It’s Fix a Leak Week!

We wanted to share some important information from the Environmental Protection Agency today on water conservation, as conserving water results in reducing pollution and protects coastal areas:

“Did you know that minor leaks in American homes waste more than 1 trillion gallons of water each year? WaterSense® partners across the country are helping EPA reduce water waste by promoting the fourth annual Fix a Leak Week, March 12 through 18, 2012.

The average home leaks more than 10,000 gallons of water each year, or the amount it takes to wash 280 loads of laundry, take 600 showers, or meet the average family’s water needs for a month. To remind homeowners to find and fix leaks, WaterSense partners are issuing Fix a Leak Week proclamations, sponsoring plumbing repair programs for low-income residents, teaching kids how to identify leaks at home, creating campaigns to check for worn toilet flappers, and hosting classes on finding and repairing leaks.

Helping consumers identify leaks around the home can be as simple as reminding them to check, twist, and replace: Check toilets for leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring into the tank; wait a few minutes and see if color appears in the bowl before you flush. If it does, there’s a leak; Twist and tighten pipe connections, use pipe tape to cover leaky showerheads, or contact your favorite plumber to help stop drips; Replace fixtures if necessary with WaterSense labeled models, which are independently certified to use 20 percent less water and perform as well or better than standard models. For more information, click here.”

Conserving water saves energy that is required to treat water for drinking, to transport to and from homes and buildings, and then to treat wastewater before it is discharged to coastal waters.  Conserving water reduces pollution.  Conserving water also helps protect water levels and flow in streams and wetlands which are important coastal habitats for aquatic life such as birds, fish, turtles, and frogs.  Please fix a leak!