Fix a Leak to Save Water

Spring really is just around the corner and so the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has named this week Fix a Leak Week. According to the EPA, the water leaks in the  average household can account for nearly 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year and ten percent of homes have leaks that waste over three times that 90 gallons or more per day.

Common types of leaks found in the home are worn toilet flappers, dripping faucets, and other leaking valves. These types of leaks are often easy to fix, requiring only a few tools,  hardware and an online video tutorial that can walk you through the steps. Fixing easily corrected household water leaks can save homeowners about 10 percent on their water bills. Reducing wasted water is essential in areas experiencing extended droughts and water restrictions and to save money for the rest of us.

Look for dripping faucets, showerheads and fixture connections. Twist and tighten pipe connections, it may be all that is necessary to stop a leak. Though I find (as a well owner)  that I get mineral build up in my faucets and they need to be disassembled and soaked in hot vinegar and water to dissolve the build up every year or two to prevent drips. Likewise my showerheads need to have the connection between the showerhead and the pipe stem cleaned and tightened regularly. Sometimes fixtures just need to be replaced. When you do, look for WaterSense-labeled models that also comply with , which are independently certified to use 20% less water and perform as well as standard models. Also verify that your fixtures are lead-free and comply with the Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act (RLDWA) and the Community Fire Safety Act. The rule went into full effect in 2023.

Check toilets for leaks, the flappers in toilet tanks can become worn after several years and leak. Test your toilets by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank at the back of the toilet and waiting 10 minutes without 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.

Though it is still a bit early around here you should check your irrigation system. Though you might want to reconsider your garden and outdoor water use or install rain barrels for watering your garden. The very cold winter we had could have cracked or damaged  a pipe. According to the EPA “An irrigation system that has a leak 1/32nd of an inch in diameter (about the thickness of a dime) can waste about 6,300 gallons of water per month.”

Lawns in general are watered more than other landscaping, they are reportedly the largest irrigated crop in Virginia. The most commonly used varieties of turf grass require more water than many landscape plants, such as ground covers, shrubs, and trees. In addition, homeowners tend to overwater their lawns. As a result, homes with large expanses of lovely green lawns generally use more water (fertilizer and herbicides) than those with a mixture of other plants or the mowed field that surrounds my house.

Turn the water back on to your outdoor spigots, and check them, too. After particularly cold winters cracks or splits in the spigot's pipe, might cause outdoor faucet leaks or worse leaks into the interior wall if you forgot to turn off the water line to the spigot in the fall. There are several small problems with outdoor spigots that can appear over time. The rubber washer or O-ring inside the faucet handle can become worn. The spigot may have a loose packing nut. Or the joints between the water supply line and the spigot or the spigot and the wall can become loose over time and leak. It’s spring check our your spigots.
 
According to the  US Geological Survey the majority of people in the United States used water provided by public suppliers. Domestic deliveries by public water suppliers totaled 23,300 million gal/d in 2015 and represented water provided to 283 million people at single-family and multifamily dwellings. The average citizen uses 83 gallons a day which includes, bathing and bathrooms, laundry, cooking, drinking and outdoor use. Outdoor watering in the drier climates causes domestic per capita water use to be the highest in the driest and hottest climates- the areas of the country facing the biggest water supply challenges also still tend to have the largest per capita water use.  Many water supply companies are facing the reality that the source of their water has limitations and it is expensive to provide and distribute finished drinking water, that realization has not fully reached most people, even some of our elected officials and urban planners. Water is a finite resource- don’t waste it. Fix your leaks.