Gotta water leak?
A couple of days remain to get it fixed and make it part of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 15th annual "Fix a Leak Week," EPA's WaterSense program's way to encourage consumers and businesses to find and repair plumbing leaks in homes and improve landscaping irrigation systems.
"This Fix a Leak Week, I invite you to spend a few minutes checking for leaks around your home," EPA Office of Wastewater Management Director Andrew Sawyers said in a news release issued Monday, March 20. "Over the past 15 years, WaterSense partners have engaged their communities to find and fix leaks – helping people save water and money."
EPA Office of Wastewater Management Director Andrew Sawyers
| acf.hhs.gov/
This year's Fix a Leak Week ends Sunday, March 26, according to the news release.
Leaks can waste almost 10,000 gallons of water a year in the average home, and WaterSense partners across the nation try and raise awareness by hosting community events, public service announcements, educational workshops and other efforts. The point is to let homeowners know that checking for and repairing leaks can stop the water waste and the hit on their water bills.
Toilets are often a leak source. EPA recommends using a few drops of food coloring to check for "silent toilet leaks". Just drip a few drops of food coloring in the tank and then wait 10 minutes. If dye turns up in the bowl, there is a leak that may be fixed by replacing a worn flapper or another simple repair.
In spring, EPA recommends checking irrigation components for winter damage and a "sprinkler spruce-up" to detect broken parts, be sure system components connect tightly to avoid leaks and adjust the direction of sprinklers, if necessary, to spray on landscapes. Keeping an eye on irrigation systems can help reduce outdoor water waste.
Any water-bearing components that don't pass scrutiny should be replaced with models that have earned EPA's WaterSense label, which identifies products, programs and homes independently certified to use at least 20% less water and to perform as well or better than standard models.
EPA's WaterSense program works to protect the nation's water supply by offering consumers simple ways to use less water. WaterSense issues labels that help consumers identify water-efficient products and acts as a resource offering consumers and businesses practical advice on saving water. The program and its more than 2,000 partner water utilities, local governments, manufacturers, retailers, builders and other organizations have helped consumers save more than 6.4 trillion gallons of water since 2006, according to the press release.
