California American Water and EPA Promote Water Leak Detection and Repair During Fix a Leak Week March 15-21, 2010

PACIFIC GROVE, Calif., March 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- A recent tightening of restrictions on the Monterey Peninsula's water supply have drawn attention to the area's perennial need for water conservation.  To help raise awareness of ways to combat water waste, California American Water has joined the Environmental Protection Agency in declaring March 15 to 21, 2010 as "Fix A Leak Week."

Because minor water leaks account for more than one trillion gallons of water wasted each year in U.S. homes, EPA's WaterSense program created "Fix a Leak Week" to remind Americans to check household plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems for leaks.

"Leaks can account for an average of 10,000 gallons of water wasted in the home every year, or enough to fill a backyard swimming pool," said Rob MacLean, President of California American Water. "By raising awareness in our partnership with the EPA WaterSense program, water conservation not only saves our customers money, but it also helps to preserve the environment and meet future water needs."

On the Monterey Peninsula, water rates are structured so that residents and businesses that conserve water pay 0.28 cents for every ten cubic feet of water used, while those who waste water are charged $2.81. If water leaks are left unattended, the water lost can easily climb into the higher rates, resulting in hundreds or even thousands of dollars in additional cost to customers' monthly water bills.

"Water is so valuable here that we must all get in the habit of regularly checking for leaks and treating each one as an emergency," said California American Water General Manager Craig E. Anthony.

California American Water is also doing its part to identify and repair leaks in its water system, which consists of 680 miles of underground pipes serving customers in the Monterey area. Over the last five years, the company has replaced 35,000 feet of water main and will invest $7.1 million of the next three years in additional pipeline replacements. Water loss reduction measures also include replacement of 13,500 water meters to result in more accurate measurement of water used. In addition, the company has installed 4,100 leak detecting sensors over the past two years, devices which sense and record sound vibrations from leaks and communicate and the data to a network monitoring system via radio frequency.

To help consumers across the country save water, the WaterSense program promotes ways to identify and repair dripping faucets, running toilets, and leaky showerheads. In most cases, fixture replacement parts can be installed by do-it-yourselfers and pay for themselves in no time.

California American Water recommends the following tips to help save water lost by leaks:

• Check your water meter on a weekly basis.  Reading your meter and calculating the usage will alert you to leaks.
• Regularly check your toilet, faucets, and pipes for leaks. American Water offers leak detection kits, which are available by calling the American Water Customer Service Center at 1.800.678.6301 or in the Learning Center of the company's Web site, www.amwater.com. If you find a leak, have it fixed as soon as possible.
• Reduce faucet leaks by checking faucet washers and gaskets for wear and replace them, or, if necessary, replace the faucet with a WaterSense labeled model.
• Leaky toilets are most often the result of a worn toilet flapper. Replacing the rubber flapper is a quick fix that could save a home up to 200 gallons of water per day.   Ask your water utility for a toilet leak detection kit, which will help you identify leaking commodes.
• For a leaky garden hose, replace the nylon or rubber hose washer and ensure a tight connection to the spigot using pipe tape and a wrench.
• Tighten connections on your showerheads if drips appear when the shower is off.
• Check your garden and lawn irrigation system for leaks, or hire a certified WaterSense expert to check it for you.

If homeowners have to replace a plumbing fixture, EPA reminds them to look for the WaterSense label. WaterSense labeled toilets and faucets have been independently tested and certified to save water and perform as well as or better than standard models. WaterSense also partners with certified landscape irrigation auditors, designers, installers, and maintenance professionals with water-efficiency knowledge; see www.epa.gov/watersense to find a WaterSense irrigation partner in your area. For more information on Fix a Leak Week, visit www.epa.gov/watersense/fixaleak.

WaterSense is a partnership program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to protect the future of our nation's water supply by promoting and enhancing the market for water-efficient products and services. WaterSense labeled products must achieve independent, third-party testing and certification to prove they meet EPA's criteria for efficiency and performance.

California American Water, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), provides high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 600,000 people.

Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest investor-owned U.S. water and wastewater utility company.  With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 16 million people in 35 states and Ontario and Manitoba, Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.

SOURCE California American Water