Save Our Water is encouraging Californians to check for common household water leaks this week as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) annual Fix a Leak Week.
Many common household leaks inside and outside the home are easy to identify and fix, with typical leaks occurring where there is a worn toilet flapper, dripping faucet, or other leaking valves. Outdoor leaks are also common, especially in landscaping irrigation and sprinkler systems, as well as garden hose connections to spigots.
Here’s a five-step checklist to help Californians find and fix leaks inside and outside the home:
- Review household water usage, especially in colder months when outdoor irrigation should be limited. Look for any big changes in water use.
- Check water meters before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter changes, it is an indication of a potential 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.
- Examine faucet gaskets and pipe fittings for any water on the outside of the pipe to check for surface leaks.
- Look for pooled water or wet spots around the yard, it could be an indication of leaking irrigation. Dark green grass around sprinkler heads is also a sign of leaks.
As communities across the state grapple with drought, now is the time to strengthen conservation efforts and make active changes to save water, especially in our homes and yards. For more information on Fix a Leak Week, visit: https://www.epa.gov/watersense/fixaleak.
California Rural Water Association Offers Free Leak Detection
To help address leaks in rural communities with aging infrastructure, The Department of Water Resources (DWR) partnered with the California Rural Water Association to offer free leak detection surveys for small and Tribal water systems serving less than 3,000 connections.
A key lesson learned from the 2012-2016 drought was that small and rural water systems often lack the resources to address drought impacts. By signing up for a free leak detection survey, water systems will receive onsite assistance from an experienced leak detection specialist to identify infrastructure leaks and provide guidance on effective solutions.
Small and Tribal water systems interested in scheduling a free leak detection survey can contact Ruby Viramontes with the California Rural Water Association at rviramontes@calruralwater.org to get started.
