Dripping faucets, showerheads, and other minor leaks in the average household can add up to nearly 10,000 gallons of water lost each year. That’s more than 270 loads of laundry worth of unused water down the drain.

DC Water encourages customers to check their homes and irrigation systems for leaks during Fix a Leak Week from March 18-24. This week-long event, sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) WaterSense® program, is an annual reminder for customers to fix household leaks and improve water efficiency.

Small leaks can add up fast—fixing common leaks can save homeowners up to 10 percent on their monthly water bills.

Fortunately, most leaks in the home are quick and easy to find. Common types of easily corrected leaks include worn toilet flappers, dripping faucets, and leaking valves.

DC Water, WaterSense® Partners, and EPA encourage customers to follow the guidance below, and check out helpful video tutorials to address costly drips:

• 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.
• Twist and tighten plumbing connections to stop drips.
• Examine faucet gaskets and pipe fittings for any water on the outside of the pipe to check for surface leaks.
• Replace old or broken fixtures and toilets with WaterSense labeled models.
• Sign up for high water usage alerts (HUNA). A spike in water usage could be caused by a leaking toilet, an unattended hose, or an internal plumbing problem, and HUNA might be your first indication. Learn more at dcwater.com/HUNA.

For more information and water-saving tips, visit dcwater.com/savewater.

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