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While little drips may seem innocuous, small leaks can lead to large amounts of wasted water. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates the average household's leaks can account for nearly 10,000 gallons of wasted water every year - that is enough water to fill a 12-foot inground pool! The Whatcom Water Alliance is promoting the EPA’s Fix a Leak Week March 16-22, 2026.
Water wasted through leaks can increase utility bills and put stress on our water systems. This year has had an exceptionally dry winter, with decreased snowpack. This means saving water is more important than ever for summer 2026. Many leaks can be easy to fix and correcting easily fixed leaks can save homeowners about 10% on their water bills.
Throughout the week of March 16th, the Whatcom Water Alliance will be promoting tips and tricks for fixing leaks on the Whatcom Conservation District’s Instagram and Facebook. More information on finding and fixing leaks can be found on the EPA’s website.
Toilet leaks can be silent and waste up to 200 gallons of water per day! That is the equivalent of taking 6 full baths every single day. Most toilet leaks come from worn-out toilet flappers, and replacing a worn-out toilet flapper is an easy fix.
A dripping faucet can waste more than 3,000 gallons of water per year, which is enough water to fill ten hot tubs. Most faucet leaks are caused by worn out washers and gaskets that are easy to replace.
A leaking showerhead can waste more than 500 gallons of water per year. That is equivalent to running your dishwasher 60 times. Some leaky showerheads can be fixed with the application of Teflon or pipe tape applied along the connection between the showerhead and the pipe.
Frosts and freezes can easily damage irrigation systems, creating leaks. A leak as tiny as 1/32nd of an inch can waste 6,300 gallons of water per month. That amount of water could fill two large above ground pools.
You're invited to Save our Water, Save your Money with the Whatcom Water Alliance! Take your pledge to reduce your household water use.
Changes in our everyday actions can significantly reduce our personal water consumption, Whatcom Water Alliance has put together the complied the evidence-based behaviors or actions that will see your water bills drop and our shared water resources grow.
Join us by sharing what you already do to conserve water, and take the next step by pledging future actions.
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