Fix a Leak Week is March 16-20

The average household's leaks can account for nearly 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year, and 10 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. Besides sinks, toilets, bathtubs, and washers that use water, remember that humidifiers in your furnace and hose spigots could also be sources of a leak.  

To check for leaks in your home, you first need to determine whether you're wasting water and then identify the source of the leak.  

Here are some tips for finding leaks:  

• Take a look at your water usage during a colder month, such as January or February. The average family of four uses 12,000 gallons per month, so be on the lookout if usage is significantly higher. Glenview residents can view water consumption in real time using the WaterSmart portal at glenview.watersmart.com.  
• Check your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter changes at all, you might have a leak.  
• Identify toilet leaks by placing a drop of food coloring in the toilet tank. If any color 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.  

More information and educational resources are available at epa.gov/watersense/fix-leak-week