Detecting Leaks

We want to help our customers keep their bills as accurate as possible by reflecting the actual water that is used. Small leaks in your home can quickly add up to many gallons lost. A dripping faucet can waste 15 gallons a day. Just a 1/8” sized leak consumes more than 3,500 gallons per day. Most leaks are easy to find, but some can go undetected. If your bill is unusually high, a little investigation can save both water and money.

To find out if you have a leak, you may want to check:

• Your toilet. It is not uncommon to lose more than 100 gallons a week to a toilet leak. You can check for leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank, then watch for a few minutes. If the color shows up in the bowl, you have a leak that needs to be repaired.
• Dishwashers and clothes washer. Look for drips or stains underneath or behind these appliances.
• Indoor and outdoor faucets. Replace worn gaskets and washers.
• Sprinkler systems. Check for damaged sprinkler system heads and system leaks.

Leak detection kits are available by calling the American Water Customer Service Center at 1.800.678.6301 or by clicking here for a downloadable .pdf version.

Leak Detection Kit (pdf)

Learn More

Fix a Leak Week is March 15 to 21, 2010. Sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) WaterSense program, this week is an opportunity to improve water efficiency of your homes by checking for and fixing leaks, which waste an average of 11,000 gallons of water per home each year. That's more than enough to fill up a backyard swimming pool!