New Jersey American Water and Battleship New Jersey Take Aim at Leaks

CHERRY HILL, N.J., March 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Loose leaks may not sink ships, but they can sure add up to a lot of wasted water and cash for homeowners.

(Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100316/PH71723 )

In celebration of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Water Sense Fix-a-Leak Week, March 15-21, New Jersey American Water and the Battleship New Jersey today demonstrated how fixing small leaks can help residents conserve water and save money on their water bills.  

With the firing of one of her saluting guns, the Battleship marked Fix-a-Leak Week with a bang. The ship welcomed aboard engineers from New Jersey American Water and Classic Plumbing of Collingswood, NJ to fix some of the many leaks that the 68-year-old ship has sprung during its many years of service to the nation.

Classic Plumbing's James Doback donated his time and, with parts contributed from Ferguson Enterprises in Turnersville, fixed leaks on shower heads and a water heater on the ship.  A leak detection team from New Jersey American Water set up leak monitoring equipment and for the next month will collect data from the Battleship's plumbing system to locate the source of leaks.

"The Battleship New Jersey has many examples of the kind of leaks that our customers can find in their homes and which could be costing them a significant amount of money," said John Bigelow, president of New Jersey American Water. "A small leak, over the course of a year, could produce enough water to fill a swimming pool, about 10,000 gallons or more. We encourage our customers to check for leaks and install EPA WaterSense fixtures in their homes to conserve water and to save money on their monthly water bills."

"When you are a floating city like the Battleship, small leaks can add up to big costs. And as a non-profit, we need to save every dollar we can," explained Jim Schuck, CEO/President of the Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial.  "We are excited to have New Jersey American Water on our crew and more than happy to serve as an example of water conservation."

New Jersey American Water American Water is a member of the U.S. EPA's WaterSense program, and is committed to educating customers about wise water use to help conserve our 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. New Jersey American Water offers leak detection kits, which are available by calling the New Jersey American Water Customer Service Center at 800-652-6987 or in the Learning Center of the company's Web site, www.newjerseyamwater.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.
• Consider installing water and energy-efficient appliances. The USEPA reports that EPA-certified Energy Star washing machines may use 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 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.

New Jersey 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 2.5 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 New Jersey American Water