Washington, DC – Do you have a leaky faucet? How about a running toilet or a dripping showerhead? To help reduce the amount of water lost through minor household leaks, the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water) and the United Planning Organization (UPO) promote finding and fixing residential leaks during “Fix a Leak Week,” March 17-23.

Sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense® program, this week-long event is an annual reminder to consumers to check their plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems for leaks.

“Undetected household leaks waste valuable water resources, resulting in high utility bills,” said DC Water General Manager George S. Hawkins. “Identifying and repairing leaks is good for the environment and your utility bills. Fix a Leak Week is a great opportunity for us to step up conservation efforts and urge consumers to use water wisely to help reduce water waste and preserve our water supply.”

“We are excited about working with DC Water to educate District residents about simple steps that can be taken to conserve water and control water bills,” said UPO Director of Community Reinvestment Deborah Austin. “For residents that need more extensive home repairs, UPO will be providing information about low-cost and forgivable loans available through the DC Single Family Residential Rehabilitation Program. Homeowners that have difficulty obtaining loans for home repairs and handicap accessible modifications through conventional lenders have another option through this city-wide program.”

In recognition of Fix a Leak Week, DC Water and UPO will co-host several water education workshops, to remind consumers to find and fix household leaks to help save water and improve water efficiency. The workshops will be held at UPO’s Petey Green Center, 2907 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE, on Wednesday, March 19th from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. and Thursday, March 20th from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. Consumers will receive an onsite demonstration on how to install water-efficient plumbing fixtures and identify leaks. Complimentary aerators, leak detection tablets and water conservation information will be distributed at the workshops. DC Water will also promote Fix a Leak Week at the Dupont Circle Farmers Market on Sunday, March 23 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Visit DC Water’s Facebook and Twitter pages this week for water-saving tips:
www.facebook.com/mydcwater
www.twitter.com/dcwater