California American Water Encourages Its Ventura County Customers to Find and Repair Leaks During Fix a Leak Week, March 14-20, 2011

Because minor water leaks account for more than one trillion gallons of water wasted each year in U.S. homes, EPA’s WaterSense program has declared March 14 to 20, 2011 as “Fix a Leak Week.” California American Water is partnering with the EPA’s “Fix a Leak Week” program and encourages customers in its Ventura County service district to repair dripping faucets, running toilets, and leaky showerheads.

“The water shortages we face in California are significant and persistent. Leaks can account for an average of 10,000 gallons of water wasted in the home every year, or enough to fill a backyard swimming pool,” said Al Yañez, California American Water’s Ventura County operations manager. “The bright side is that a significant amount of water waste can be eliminated through some very simple steps and easy-to-do repairs at home. California American Water has made great strides in educating our customers on residential water conservation and we look at ‘Fix a Leak Week’ as an opportunity to enhance this important mission.”

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

• 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.
• 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.
• Check your garden and lawn irrigation system for leaks each spring to make sure they were not damaged during the winter months.

California American Water offers rebates on water-saving appliances, free water wise surveys, leak detection kits for toilets and other conservation tools and ideas. Customers can sign-up for these services by stopping by California American Water’s local office located at 2439 West Hillcrest Drive, Newbury Park, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., or by calling 805-498-1266, ext. 7813.

California American Water, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), provides high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 600,000 people. California American Water’s Ventura County service district includes approximately 20,000 households and businesses and serves a population of approximately 60,000 in the cities of Camarillo, Newbury Park and Thousand Oaks as well as unincorporated portions of Ventura County.

Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest publicly traded 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 15 million people in more than 30 states, as well as parts of Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.

In 2011, American Water is celebrating its 125th anniversary with a yearlong campaign to promote water efficiency and the importance of protecting water from source to tap. To learn more, visit www.amwater125.com.