Each year, I enjoy encouraging you to conserve water when we reach our annual Fix-A-Leak Week. The Public Service Commission of West Virginia participates in this national program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an important public service.
Fix-A-Leak Week begins on March 17 this year, and runs through March 23. And while we set aside a special week for this idea, you should be thinking of water conservation all year. So, let me tell you some things that might surprise you and might encourage you to make some small changes.
EPA says the average household’s leaks can account for up to 10,000 gallons of water annually. That’s a lot of water going down the drain and you are picking up the tab for that loss. To give you a simple idea of how much water that is, the EPA says a family of four would use about 10,000 gallons of water in a month.
That means the average family uses about 82 gallons of water a day. Those are astounding statistics. This is especially true after the severe drought we suffered through last year. I’m sure you all remember lower water tables, reminders to conserve on water, and concerns statewide of possible shortages of water for many of us.
So, how does this loss look in perspective? EPA says the average showerhead has a water flow of 2.1 gallons per minute. And that the average shower each of us takes is eight minutes long. So, your daily shower uses on an average more than 16 gallons of water.
Using those figures, you could take 625 showers for that 10,000-gallon amount of water lost by the average household.
Showering accounts for 17 percent of household usage of water. Nationally, we use 1.2 trillion gallons of water each year just for showering. How much is that? Well, it is enough to supply New York and New Jersey with all the water those states need in one year’s time.
So, while I encourage you to fix the leaks, conserve water when doing other chores, I also want you to consider swapping out your shower heads with WaterSense labeled shower heads. These shower heads are approved and recommended by the EPA.
In addition to helping conserve water, they will also make a considerable difference to your wallet, too. The average family could save 2,700 gallons of water a year by simply installing these devices, think about it.
