Fix A Leak Reward
By Craig A. Wilson, Water Management Director “Fix a Leak Week” is a funny name for a serious message. Leaks should be fixed immediately as they can waste a startling amount of water. An average household’s water leakage could approach 10,000 gallons over a year, which can cost the average homeowner about $25. Doesn’t sound like much over the course of a year, but it is a dinner out. Don’t pass up a nice dinner at one of our local restaurants because of a water leak. “Dinner Out” is not to be confused with the Robert Redford movie “Spy Game“, which has nothing to do with water conservation; it is just a good movie and suggests a way to use the $25 saved by fixing that leak immediately. Conserving water and enjoying an outing is a nice reward. In 2014, the City of Mesa helped develop the Smart Home Water Guide, a companion website and a 24-page booklet with easy stepby-step instructions to detect and fix indoor and outdoor leaks. The guide shows that: •
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Toilet leaks are silent and can waste a lot of water. The source of the leak could be a failing valve chain (B) or flapper valve (C) in the tank. The Smart Home Water Guide offers a simple way to determine if your toilets are wasting water and instructions on how to replace the parts causing the leak. Water used outside for landscaping – grass, trees, shrubs and vegetables – and for pools can also present a serious loss. Irrigation leaks can make your water bill spike. That’s why the Smart Home Water Guide encourages homeowners regularly to turn on their irrigation systems and check for leaks. The Smart Home Water Guide also helps homeowners look for leaking valves, broken lines, lost or damaged emitters or cracked sprinkler heads. Pool leaks can be harder to detect. The Smart Home Water Guide provides easy tests to determine if your pool or pool equipment are leaking.