Skip to main content

Massachusetts joins the EPA for national Fix-A-Leak Week

Fix a Leak Week March 18-24, 2024

The FALW campaign is spearheaded by EPA’s WaterSense program every year and is embraced by government and other organizations across the country. During Fix-A-Leak Week, entities are asked to help spread the word about the importance of finding and repairing water leaks, which can waste nearly 1 trillion gallons of water annually nationwide.

Skip table of contents

Table of Contents

You skipped the table of contents section.

What residents can do

Detect and chase down leaks

Did you know that household leaks waste on average 1 TRILLION GALLONS of water every year, and that 10% of homes have leaks that waste 90 GALLONS OR MORE PER DAY? Join us on the nationwide mission to stop household leaks in their tracks!

Here are some tips for identifying leaks in your home:

  • Pay attention to your water bill- if it goes up suddenly for no reason, you could have a leak
  • Check your water meter for signs of constant water use- the dial on the meter should not be moving when water is not being used
  • Inspect your toilets regularly – if they are making noises without being flushed, they are most likely leaking
  • Perform a dye test on any toilets that you suspect might be leaking:
    • Open the toilet tank
    • Release a dye tablet or 5 drops of food coloring into the tank
    • Don’t use the toilet for 15-20 minutes. Check the bowl of the toilet for any signs of the dye.
    • If you see color, it’s leaking!
  • Regularly inspect the connections and drains of all other water using devices inside and outside, such as:
    • Faucets
    • Water heaters
    • Furnace humidifiers
    • Water softeners
    • Spigots/hose bibs
    • Sprinkler valve boxes
    • Backflow prevention devices
  • Watch these videos for helpful leak identification tips
finding leaks in your home

What businesses can do

Fight leaks and water waste in your facility with watersense

Leaks also happen at businesses, and can sometimes be even worse because people aren’t always there to notice if a leak starts. Here are some tips for businesses to help in the battle against water leaks:

  • Pay attention to your water bill- if it goes up suddenly for no reason, you could have a leak
  • Consider adding sub-meters so that you can better track your business’s water use and be more likely to identify a leak if one arises
  • Perform regular inspections of the water using fixtures in your facility
  • Put up signs in places like restrooms and kitchens reminding people to report leaks if they see them

For more information about what your business can do to help stop leaks and conserve water in general, visit our Industrial, Commercial & Institutional Water Conservation page. 

Additional Resources

Help Us Improve Mass.gov  with your feedback

Please do not include personal or contact information.
Feedback