March 18, 2024

Are you ready to chase down leaks? Household leaks can waste nearly 1 trillion gallons of water annually nationwide, so each year we hunt down the drips during Fix a Leak Week. Mark your calendars for EPA's annual Fix a Leak Week, March 18 through 24, 2024—but remember that you can find and fix leaks inside and outside your home to save valuable water and money all year long.

The average household's leaks can account for nearly 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year and ten percent of homes have leaks that waste 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 and hardware that can pay for themselves in water savings. Fixing easily corrected household water leaks can save homeowners about 10 percent on their water bills.

Participating in Fix a Leak Week is simple. Take 10 minutes each day during Fix a Leak Week to look for leaks and save water using the following tips:

  • Check your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, there is probably a leak.

  • Place a drop of food coloring in the tank at the back of the toilet. If color shows up in the bowl in 5-10 minutes, there’s a leak; flush afterward to avoid staining the tank.

  • If the rubber flapper in your toilet tank is more than five years old, replace it with a new one, as worn flappers can cause toilets to run or have silent leaks.

  • Check faucet washers and gaskets for wear and replace them if necessary. Leaky showerhead connections can be tightened using pipe tape and a wrench.

  • Outside, check hose spigots for drips and look for broken or missing sprinkler heads in your irrigation system.

For plumbing and irrigation fixtures that cannot be repaired, EPA recommends replacing them with products that have earned the WaterSense label. WaterSense-labeled products are independently certified to use at least 20% less water and perform as well or better than standard models.

For more information on finding and fixing leaks, visit the Check for Leaks Page 

Background
WaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by EPA, helps preserve the nation’s water supply by offering the public advice on simple ways to use less water. The WaterSense label makes it easy to choose products, homes, and services that deliver affordable water savings and performance. More than 42,000 models of toilets, showerheads, faucets/faucet accessories, urinals, irrigation controllers, and spray sprinkler bodies have earned the WaterSense label.