Minor water leaks account for more than 1 trillion gallons of water wasted each year in U.S. homes.

A single American home can waste, on average, more than 10,000 gallons of water every year due to running toilets, dripping faucets, and other household leaks.

What feels like a small problem can quickly add up. Consider the costs to homeowners in both water and the energy used to heat the water if it’s a hot water leak. But also consider the energy itWaterSense takes to bring water into your home and carry it away through the waste-water treatment system.

HRWC, thanks to the generous support of the Masco Corporation Foundation, is spearheading a three-year initiative to develop educational tools that teach homeowners here in Michigan about water efficiency and how saving water saves energy.

We are networking with groups such as River Network, the Alliance for Water Efficiency, the City of Ann Arbor and the Clean Energy Coalition to learn more about the water energy nexus and communicating its impacts locally. Stay tuned to HRWC as we discuss and present the important issues related to water and energy in the coming months or read our Huron River Report Climate Change Edition, Winter 2009, for information.

As part of the initiative HRWC has also teamed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WaterSense program which aims to decrease indoor and outdoor water use through water-efficient products and simple water-saving practices. The program encourages customers to look for WaterSense labeled products, which have been independently certified for efficiency and performance, and promotes water-saving techniques that reduce stress on water systems and the environment.

FOR NOW, WE INVITE YOU TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH WaterSense BY PARTICIPATING IN:

Fix a Leak Week

Most common household leaks are often easily correctable, in many cases requiring only a few tools and hardware that can pay for themselves in water savings. Check the FIX A LEAK WEEK website for tips, and grab a wrench or contact your favorite handy person, plumber, or WaterSense irrigation partner to address leaking toilets, faucets, showerheads, and irrigation systems around your home.