As part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ongoing “We’re for Water” campaign, this year’s Fix a Leak Week encourages Americans to help put a stop to the more than 1 trillion gallons of water wasted from household leaks each year.
The City of Tulsa’s Water & Sewer Department is encouraging Tulsa residents to find and fix leaks during Fix a Leak Week. The special week, sponsored nationally by EPA’s WaterSense program, is March 18 through 24, 2013.
Leaks can account for more than 10,000 gallons of water in an average home every year – enough water to wash nearly 10 months’ worth of laundry. As a WaterSense partner, the City of Tulsa encourages consumers to find and fix leaks to save water in our community.
To help save water for future generations, consumers are encouraged to check, twist and replace:
- Check for leaks. Look for dripping faucets, showerheads and fixture connections. Also check for toilets with silent leaks. Put a few drops of food coloring into the tank and see if it appears in the toilet bowl before you have flushed. Also check for leaks in your irrigation systems and outside spigots.
- Twist and tighten pipe connections. To save more water without a noticeable difference in flow, twist on a WaterSense labeled faucet aerator.
- Replace the fixture if necessary. Look for WaterSense labeled models, which are independently tested and certified to use 20 percent less water and perform as well as or better than standard models.
In many cases, fixture replacement parts pay for themselves quickly and can be installed by handy do-it-yourselfers, or contact your favorite plumbing professional.