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Voluntary Leak Check
Program
Identifying leaks in your home or business saves
water customers hundreds, even thousands of dollars
each year. Proper maintenance of pipe
fittings, gaskets, and routine checks of pipelines
could mean the difference between replacing a whole
system or replacing worn parts.
The Utah Water Forum suggests these steps in saving
water customers time, money, and demonstrating
environmental responsibility.
Do you have a leak?
If you suspect a leak, ie your water bill is higher
than usual, contact the Magna Water District to
schedule an inspection of your meter at 250.2118.
Finding the leak
Faucets
Visually inspect your faucets and showerheads and
outdoor hose hookups to your spiquets.
Identify if you have worn washers. A slow drip
can waste as much as 5,000 gallons of water per
month. A steady stream of leaking water can
waste up to 21,000 gallons per month! To
repair a leak, turn off the water supply line,
remove the washer and screen, (you may have to
replace the screen in the head of the faucet as
well), allow the water to run a few minutes, then
install a new washer and screen. Run the water
to ensure a tight seal.
Running Toilet
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Drawing courtesy of
Hunter Plumbing Products,
San Marcos, CA
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If water is running into the toilet bowl
or if you hear water running continually,
most likely, your toilet is leaking. To
be sure, you can put a few drops of food
coloring in the tank and see if it seeps
into the toilet bowl. If it does, replace
the flapper valve and/or rubber gasket at
the bottom of the tank. Most leaks occur at
the overflow pipe or at the plunger ball.
Remove the tank lid and flush. The
water level should rise
up to about a half inch or so below the
overflow pipe. |
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Diagram courtesy of
www.friendlyplumber.com
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Outdoor Leaks
An underground leak may not be apparent on the
surface. Look for areas of lush green grass,
unexpected vegetation, or dark spots in your lawn
resulting from fungus growth.
Ensure that outside taps are
turned off tightly every time
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you
shut off the
water. A hose that
is mistakenly left running can waste thousands of
gallons of water over the course of a summer.
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Go Green