Celebrate Fix a Leak Week by fixing household water leaks [TIPS]

FLORIDA — During EPA’s 14th Annual Fix A Leak Week, March 14-20, the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) encourages you to find and fix water leaks in your homes.

Minor household leaks can waste nearly 1 trillion gallons of water annually nationwide, so use this month to hunt down the drips—but also remember you can find and fix leaks inside and outside your home to save water and money all year long.

Common leaks found in homes are worn toilet flappers, dripping faucets, and other leaking valves. Correcting household water leaks is usually an inexpensive, easy fix and can save consumers, on average, about 10 percent on their water bills.

Here are some helpful tips for finding leaks:

• Take a look at your water usage during a colder month, such as January or February. (March works, too!) If a family of four exceeds 12,000 gallons per month, there are serious leaks.
• Check your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used.  If the meter changes, you probably have a leak.

• Identify toilet leaks by placing a drop of food coloring in the toilet tank. If any color shows up in the bowl after 10 minutes, you have a leak. (Be sure to flush immediately after the experiment to avoid staining the tank.)
• Examine faucet gaskets and pipe fittings for any water on the outside of the pipe to check for surface leaks.

The PSC makes your job easier with helpful guidelines found in its Drop by Drop brochure.  Find more information on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Fix a Leak Week here.

For additional information, visit www.floridapsc.com.

Follow the PSC on Twitter, @floridapsc.