Are You Being Bothered by an Annoying Drip? Then Fix That Leak!
March 17, 2025No one should have to put up with a drip. That’s why the EPA WaterSense’s annual #FixALeak week is one of our favorite times of the year at LCA!
Over the next seven days, we’ll show you how to find and fix annoying household leaks—like that drippy bathroom sink that keeps you awake at night, or the leaky toilet that’s sending your dollar$ straight down the drain.
The EPA says household leaks waste nearly 1 trillion gallons of water nationwide every year. That’s about the same amount of water that flows over Niagara Falls every four days—or enough to supply 11 million households with water for an entire year.
In your home, a dripping faucet can waste about 3,000 gallons of water annually. And a leaky toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water every day!
That’s why we’re setting aside time to draw awareness to locating and fixing leaks at home (and at work) during the 17th annual Fix a Leak Week, which runs March 17-23 this year.
This year we’ll be featuring a new program designed to make it even easier to deal with drips. It’s called the Find and Fix in 5 Minutes Campaign — stay tuned to our Facebook, Instagram, and X social channels for updates.
An Expensive Problem
According to the EPA, the average household’s leaks can waste up to 10,000 gallons of water every year— or enough to wash about 270 loads of laundry. Ten percent of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day — or almost 30,000 gallons a year. That’s a lot of wasted water (and money)!
In fact, household leaks can waste nearly 1 trillion gallons of water annually nationwide, so each year we encourage everyone to hunt down the drips during Fix a Leak Week.
“Some leaks are sneaky and difficult to detect, especially toilet leaks,” says Susan Sampson, LCA’s communications manager. “Leaky toilet flappers are one of the most common leaks our customers experience, and the resulting water loss can really add up on your bill. We encourage customers to monitor water use on their bills and watch for unexplained changes. When something is off, it’s time to look for leaks.”
Simple Solutions
The good news is, it’s usually simple to fix leaks. Better yet, the fixes will pay for themselves in savings. Not sure if you’re losing water, or where a leak is coming from? Here are some helpful tips from the EPA:
Take a look at your water usage during a colder month, such as January or February. If a family of four exceeds 12,000 gallons per month, there are serious leaks. “It is important to monitor average water consumption, which is shown on your quarterly billing statement,” Sampson says. “Look for sudden spikes in water consumption and bill amount due. Most likely, when this happens, a leak is lurking.”
Check your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter changes at all, you probably have a leak.
- Identify toilet leaks by placing a drop of food coloring in the toilet tank. If any color seeps past the flapper and shows up in the bowl after 10 minutes, you have a leak. (Be sure to flush immediately after the experiment to avoid staining the tank.)
- Examine faucet gaskets and pipe fittings for any water on the outside of the pipe to check for surface leaks.
One last point: Even if an older faucet, toilet or shower isn’t leaking, consider replacing it with an EPA-approved WaterSense product. You’ll start conserving water immediately, and will save money in the long run.
Ready to get started fixing leaks around the house? Click here for a handy, downloadable checklist. For even more tips and tricks on finding — and repairing — water woes around the house, check out the EPA’s Fix A Leak Week website.
Renting, and not sure who’s responsible for fixing leaks? Call your landlord. And if you see a leak at work, report it. Your employer will likely appreciate the fact that you’re trying to save the company money and conserve water.
“LCA is proud to be a WaterSense partner and we appreciate the program’s support to help customers identify leaks and conserve water. Follow along throughout the week as we share more ways to find and fix leaks,” Sampson says.