EPA Asks Americans to Join the Race to Stop Water Leaks
WaterSense celebrates Fix a Leak Week Beginning March 17
WASHINGTON – Easy-to-fix household leaks account for more than one
trillion gallons of water wasted each year across the United States,
equal to the annual household water use of more than 11 million homes.
In the race against water waste, the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is urging people to fix household water leaks during the
sixth annual Fix a Leak Week, March 17 through 23, 2014.
Water leaking from dripping faucets, showerheads and worn toilet
flappers in one average American home can account for more than 10,000
gallons of water wasted every year, or the amount of water needed to
wash 270 loads of laundry. These types of leaks are often easily
correctable, in many cases requiring only a few tools and hardware that
can pay for themselves in water savings. Fixing household water leaks
can save homeowners about 10 percent on their water bills.
“A household can waste thousands of gallons from leaky plumbing fixtures
and sprinkler systems, which is especially bad news if your community is
suffering from a drought,” said Nancy Stoner, Acting Assistant
Administrator for EPA’s Office of Water. “Three simple steps—checking
for leaks, twisting and tightening pipe connections, and replacing
fixtures where needed can help people conserve water and save money on
their utility bills.”
Finding and fixing leaks is simple to do in three easy steps:
Check for leaks: Look for dripping faucets, showerheads and fixture
connections. Check toilets for leaks by putting a few drops of food
coloring in the tank at the back of the toilet and wait 10 minutes
before flushing to see if color shows up in the bowl. If there is color,
the toilet flapper likely needs to be replaced, which is an easy repair
to make. Check irrigation systems and spigots too.
Twist and tighten pipe connections: If your showerhead is dripping, make
sure there is a tight connection between the showerhead and the pipe
stem. It may just need a twist to tighten or some pipe tape to secure
it.
Replace the fixture if necessary: If you’re in the mood for an upgrade,
look for WaterSense-labeled models, which are independently certified to
use 20 percent less water and perform as well as or better than standard
models.
In keeping with this year’s theme, “Chasing Leaks,” partners of EPA’s
WaterSense program are sponsoring running races, hands-on
demonstrations, student contests, and other community events to raise
awareness about the need to fix leaking plumbing and irrigation
fixtures.
The following are just a few of the events WaterSense partners are
holding across the country to raise awareness during Fix a Leak Week:
New Jersey American Water is encouraging children to inspect their homes
for leaks through a “Pint-Sized Plumbers” photo contest, and the
Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District is sponsoring a water
conservation student art and essay contest.
The Arizona Municipal Water Users Association is holding its third
annual “One for Water” four-mile race and family festival in Peoria,
Arizona. The association’s mascot Leaky Loo McFlapper and Ewing
Irrigation Products’ mascot Rowdy Rooter will serve as larger-than-life
reminders that running toilets and leaky sprinklers are only funny when
they are costumes.
The Water Use Efficiency Team and Recreation & Parks Department in Santa
Rosa, California teamed up with the Sonoma-Marin Water Savings
Partnership to kick off Fix a Leak Week at the third annual St.
Patrick’s Day 5K race.
The City of Charlottesville, Virginia, is partnering with other local
agencies to host the Fix a Leak Family 5K featuring a running toilet,
leak detection kits, and hands-on demonstrations.
The Metropolitan North Georgia Planning District hosted a “Water Drop
Dash” 5K race and water festival featuring water conservation education
and activities along the Chattahoochee River.
Visit the Fix a Leak Week 2014 Event Map on the WaterSense Facebook page
at
www.facebook.com/EPAWatersense/app_137541772984354 to see if there
is an event in your community. To learn more about finding and fixing
leaks, visit
www.epa.gov/watersense/fixaleak.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
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