Graphic image of a drip and cheesehead © Thomas Senatori

Most leaky showerheads can be fixed using pipe tape and a wrench.
© Thomas Senatori

February 2012

Fix a Leak Week

Every drop counts.

Shaili Pfeiffer

Check. Twist. Replace.

Celebrate Fix a Leak Week by checking your home fixtures for leaks.

Winter months are the prime time to check water use and see if you may have a leak in your home plumbing system. If a family of four exceeds 12,000 gallons per month in the winter, you probably have leaks! Those leaks are costing you money and wasting water resources.

To help save water for future generations, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources 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 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 pipe connections.

To save more water without a noticeable difference in flow, twist on a WaterSense^SM-labeled faucet aerator.

Replace the fixture if necessary.

Look for WaterSense^SM-labeled models, which are independently tested and certified to use 20 percent less water and perform as well as or better than standard models.

Shaili Pfeiffer works for the DNR's Division of Water.

To learn more and sign up for the Fix a Leak Week Challenge, visit DNR – Fix a Leak Week. Have a school group interested in Fix a Leak Week activities? Education materials are available at Environmental Education for Kids – Pledge to "Fix a Leak". Find more tips at EPA – Fix a Leak Week.