FLORIDA – March 11, 2024 – According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), household leaks nationwide can waste nearly 1 trillion gallons of water annually, and 10 percent of homes have leaks that waste more than 90 gallons a day.
In recognition of the annual “Fix a Leak Week,” the Florida Governmental Utility Authority (FGUA) – which owns and operates more than 98 water and wastewater utility systems in 14 Florida counties – is asking all consumers to hunt down those drips that are costly to both household budgets and the environment.
While checking for water leaks during the week of March 18 may not be as fun as your St. Paddy’s Day celebration the day before, why not make a game of it, maybe even engage your kids as “Leak Detectives?”
Below are some simple tests that might help you check for and solve the mystery of any water leaks!
Leak/Flow Detector Inspector. Your water meter should have a leak/flow detector, usually a small red wheel or triangle (see photo below). Making sure that nobody in or outside the home is using water, check the little wheel. If it’s moving or spinning, it indicates water flowing through the meter and a possible leak.
The Toilet Tank Test. Place a few drops of food coloring in each toilet tank. After about 20 minutes, check to see if any color has seeped into the toilet bowl. If it did, the toilet is leaking, and could be an indication of a leaky flapper. Toilet flappers are easy and cheap to replace, but contact a licensed plumber if you need assistance.
Water Softener Woes. If you are adding more salt than usual to your water softener and doing so more often, it may be cycling (which uses water) more frequently than it should. Some water softeners automatically detect when they need to cycle, while others have a manual setting. Check with a licensed plumber if you are concerned.
Sprinkling or Soaking? Check the zones on your sprinkler system for length of cycle, number of days per week, and start time. Always follow local watering restrictions. Unless you have a rain detector on your system, turn it off if a good rain is expected. Don’t water during hot, daylight hours when much of the water will evaporate and not soak in. Busted sprinkler heads and broken underground pipes can result in damage to your lawn and your pocketbook.
It’s the Faucet’s Fault! Did you know that if just one of your faucets is dripping at the rate of one drop per second, you can expect to waste 2,700 gallons of water per year? And according to the EPA, a shower head leaking at 10 drips per minute wastes the amount of water it takes to run your dishwasher 60 times! Repair dripping faucets and shower heads by replacing washers or seeking the help of a licensed plumber.
For more water saving and conservation tips, visit FGUA.com.
If you are an FGUA customer and have questions or concerns, please visit FGUA.com and click on Support Center then Contact Us.
The Florida Governmental Utility Authority (FGUA) owns and operates more than 98 water and wastewater utility systems in 14 Florida counties, providing service to more than 120,000 customer connections. Counties served by FGUA include Citrus, Hillsborough, Lake, Marion, Orange, Pasco, Polk, Seminole, Hardee, Lee, Alachua, Flagler, Putnam and Volusia.
Media Release: Florida Governmental Utility Authority (FGUA)
