FLUSHING OUT LEAKS THAT ARE DRAINING YOUR BUDGET

March 14, 2016

Leaks are small annoyances, but those persistent little drips can add up quickly, wasting valuable water and costing homeowners money.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average U.S. home can lose up to 10,000 gallons of drinking water a year to minor leaks. Nationally, household leaks account for more than 1 trillion gallons of water wasted annually.

That’s more than a small annoyance.

It’s the reason why EPA WaterSense and its partners set aside the third week of March each year as Fix a Leak Week to remind Americans to check household plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems for leaks.

The good news is that most leaks are typically easy to find and fix, once you know where to look.

AMWUA, its member cities, Water—Use It Wisely, and numerous other Arizona agencies, utilities, and businesses partner with EPA WaterSense to get the word out and offer residents information, tools, and assistance to find and fix leaks and conserve water.

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The Smart Home Water Guide website is a great example. This mobile-friendly site puts the leak detection expertise of water conservation professionals at your fingertips. It walks you step-by-step through the process of tracking down leaks, provides links to helpful DIY repir videos, and even connects you directly to your local water conservation office. For those who prefer printed materials, the Smart Home Water Guide also is available as a 24-page booklet in both Spanish and English. Check with your city’s water department for copies.

With a little detective work and some simple fixes—changing out the flapper on that running toilet, upgrading to WaterSense labeled fixtures, or replacing broken sprinkler heads—you can stop leaks from draining your budget and conserve our water resources for the future.

For more tools, events, and information visit the EPA WaterSense Fix a Leak Week site.


Carol Ward-Morris is the Assistant Director of the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association, one of fifteen Water – Use It Wisely partners to offer water-saving advice and assistance programs.