PHCC Promotes EPA’s ‘Fix a Leak Week’

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The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors—National Association (PHCC) is promoting Fix a Leak Week, part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) ongoing ‘We’re for Water’ campaign. This year’s observance, sponsored by EPA’s WaterSense® program, will take place March 17-23, 2014, and will encourage Americans to take back the more than 1 trillion gallons of water that are wasted from household leaks each year.

PHCC joins the EPA in promoting ways to find and fix residential leaks in household plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems. The organization encourages consumers to consult with a trained water conservation professional, such as a PHCC member contractor.

“Leaks can account for more than 10,000 gallons of water in an average home every year—the amount of water it takes to wash 270 loads of laundry,” said PHCC President Steven Rivers. “As a WaterSense partner, we are encouraging consumers to find and fix leaks to save water in our communities.”

To help conserve water for future generations, PHCC 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.

In many cases, fixture replacement parts pay for themselves quickly and can be installed by local plumbing professionals. For information on how to hire a professional contractor, click on PHCC’s Find a Contractor referral service. Or call our toll free number, 800-533-7694.

For more information on Fix a Leak Week, visit www.epa.gov/watersense.

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