. To save more water without a noticeable difference in flow, twist on a faucet aerator that has a WaterSense label.
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.
Find more information on fixing expensive household leaks here.