As part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) ongoing “We’re for Water” campaign, this year’s “Fix a Leak Week” encourages Americans to help put a stop to the more than one trillion gallons of water wasted from household leaks each year.
The city of Santa Monica will distribute water education activity booklets and bookmarks to school children to mark the occasion.
Sponsored by EPA’s WaterSense program, Fix a Leak Week is March 17 – 21, next week.
“Leaks can account for more than 10,000 gallons of water waste in an average home every year-the amount of water it takes to wash 270 loads of laundry,” said Kimberly O’Cain, an analyst with the City of Santa Monica. “As a WaterSense partner, we are encouraging our water customers to find and fix leaks to save water in our community. This is particularly important during this drought.”
To help save water, the City of Santa Monica is asking consumers to check, twist, and replace. More water saving ideas include the following:
• Check for Leaks. Look for dripping faucets, shower heads, sprinklers, spigots and other fixtures. Also check toilets for silent leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring into the tank, waiting 10 minutes, and seeing if color appears in the bowl before you flush. Run your irrigation system and check each head for leaks.
• Reduce Run Times. Reduce your irrigation run times by 1-3 minutes for each cycle and save 15,000 gallons a year.
• Replace the Fixture. Install a WaterSense toilet and save 5,000 gallons a year. $50.00 rebate available.
• Replace Your Water Hungry Lawn. Removing your lawn and installing sustainable landscaping and save about 15,000 gallons a year. Rebates available, up to $3,000.
In many cases, fixture replacements pay for themselves quickly and can be installed by handy do-it-yourselfers or local plumbing and landscape professionals. For more information on Fix a Leak Week, visit epa.gov/watersense. For rebates visit, sustainablesm.org/water.
