As part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ongoing “We’re for Water” campaign, this year’s Fix a Leak Week encourages Americans to help put a stop to the more than 1 trillion gallons of water wasted from household leaks each year.
The City of Tulsa’s Public Works Department is encouraging Tulsa residents to find and fix leaks during Fix A Leak week. The special week, sponsored nationally by EPA’s WaterSense program, is March 14 through 20, 2011.
“Leaks can account for more than 10,000 gallons of water in an average home every year – enough water to wash nearly 10 months’ worth of laundry,” said Jim Cameron, chair of the Tulsa Metropolitan Utility Authority (TMUA), the entity that oversees Tulsa’s water supply and wastewater services. “Tulsa is a WaterSense partner, and in that capacity, we are encouraging consumers to find and fix leaks to save water in our community.”
To help save water for future generations, City of Tulsa TMUA is asking consumers to check, twist and replace:
• Check for leaks. Look for dripping faucets, showerheads and fixture connections. Also check for toilets with silent leaks. Put a few drops of food coloring into the tank and see if it appears in the toilet bowl before you have flushed. Also check for leaks in your irrigation systems and outside spigots.
• Twist and tighten pipe connections. To save more water without a noticeable difference in flow, twist on a WaterSense labeled faucet aerator.
• Replace the fixture if necessary. Look for WaterSense labeled models, which are independently tested and certified to use 20 percent less water and perform as well as or better than standard models.
In many cases, fixture replacement parts pay for themselves quickly and can be installed by handy do-it-yourselfers, or contact your favorite plumbing professional. WaterSense also partners with certified landscape professionals who can check irrigation systems for leaks. Visit www.epa.gov/watersense to find WaterSense labeled products or an irrigation partner in your area.
During this year’s Fix A Leak event, the City of Tulsa Public Works Department is providing informational bookmarks through the City-County Library systems, and distributing information at City Hall during the lunch hours.
For more information on Fix A Leak Week, or to learn more about saving water and money by fixing water leaks, visit www.epa.gov/watersense/fixaleak.