Leaky Faucets Waste Water and Cost Money

We could not find a scientific definition regarding the volume of an average faucet drip, but we decided to go with the volume suggested by the USGS water drip calculator: .25 milliliter (ml) for every faucet or shower head. By these measures, the following is true:

One gallon = 15,140 drips makes up 1 gallon of water
One liter = 4,000 drips makes up 1 liter of water

If your home has one faucet leaking at a (very typical) rate of ten drips per minute, that one faucet is wasting three liters of water per day. That’s 90 liters per month and 347 gallons of water per year.

Let’s say you have a leaky faucet and two leaky shower heads. If that’s the case, you’re wasting (on average) 10 liters of water per day and 1,041 gallons of water per year.

Got a fast drip going? A faucet or shower head that drips 60 drips per minute wastes 21 liters per day, or 5 gallons of water a day. That’s 2,082 gallons per year!

What About Pipe Leaks?

Pipe leaks, although less annoying or obvious, are much more serious and expensive than leaking faucets. On average, a pipe leak the size of the tip of a pencil will waste approximately 970 gallons in 24 hours at even low water pressure (this calculation is made using 40psi in water pressure).

You may not even notice a pipe leak if it’s located underground or in a space you can’t see. Make sure you keep an eye out for the following:

  • A musty smell under sinks in cabinets (often an indication of a cracked hose, a small pipe leak, or a leak at the junction of a hose and pipe)
  • Water in your yard or running down the street from near your yard
  • High water bills
  • Water stains in walls or ceilings

What About Running Toilets?

While we’re talking about leaks, we have to address running toilets. While many jokes have been made about running toilets, the water bill is no joke. The typical running toilet wastes 200 gallons of water a day. That’s an incredible amount of water that just gets flushed into your sewer system.

How Much Does that Translate to in Water Bill Costs?

A leaky shower head or faucet will cost you about $20 a month, which doesn’t seem like much (unless you have several leaky faucets or you let it go for a long time). However, cracks in pipes and pinhole-sized holes in pipes typically cost a household between $100-$600 a month and a leaky toilet will cost you between $75-$150 on an average month.

TMS TO THE RESCUE!!!

Has your water bill spiked and you don’t know why? Have you tried to replace that toilet flap or to tighten your leaky faucet to no avail? We’ll help you figure out if you’ve got a leak and what the most cost effective way to resolve it is. Give us a call at (860) 314-1518 and we’ll get everything flowing smoothly and efficiently for you!