EPA Chases Leaks in Texas during Seventh Annual “Fix a Leak Week”

From EPA:

EPA Chases Leaks in Texas during Seventh Annual “Fix a Leak Week”

Contact: Joe Hubbard or Jennah Durant at 214-665-2200 or r6press@epa.gov

DALLAS – (March 16, 2015) Dripping faucets and leaky toilets account for a large portion of home water waste. Every year, more than 10,000 gallons of water is wasted in homes due to easy-to-fix leaks. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is encouraging consumers to “Fix a leak” during the WaterSense’s seventh annual celebration on March 16 - 22, 2015. 

“We are proud to join our Texas WaterSense partners, helping to preserve one of our most limited resources,” said EPA Regional Administrator Ron Curry. “Our partners are helping build stronger, more resilient water systems to meet the challenges ahead.”

Here are some ways people can get involved in Texas:

The Arlington Water Utilities is partnering with City of Arlington, City of Mansfield and City of Fort Worth to host free “Fix a Leak” workshops at local Lowes and Home Depot locations. Participants at each store will learn how to repair and replace leaking faucets, toilets and sprinkler systems. For more information visit:http://www.arlingtontx.gov/water/waterconservation_learning_opportunities_resources.html.  

The City of Carrollton is giving away promotional toilet leak detection packets and “Get a handle on Leaks” cards to hand out during the week. For more information visit:http://cityofcarrollton.com/index.aspx?recordid=2373&page=27.

The City of Forth Worth is officially proclaiming March 16-22, as “WaterSense Fix a Leak Week” at the

Fort Worth City Council Meeting, 7 p.m., March 17, 2015, Council Chamber, City Hall, 1000 Throckmorton St., Fort Worth, TX.

The City of Frisco is hosting its Second Annual Do-it-Yourself: Fix a Leak workshop on March 19, 2015. The event is part of the WaterWise Workshop series which includes a variety of water-saving techniques to help preserve our most valuable resource. To register for the workshops visit: http://www.friscotexas.gov/departments/publicworks/water/programRebates/Pages/Workshops.aspx.

The City of Garland is partnering with Home Depot to promote “Fix a Leak” by hosting an in-store class on how to look for and repair minor water leaks around the house. The city will also give away educational brochures, shower heads, aerators and toilet die tablets. The event will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2015 to kick-off the Fix a Leak week. For more information visit:http://www.ci.garland.tx.us/gov/rz/utilities/water/.

The City of Irving Water Utilities has an ongoing leak detection program that reads residential meters to identify leaks. Once a leak is detected, the homeowner can receive a free water audit. The city also provides free replacement toilet flappers and faucet gaskets. For more information visit:http://cityofirving.org/632/Water-Utilities .

The City of Mansfield is hosting a free workshop on March 17, 2015, to show residents how to repair running toilets, dripping showerheads, leaky faucets, hose bibs and irrigation systems. To register please visit:  https://www.mansfieldtexas.gov/event/fix-a-leak-class-indoor-outdoor-fixture-repairs-0

The City of Mesquite is offering water utility customers free high-efficiency showerheads and toilet dye tablets to residents during “Fix a Leak” week. For more information please visit:http://www.cityofmesquite.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=152. 

The City of Plano is hosting a fun run with presentations for kids and workshops for adults, with an indoor water and energy conservation theme. The free event takes place on March 14, 2015, at the Schimelpfenig Middle School at 8:30 a.m. To register visit:http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07ea6v4ezrdc379d58&llr=bftutmmab

The El Paso Water Utilities is providing free WaterSense information to consumers and hosting a social media contest to encourage followers to share their “Fix a Leak” story. The best submissions will receive a Fix a Leak WaterSense packet featuring high-efficiency showerheads, shower timers, aerators, a BPA-safe reusable aluminum water bottle, EPWU’s Willie Bingo Board Game, and EPWU’s Willie the Waterdrop plush doll. For more information visit:http://www.epwu.org/whatsnew/326120307.html. 

The Woodlands Township is partnering with local hardware and home improvement stores to provide professional advice on finding and fixing leaks. Home Depot, Ace Hardware, Sears Appliance and Hardware Store, and Lowes will discuss a variety of techniques to find leaks, from toilets and showerheads to sprinkler systems and water heaters. For more information visit:http://www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/index.aspx?NID=931. 

Trophy Club Municipal Water District No.1 is partnering with Tarrant Regional Water District, Denton Master Gardeners, Native Plant Society, The Home Depot, and Scotts Miracle Grow Company to host Water Fest promoting water conservation. The event will take place on March 21, 2015 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The event will include guest speakers, updates on district projects, activities for children and experts to help with fixing leaks. For more information visit: http://www.tcmud.org/administratio/events/#waterfest.

EPA’s Fix a Leak Week tips include:

Check for leaks: Look for dripping faucets, showerheads, and fixture connections. Also check toilets for leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank at the back of the toilet and wait 10 minutes before flushing to see if color shows up in the bowl. If you saw color, you probably need a new toilet flapper, which is an easy repair to make. Check irrigation systems and spigots too.

Twist and tighten pipe connections: If your showerhead is dripping, make sure there is a tight connection between the showerhead and the pipe stem. It may just need a twist to tighten or some pipe tape to secure it.

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.

WaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by EPA, seeks to protect the future of our nation's water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water with water-efficient products, new homes, and services. Since the program's inception in 2006, WaterSense has helped consumers save 487 billion gallons of water and $8.9 billion in water and energy bills.

Learn more about fixing leaks, find a certified irrigation professional, or search for WaterSense labeled plumbing and irrigation products: http://www.epa.gov/watersense.

Connect with EPA Region 6:

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eparegion6  

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/EPAregion6

Activities in EPA Region 6: http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region6.htm 

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