American Water is partnering with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to promote the fifth annual Fix a Leak Week, which runs from March 18 to 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.
A historic lack of investment in infrastructure has left the nation’s vast network of water systems in serious disrepair. The risks of allowing these systems to lapse are as real as they are alarming. Considering there are more than 110 million households in this country, a seemingly minor leaky faucet or running toilet collectively results in a tremendous amount of wasted water—more than a trillion gallons of water are lost annually nationwide through leaks occurring within our homes, with average residence losing 11,000 gal a year this way. However, through initiatives like Fix a Leak Week, water utilities like American Water are hoping to significantly reduce that amount.
“Considering leaks as small as an eighth of an inch can consume up to 3,500 gal of water per day, being proactive in checking for leaks and fixing them in a timely manner, not only makes you a more environmentally conscious consumer of one of the world’s most valuable resources, but also saves money on your monthly water bill,” said Mark LeChevallier, director of innovation and environmental stewardship for American Water.
Just as homeowners have a responsibility to check their pipes for leaks, water utilities nationwide must also find and repair system leaks. In water systems across the country, it is estimated that almost 7 billion gal of drinking water are lost each day through leaky pipes.
For more information on Fix a Leak Week, visit www.epa.gov/watersense/fixaleak.
Source: American Water
