Save money by finding and fixing common household water leaks. That’s the message the City of Oklahoma City is promoting as it joins the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in recognizing the EPA’s annual “Fix a Leak” Week, March 20-26.
Nationwide, household water leaks waste nearly one trillion gallons of water annually. Finding and fixing leaks around the home can help save customers money and protect local water supplies.
“Most customers don’t know they have a leak until they see their monthly water bill,” said Oklahoma City Utilities Director Chris Browning. “Spring is a great time for customers to look for hidden leaks around their home or business, both indoors and outdoors, and Fix a Leak Week encourages them to do just that.”
According to the Oklahoma City Utilities Department, the most common household leaks include toilets, faucets, and irrigation systems. The average leaky toilet can waste about 200 gallons daily, which amounts to 6,000 gallons per month for one leak. A sprinkler system with a broken head can waste over 10,000 gallons per month during the peak watering season.
The primary key indicator for a leak is a sudden spike in a customer’s water bill.
“Most leaks can be easily found and fixed if you know what to look for,” Browning said. “That’s why it’s important for customers to understand their monthly water use based upon the number of people in their household, and the time of year.”
To detect leaks in your own home, follow these simple tips:
- Test your toilet: Put a few drops of food coloring into your toilet tank then leave it for about 15 minutes. If the color shows up in the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak. Flush your toilet after the test to avoid staining.
- Check your flapper: Silent or “ghost” toilet leaks are often caused by a worn-out toilet flapper. Replacing your flapper can help stop this kind of leak.
- Check washers and aerators: Turn faucets on and off and look for leaking water around the handles, faucet base, and water that drips after the faucet has been turned off.
- Inspect your showerhead: Make sure the connection between the showerhead and pipe stem is secure. Even a small showerhead leak can waste 500 gallons a year.
- Check beneath your water heater for pooling water, rust, or other signs of leakage. Also check the connection lines for water leaking or rusting on the top of the water tank.
- Check outdoor spigots to make sure they do not drip. Many spigots can be damaged during freezing temperatures.
- If you have a sprinkler system, turn it on and visually check each zone for broken heads, nozzles spraying in the wrong direction, or pooling water.
- Double-check your sprinkler system controller settings. Look for “hidden” programs, long runtimes and extra start times that use more water than needed.
- Considering replacing a faucet or appliance? Look for the EPA’s WaterSense® label, which means the appliance meets the EPA’s specifications for water efficiency and performance.
The Utilities Department’s Water Conservation team offers sprinkler checks for neighborhood and homeowner’s associations, and apartment complexes, and sprinkler system workshops for community groups.
For more information, visit the City’s water conservation website at www.squeezeeverydrop.com.
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Media Contact:
Jennifer McClintock
(405) 297-3363
jennifer.mcclintock@okc.gov
