Alexandria — Virginia American Water has partnered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to promote the fifth annual Fix a Leak Week, which runs from March 18-24. The national awareness campaign, part of the EPA’s WaterSense program, is designed to raise awareness about small leaks and other water waste that may be occurring within homes.
To assist customers with at-home leak repairs and prevention, Virginia American Water has produced a helpful guide for detecting common, and some not-so-common, indoor and outdoor water leaks. Leak detection kits (which include a non-toxic leak detection tablet for your toilet tank) are available by calling the American Water Customer Service Center at 1-800-678-6301 or by clicking here for a downloadable pdf version.
Virginia American Water also offers the following tips to help save water lost by leaks:
Regularly check your toilet, faucets, and pipes for leaks.
Reduce faucet leaks by checking faucet washers and gaskets for wear and replace them, or if necessary, replace the faucet with a WaterSense-labeled model.
Leaky toilets are most often the result of a worn toilet flapper. Replacing the rubber flapper is a quick fix that could save a home up to 200 gallons of water a day.
For a leaky garden hose, replace the nylon or rubber hose washer and ensure a tight connection to the spigot using pipe tape and a wrench.
Tighten connections on your showerheads if drips appear when the shower is off.
Check your garden and lawn irrigation system for leaks, or hire a certified WaterSense expert to check it for you.
Consider installing water and energy-efficient appliances. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.