More than 1 trillion gallons of water are wasted in U.S. homes each year from easy-to-fix leaks. That’s why Fulton County Public Works-Water Resources is participating in Fix a Leak Week, March 20 through March 26. Residents are encouraged to join.
Sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program, Fix a Leak Week is an opportunity to improve the water efficiency of homes by finding and fixing leaks. In the average home, household leaks waste more than 10,000 gallons of water each year. That’s the amount of water needed to wash 270 loads of laundry.
Here’s how you can address leaks found at home:
Check for leaks. Look for dripping faucets, showerheads, sprinklers, and other fixtures. Also check for toilets with silent leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring into the tank and seeing if it appears in the bowl before you flush. Don’t forget to check irrigation systems and spigots too.
Twist and tighten hose and pipe connections. To save more water without a noticeable difference in flow in your bathroom faucet, twist on a WaterSense labeled faucet aerator.
Replace the fixture if necessary. Look for WaterSense labeled models, which are independently certified to use 20 percent less water and perform as well as or better than standard models.
Fix a Leak Week activities:
Kick-Off, 10 a.m. to noon March 20 at Government Center (Peachtree Street Level), 141 Pryor St., SW, Atlanta
Workshops 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 20 at West End Library, 525 Peeples St.,SW, Atlanta; 11 a.m. to noon March 23 at Northside Shepherd Neighborhood Senior Center, 1705 Commerce Dr., NW, Atlanta and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 24 at Johns Creek Environmental Campus, 8100 Holcomb Bridge Rd., Johns Creek
Information: www.epa.gov/watersense/pledge
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