Politics & Government

Environmental Commission Promotes Fix A Leak

The week encourages people to stop wasting water.

As part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s [EPA’s] ongoing "We’re for Water" campaign, this year’s "Fix a Leak Week" encourages Americans to help put a stop to the more than 1 trillion gallons of water wasted from household leaks each year.

Sponsored by the EPA’s WaterSense program, Fix a Leak Week lasts from March 12 through March 18. In support of We’re for Water, the Bridgewater Environmental Commission is encouraging local residents to find and fix residential water leaks.

The EPA has reported that leaks can account for more than 10,000 gallons of water in an average home every year, which is enough to wash nearly 10 months’ worth of laundry. As a WaterSense partner, the Environmental Commission requests residents find and fix leaks to save water in the community.

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To help save water for future generations, and to reduce water and energy bills, the Commission asks residents to take the following steps:

  • Check for leaks—Look for dripping faucets, showerheads and fixture connections. Also, check for toilets with silent leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring into the tank and seeing if it appears in the bowl before you flush. Don’t forget to check irrigation systems and spigots too.
  • Twist and tighten pipe connections—To save more water without a noticeable difference in flow, twist on a WaterSense labeled faucet aerator.
  • Replace the fixture if necessary—Look for WaterSense-labeled models, which are independently certified to use 20 percent less water, and perform as well as or better than standard models.

In many cases, fixture replacement parts pay for themselves quickly, and can be installed by handy do-it-yourselfers or local plumbing professionals. WaterSense also partners with certified landscape professionals who can check irrigation systems for leaks.

Find out what's happening in Bridgewaterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Visit epa.gov/watersense to find WaterSense-labeled products or an irrigation partner.

The Bridgewater Environmental Commission encourages residents to report actions taken during Fix a Leak Week to the township. The Commission will review the reports and, based on an EPA formula, determine the total number of gallons of water conserved through community actions.

Send information to health@bridgewaternj.gov or by telephone at 908-725-5750.

For more information on Fix a Leak Week, visit epa.gov/watersense.

WaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by EPA, seeks to protect the future of our nation's water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water through water-efficient products, new homes and services. Since the program's inception in 2006, WaterSense has helped consumers save 125 billion gallons of water and $2 billion in water and energy bills.


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