PUC NEWS — Across Nevada and the nation, household leaks waste more than one trillion gallons of water per year – enough to supply the water needs of Chicago, Miami, and Los Angeles combined. Easily corrected household leaks can increase homeowners’ water bills by 12 percent. To help consumers find and repair easy-to-fix leaks, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is promoting the fourth annual Fix a Leak Week, March 18-24.
Homeowners’ water bills provide an easy and quick leak-checking measure; if wintertime water use for a family of four exceeds 12,000 gallons per month, their home may have a leak. Fixture replacement parts often pay for themselves quickly and can be installed by do-it-yourselfers, professional plumbers, or EPA’s WaterSense irrigation partners.
EPA’s Fix a Leak Week tips include:
- Check for leaks. Silent toilet leaks can be found by putting a few drops of food coloring into the tank and seeing if color appears in the bowl before you flush. Don’t forget to check irrigation systems and spigots, too.
- Twist and tighten pipe connections. To save even more water without a noticeable difference in flow, twist on a WaterSense labeled faucet aerator or showerhead.
- Replace the fixture if necessary. Look for the WaterSense label when replacing plumbing fixtures, which are independently certified to use 20 percent less water and perform as well as or better than standard models.
WaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by EPA and supported by the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada, seeks to protect the future of the nation’s water supply by offering people simple ways to use less water. Since the program’s inception in 2006, WaterSense has helped consumers save a cumulative 46 billion gallons of water and $343 million in water and sewer bills.
More information on Fix a Leak Week: http://www.epa.gov/watersense/fixaleak
More information on WaterSense: http://www.epa.gov/watersense
