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Be a leak detective




















Drip. Drip. Drip. The average American household wastes more than 10,000 gallons of water each year from easy-to-fix water leaks, according to the EPA. That’s enough water to wash 270 loads of laundry.

If that doesn’t seem like a lot, consider that across the country, easy-to-fix household leaks can add up to more than 1 trillion gallons of water every year – equal to the annual water use of more than 11 million homes.  

That’s why the Medford Water Commission (MWC) is joining with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to encourage our customers to find and fix leaks during the annual Fix a Leak Week, March 14-20. Fixing household leaks not only saves water, but also reduces your water bill. That’s a win-win!

Do you have a leak?

A good clue is the section of your water bill that shows how much water you used during the previous month, as well as the graph comparing your water use to other months. While the size of your household and your water use habits will determine what’s normal for your household, the typical single-family household in our area uses about 5,000 gallons of water per month during the winter and about 25,000 gallons during a hot summer month. If your use is much higher than this, you may have a leak. 

Another simple step to investigate whether you have a leak is to check your water meter. Turn off all water (including automatic ice makers) when you are leaving the house for an hour or two. Then write down the numbers from your water meter. Do the same as soon as you return. If the register has changed, you likely have a leak.

The usual suspects

Toilets are the most common source of household leaks. To test for a leak, put a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank, then wait about 15 minutes. If dye appears in the toilet bowl without flushing, there is a leak.
If your toilet is leaking, the cause is often an old or faulty flapper. Over time, this inexpensive rubber part decays. Replacing the flapper is a relatively easy, inexpensive do-it-yourself project that pays for itself 
in no time.

If you do need to replace the entire toilet, be aware that MWC offers a rebate program that will pay up to $85 per toilet when you purchase a low-flush toilet with the Water Sense label. While older toilets can use up to 7 gallons per flush, a new toilet with the WaterSense label uses just 1.28 gallons per flush. For more details, visit medfordwater.org and click on the link to Rebates on the left side of the screen. Or, call our conservation team at 541-774-2435. 

Dripping faucets and showerheads can waste a surprising amount of water. A leak that drips at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year – the amount of water needed to take more than 180 showers!

Leaky faucets are usually caused by worn washers or “O” rings. Repairing this type of leak often involves little more than turning off the supply line to the faucet, replacing the washer, and turning the line on again. Most leaky showerheads can be fixed by ensuring a tight connection using pipe tape and a wrench.

To tackle more serious leaks, you may need to contact a leak detection company or plumber with specialized leak detection equipment. If you repair a leak promptly and notify the Medford Water Commission, you may be eligible to receive an adjustment on up to three monthly bills.

A little attention and often simple repairs can save you – and our water system – from unnecessary expenses. So start being a leak detective today.
 

Click here to download a handy checklist to detect and chase down common household leaks.



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