American Water and EPA Encourage Homeowners to Find and Repair Leaks During Fix a Leak Week, March 15-21, 2010

Because minor water leaks account for more than one trillion gallons of water wasted each year in U.S. homes, the EPA’s WaterSense program has declared March 15 to 21, 2010 as “Fix a Leak Week” to remind Americans to check household plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems for leaks.

“Leaks can account for more than 10,000 gallons of water wasted in the home every year, or enough to fill a backyard swimming pool,” said Dr. Mark LeChevallier, Director of Innovation and Environmental Stewardship for American Water. “By raising awareness in our partnership with the EPA WaterSense program, water conservation not only saves our customers money, but it also helps to preserve the environment and meet future water needs.”

To help consumers across the country save water, the WaterSense program promotes ways to identify and repair dripping faucets, running toilets, and leaky showerheads. In most cases, fixture replacement parts can be installed by do-it-yourselfers and pay for themselves in no time.

American Water recommends the following tips to help save water lost by leaks:

• Regularly check your toilet, faucets, and pipes for leaks. American Water offers leak detection kits, which are available by calling your state American Water Customer Service Center or by downloading it from the Learning Center of the company’s Web site, www.amwater.com. If you find a leak, have it fixed as soon as possible.
• Reduce faucet leaks by checking faucet washers and gaskets for wear and replace them, or, if necessary, replace the faucet with a WaterSense labeled model.
• Leaky toilets are most often the result of a worn toilet flapper. Replacing the rubber flapper is a quick fix that could save a home up to 200 gallons of water per day. Ask your water utility for a toilet leak detection kit, which will help you identify leaking commodes.
• For a leaky garden hose, replace the nylon or rubber hose washer and ensure a tight connection to the spigot using pipe tape and a wrench.
• Tighten connections on your showerheads if drips appear when the shower is off.
• Check your garden and lawn irrigation system for leaks, or hire a certified WaterSense expert to check it for you.

If homeowners have to replace a plumbing fixture, EPA reminds them to look for the WaterSense label. WaterSense labeled toilets and faucets have been independently tested and certified to save water and perform as well as or better than standard models. WaterSense also partners with certified landscape irrigation auditors, designers, installers, and maintenance professionals with water-efficiency knowledge; see www.epa.gov/watersense to find a WaterSense irrigation partner in your area. For more information on Fix a Leak Week, visit www.epa.gov/watersense/fixaleak.

American Water state subsidiaries nationwide will be sponsoring events throughout the week to help their communities learn more about this important initiative. These include the following events, to name a few:

• California American Water will accept proclamations from several municipalities in honor of Fix a Leak Week.
• New Jersey American Water will hold an event on the Battleship New Jersey to demonstrate how to check for and repair household leaks, as well as explain the monetary and conservation benefits of fixing a leak.
• New Mexico American Water accepted a proclamation from the City of Clovis in honor of Fix a Leak Week.
• Pennsylvania American Water is teaming up with Hershey plumber Jeff Stoudt at the Ronald McDonald House to display how to locate and repair leaks. Stoudt will also install EPA WaterSense plumbing fixtures to help the organization conserve water.
• Tennessee American Water provided tips on locating and fixing leaks in the home at the Tri-State Home Show in Chattanooga.
• West Virginia American Water, officials from the state Public Service Commission and the Bureau for Public Health, and West Virginia’s first lady Gayle Manchin will educate children at the J.E. Robins Elementary School in Charleston about the importance of finding and fixing leaks, and about wise water use.

WaterSense is a partnership program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to protect the future of our nation’s water supply by promoting and enhancing the market for water-efficient products and services. WaterSense labeled products must achieve independent, third-party testing and certification to prove they meet EPA’s criteria for efficiency and performance.

Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest investor-owned U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 16 million people in 35 states, as well as Ontario and Manitoba, Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.