Costs of leaky faucets, toilets add up

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Could you unknowingly be flushing hundreds of dollars down the drain?

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that an average American home wastes more than 10,000 gallons of water every year due to running toilets, dripping faucets and other leaks around the house. That's why the EPA has designated this "Fix a Leak Week".

"These things are easy to fix and we can save some water that way. Basically the cheapest gallon of water or wastewater is the gallon that we don't use," West Lafayette Utility Director David Henderson said.

He said leaks are easy to fix and can save you hundreds of dollars in wasted water.

"Any faucet could be a potential leak and cost you money. It can be a slow leak and those slow leaks add up to gallons over time," Henderson said.

Henderson suggested using a dye or food coloring test to see if your toilet is leaking water. Just drop the color into the toilet tank, if color runs into the bowl without flushing it, you have a leak.

You can visit this website to find out how to find and fix leaks around the house: www.epa.gov/watersense/water_efficiency/howto.html#leaks