St. Cloud Utilities will once again be celebrating the Environmental Protection Agency's annual "Fix a Leak Week!"

From March 15-21, 2021, put on your detective hat and test out your P.I. skills... Plumber Investigator skills that is! Look for leaks inside and outside of your home that need to be fixed. Don't forget that you can always check for leaks any time of year! 

Come see St. Cloud Utilities in City Hall during Fix a Leak Week to pick up your sleuthing supplies to help assist you in your investigation. We have some vital tools that you will need such as:

• Toilet test dye tablets
• Compact multi-tools
• Toilet flappers
• Other fun and useful items!

DID YOU KNOW?

Leaks are more common than you think!

• The average household's leaks can account for nearly 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year and ten percent of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day. 
• Common types of leaks found in the home are worn toilet flappers, dripping faucets, and other leaking valves. These types of leaks are often easy to fix, requiring only a few tools and hardware that can pay for themselves in water savings. 
• Fixing easily corrected household water leaks can save homeowners about 10 percent on their water bills!

UNSURE ABOUT IF YOU HAVE A LEAK?

Here are some helpful tips:

• Take a look at your water usage during a colder month, such as January or February. If a family of four exceeds 12,000 gallons per month, there are serious leaks.
• Check your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter changes at all, you probably have a leak.
• Identify toilet leaks by placing a toilet test dye tablet or a drop of food coloring in the toilet tank. If any color shows up in the bowl after 10 minutes, you have a leak. (Be sure to flush immediately after the experiment to avoid staining the tank.)
  •  Leaky toilets are almost always caused by a worn-out toilet flapper.  Flappers are inexpensive rubber parts that sit on the inside of the tank and can build up minerals or decay over time. Replacing them can be a quick and easy fix for your leaky toilet. 
    • Watch this video at 2 minutes and 37 seconds (2:37) to see how to change a toilet flapper! 
      • Home Depot How to Fix a Leaky Toilet 
• Examine faucet gaskets and pipe fittings for any water on the outside of the pipe to check for surface leaks.
  • Here are some links to demonstrate how to fix a leaky faucet:
    • Lowe's How to Fix a Dripping or Leaky Double Handle Faucet
    • The Home Depot How to Fix a Leaky Bathtub Faucet
    • WaterSense How to Replace Your Faucet Aerator

For more information about certain type of leaks, how to fix them and other helpful tips, please visit the EPA's Fix a Leak Website!

WIn a $100 Publix giftcard!!

Be entered to win a $100 Publix  gift card when you watch St. Cloud's "Fix a Leak Week Detective" video and complete the follow up quiz!  (It's only one question!)

Good Luck Detectives!!