Drinking Water Week begins Sunday, May 6

Checking for Leaks Can Save Water

HARRISBURG (April 26) As a water conservation activity to support this week, PADEP is encouraging all homeowners to test their toilets to determine if they leak. Leaks can waste as much as 300 gallons of water a day without anyone noticing.

To find a leak, homeowners can add 10 drops of food coloring and wait about 30 minutes. If the water in the toilet bowl has even a hint of color, it indicates that the tank is leaking. A bad “flapper”, the circular object that covers the hole in the bottom of the tank, causes most leaks. Flappers are fairly easy to replace, and homeowners can buy one for less than $5 at a hardware store.

Homeowners may want to contact their water utility to see if they offer free audits to detect leaks or free pamphlets that instruct them about how to find and fix their own leaks. Repairing leaking toilets saves money and is a positive action consumers can take to protect this limited resource.