While the sound of dripping shower head might seem like an annoyance, leaking a mere 10 drips per minute wastes more than 500 gallons per year. EPA’s Fix a Leak Week, March 18 through 24, 2019, is a good time to hunt down those annoying and wasteful drips to save water and money all year long.
How to tell if you have a leak:
- Turn off everything that uses water both inside and outside your home.
- Locate your water meter usually located at the front of your property inside a black box in the lawn.
- Read your water meter and wait 30 minutes.
- When the time is up, read your meter again. Did the numbers advance?
If so, you have a leak somewhere.
Common culprits
- Toilet
- Stop by Environmental Services for a free dye tablets, or add a few drops of food coloring to the water in your toilet tank. Wait 15 minutes to see if the color begins to show up in the bowl, indicating a faulty flush valve.
- Faucets
- Check all faucets for drips and look inside cabinets in the kitchen and bath.
- Outdoor Hose Bibs & Irrigation
- Be sure to check outdoor hose connections at the valve and at any sprinkler or nozzle you have attached.
Help to fix the leaks you find
The staff at local hardware and home supply stores can explain parts, answer questions, and give advice to Do-it-Yourselfers looking to tackle common plumbing leaks.