Are you ready to chase down leaks? Household leaks can waste more than 1 trillion gallons of water annually nationwide, equaling the water use of more than 11 million homes. Joining with the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) reminds consumers to “hunt down the drips” during Fix a Leak Week 2017, March 20-26.
Sponsored by EPA’s WaterSense program, the ninth annual Fix a Leak Week encourages consumers to find and fix household leaks to save valuable water and money. Ten percent of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons of water per day. If left unrepaired, these leaks waste more than 30,000 gallons a year, enough water to wash more than 800 loads of laundry!
“Add finding and fixing leaks to your spring cleaning to-do list,” said PSC Chairman Julie Brown. “The PSC makes the hunt for leaks both inside and outside your home easier with our Drop by Drop brochure. A few simple repairs can save water and reduce your utility bill year round.”
According to the EPA, fixing water leaks can lower your water bill by more than 10 percent. Here are some easy repairs for common household leaks:
- CHECK toilets for silent leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank to see if the 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 in a WaterSense labeled faucet aerator or showerhead.
- REPLACE the fixture if necessary. Look for the WaterSense label when replacing plumbing fixtures, which signifies the product has been certified to save water and perform well.
Find more information on Fix a Leak Week here.
For additional information, visit www.floridapsc.com.
Follow the PSC on Twitter, @floridapsc.
