Running Toilets Can Waste Thousands Of Gallons A Day
Household leaks waste nearly 1 trillion gallons of water nationwide each year. Many start as small plumbing problems inside the home but can grow into major water problems if left unaddressed. A running toilet alone can waste thousands of gallons a day.
During National Fix a Leak Week, earlier in March, City Utilities’ Customer Support Team highlighted common plumbing problems and connecting customers with tips and resources to identify and fix household leaks.
When customers notice water use that seems higher than expected, the Customer Support Team helps review their account and identify possible causes.
“These are conversations our team has with customers every day,” said Abigail Welch, Chief Customer Support Officer for City Utilities. “Often it turns out to be something simple, like a toilet that keeps running or a faucet that is dripping. When customers catch those problems early, they can avoid wasting water and avoid higher bills. Fix a Leak Week was a good opportunity to share the tips and tools that help customers spot and fix those problems.”
Conversations with customers led City Utilities to create a DIY webpage to help residents identify and fix common plumbing leaks. Our Customer Support Team shares tips, resources, and short videos on FixALeakFW.org that show how to find and repair common leaks at home.
Customers can also sign up for the MyWater portal to monitor daily water use and receive alerts if usage suddenly increases, often the first sign of a leak. Our Customer Support Team recommends the free tool because it helps residents track water use and catch plumbing problems before they lead to higher bills. Customers can connect to MyWater at FixALeakFW.org or sign up at MyWaterFortWayne.org.
Running toilets, worn flappers, and dripping faucets are easy-to-fix problems that can lead to higher water use and bigger water and sewer bills. City Utilities encourages customers to spot these problems early before they lead to higher water and sewer bills.
In one recent case, a customer contacted City Utilities after noticing higher water use. Customer Support staff asked several questions about water use around the home, including whether a toilet continued running after flushing. The customer checked and confirmed that it did.
Customer Support staff then directed the customer to a short instructional video showing how to replace a toilet flapper. After purchasing a replacement flapper and installing it, the problem was resolved.
Ten percent of homes in the United States have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day.
Some of the most common issues, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), include:
- A running toilet caused by a worn flapper can waste 1,000–4,000 gallons of water per day
- A shower leaking just 10 drips per minute can waste more than 500 gallons of water per year
- Dripping faucets and worn washers that can waste water around the clock
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