Fix a Leak Week Offers Water Savings

Americans can save water and money Across the country, household leaks are wasting more than 1 trillion gallons of water per year — enough water, for example, to supply every home in Texas with its annual water needs. To help consumers save water and money, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working with water utilities, manufacturers, retailers, communities and plumbers to promote its second annual Fix a Leak Week, March 15 to 21, 2010.

If a family of four’s wintertime water use exceeds 12,000 gallons per month, they probably have a leak. In many cases, fixture replacement parts pay for themselves quickly and can be installed by do-it-yourselfers, a trusted professional plumber, or a WaterSense irrigation partner.

WaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by EPA, seeks to protect the future of our nation’s water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water.  In addition, EPA is providing consumers with ways to identify and repair dripping faucets, running toilets and leaky showerheads. Here are a few water-saving tips:

• Reduce faucet leaks by checking washers and gaskets for wear and replacing them; if it’s necessary to replace a faucet, look for the WaterSense label.
• Silent toilet leaks can be found by placing a few drops of food coloring in the tank and checking the bowl for color after a few minutes or before flushing. Replacing a worn rubber flapper is a quick fix, or look for the WaterSense label if you need a new toilet.
• For a leaky garden hose, replace the nylon or rubber hose washer and ensure a tight connection. For a landscape irrigation system, a WaterSense irrigation partner can check it in the spring to make sure fixtures were not damaged by frost or freezing.

The city of Dallas is kicking off the Great Dallas Fix a Leak Week Roundup on March 15 as part of an effort to repair leaks and replace plumbing fixtures in local homes with WaterSense labeled models.

More information on other Fix a Leak events: http://www.epa.gov/watersense/fixaleak

More information on WaterSense: http://www.epa.gov/watersense