Because minor water leaks account for more than 1 trillion gallons of wasted water each year in the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency has declared March 15-21 as “Fix a Leak Week."

Fix a Leak Week is sponsored by the EPA’s WaterSense® program as an annual reminder for people to check household plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems for leaks.

Common types of leaks found in the home include leaking toilet flappers, dripping faucets and other leaking valves.

Following are a few water-saving tips:

• Check for leaks by turning off all the taps in your house and then look at your water meter. If it is still turning, chances are you have a leak somewhere. Instructions on how to read your water meter can be found at www.savewaternc.org/ReadMeter.asp.
• Reduce faucet leaks by checking faucet washers and gaskets for wear and, if necessary, replace the faucet with a WaterSense labeled model.
• Place five drops of food coloring into the tank of the toilet and wait 15-20 minutes. Do not flush the toilet during this test. After 15-20 minutes, look into the bowl of the toilet. If the color starts to develop in the bowl, there is a leak in the toilet and it needs to be repaired. Usually, installing a new flapper will correct the leak.

In most cases, fixture replacement parts don’t require a major investment and can be installed by do-it-yourselfers.