Little Leaks Add Up: Pennsylvania American Water Offers Water-Saving Advice for 'Fix a Leak Week'

HERSHEY, Pa., March 17 /PRNewswire/ -- To draw attention to the more than one trillion gallons of water wasted each year in U.S. homes due to leaks, Pennsylvania American Water today announced its participation in the Environmental Protection Agency's "Fix a Leak Week," which runs March 15-21. Pennsylvania American Water provided a number of live demonstrations across the state to illustrate how household leaks waste water but are easy to fix.

"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 Pennsylvania American Water President Kathy L. Pape. "By raising awareness of the EPA WaterSense program, we want to emphasize to customers that water conservation not only saves money, but it also helps to preserve our precious water resources."

Pennsylvania American Water teamed up with local plumbers to demonstrate how to find and repair leaks, as well as install water-saving fixtures, at events at the Ronald McDonald Houses in Hershey and Scranton; the Rainbow Kitchen in Homestead, Allegheny County; and Krause Youth Center in New Castle, Lawrence County.

Pennsylvania American Water is a member of the EPA's WaterSense program and conducts ongoing customer education focused on wise water use to help conserve water supplies now and for future generations. The company recommends the following tips to help save water lost by leaks:

• Regularly check your toilet, faucets, and pipes for leaks. Pennsylvania American Water offers leak detection kits, which are available in the Learning Center of the company's Web site, www.pennsylvaniaamwater.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.
• 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.
• Consider installing water and energy-efficient appliances. The EPA reports that certified Energy Star washing machines use up to 35 percent less water per load. Water-saving shower heads, toilets and faucet aerators also help cut your water usage.

If homeowners have to replace plumbing fixtures, look for the WaterSense label. WaterSense-labeled toilets and faucets are independently tested and certified to save water and perform as well as or better than standard models. Visit www.epa.gov/watersense for more information.

Pennsylvania American Water, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 2.2 million 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, as well as Ontario and Manitoba, Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.

SOURCE Pennsylvania American Water