Don’t let leaks drain your water or your wallet! A dripping tap or hidden toilet leak might seem small, but they can waste thousands of litres a year.
Dripping taps
A few drips per minute may not seem like much, but once you multiply this figure by the number of hours in a day followed by the number of days in a year, it’s easy to realise just how precious those few drips really are!
The volume of water lost by a dripping tap will vary depending on the severity of the leak, however it has the potential to waste up to 12,000 litres of quality drinking water per year. That’s the entire amount available each year to many people around the world. Interested to find out how much water your dripping tap is wasting? Check out our Drip Calculator.
Dripping taps occur mainly when fixtures are continuously turned off too tightly and, over time, the pressure on the washer causes it to deteriorate. Replacing a tap washer is quite simple, however if you have a hot water system in your ceiling it is recommended you contact a licensed plumber.
Check your water meter
You can check if you have a leak by recording your meter reading before you go to sleep and comparing it to the reading first thing in the morning.
Leaking toilets
A continuously running toilet can waste up to 96,000 litres of water per year, yet toilet leaks often go unnoticed as the water trickles down the back of the bowl.
Follow these simple steps to check if your toilet has a leak:
- Remove the lid of your toilet cistern.
- Place a few drops of food dye into the cistern.
- Do not flush your toilet for 10-15 minutes.
- If the dye has seeped down into the bowl when you return, then you know you have a leak.
Toilet leaks are often a result of the rubber valve in the cistern deteriorating. You can contact a licensed plumber to fix this for you. It is important to check your toilet for leaks every few months so you can be sure it is not wasting any water
Interested in more water saving tips for your home?
Check out our Water Saving Toolkit to explore how you can make every drop count in your home. The toolkit provides you with a Water Consumption Calculator, Plant Finder and Drip Calculator, to provide you with easy ways to save water and protect the environment.
