ORLEANS – Water leaks are costly, even more expensive than consumers expect. To remind Orleans residents about leaks and the need to fix them, the Orleans Town Water Department observes “Fix a Leak Week” from March 18 through March 24.
“This is an important annual reminder to check your home or business for leaks and to repair them as quickly as you can,” said Orleans Clerk-Treasurer Robert F. Henderson. Some leaks are obvious, while others are not. But as they waste water, they waste your money, too.”
- All local water customers should perform three tests regularly.
- The first check is to make sure all faucets in the home or business are not dripping. They can be repaired inexpensively.
- If a faucet drips twice per second and goes unrepaired for a month, it will waste almost 520 gallons of water.
- If the same faucet isn’t repaired for a year, the wasted water will add up to more than 6,200 gallons. For example, if a consumer is billed at $7.00 per 1,000 gallons, such a leak would cost $43.40. The leak would also increase the consumer’s sewer bill if calculated based on water usage.
- Second, it’s important not to underestimate the amount of water a leaky toilet can waste. Toilets can waste hundreds of gallons every day.
- An easy check is to put a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank and wait 20 minutes. If any food coloring shows up in the toilet bowl or there is a leak after the test, the toilet should be flushed immediately to keep the food coloring from causing stains.
- Lastly, water users should make sure their home or business doesn’t have an “invisible” water leak, such as a leak in the underground supply line connecting the utility’s main leading to the building. This type of leak can be checked by turning off all faucets and appliances that use water, having the Water Company read the meter, not using any water for 30 minutes, and then having the Water Department reread the meter. If it has moved, then there is a leak.
For more information on local water usage, call the Orleans Town Hall at 812 865 2539 or visit our website at www.town.orleans.in.us
