Conserve water with simple tips during Fix a Leak Week

Join the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (WASD) in its commitment to conserve our County’s natural resources by participating in “Fix a Leak Week,” which is observed this week beginning March 17 through March 23. Looking for and fixing leaks can help decrease the nearly one trillion gallons of water wasted from American households as a result of leaks each year.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), leaks can account for nearly 10,000 gallons of wasted water in an average home every year—the amount of water it takes to wash 270 loads of laundry.

About 10 percent of all households have some kind of plumbing leak, leading to thousands of gallons of unused water a year, which also increases your water bill. Most of these leaks result from worn out washers, flappers or faulty tank valves.

To help save water for future generations, WASD is asking consumers to check, twist, and replace:

• Check for leaks: Look for dripping faucets, showerheads, sprinklers, and other fixtures. Also check for toilets with silent leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring into the tank, waiting 10 minutes, and seeing if color appears in the bowl before you flush. Don’t forget to check irrigation systems and spigots too.
• Twist and tighten hose and pipe connections: To save water without a noticeable difference in flow in your bathroom, twist on a WaterSense labeled faucet aerator.
• Replace the fixture if necessary: Look for WaterSense labeled models, which are independently certified to use 20 percent less water and perform as well as or better than standard models.

Customers who find and repair underground or concealed leaks may also be eligible for credits to their water bills. 

 “Our staff proactively looks for leaks throughout our system and in 2024, we saved more than 2.4 million gallons of water by identifying and prioritizing repairs on more than 7,500 miles of water mains, said WASD Interim Director Amada Kinnick.”

In many cases, fixture replacement parts pay for themselves quickly and can be installed by handy do-it-yourselfers or local plumbing professionals. Irrigation professionals certified through a WaterSense labeled program can also check your systems for leaks.

For water conservation tips and to read the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department’s Leak Detection Guide go to WASD’s Leak Detection Guide. 

It is the priority of the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department to provide safe, reliable service to its customers. For additional information about Department services and programs, visit the department’s website.