Save 10,000 gallons in 10 minutes

DID you know that easy-to-fix household leaks could waste at least 10,000 gallons of water per year (and 10 percent of your water bill)? According to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Water Sense program, in the span of two television commercial breaks, you could save more than 10,000 gallons of water, which is equivalent to the water used to wash 10 months’ worth of laundry.

Finding leaks is easy. To get started, put a few drops of food coloring in the tank to check for silent toilet leaks. Wait 10 minutes before flushing; if color shows up in the bowl, you probably need a new toilet flapper—an easy repair.