Drip, drip, drip... you know you hear it or suspect it. Leaks around the house can add up to hundreds or thousands of gallons of wasted water each year. If you’ve been putting off fixing indoor or outdoor leaks, we’re here with inspiration from customers and advice from EBMUD pros. It’s time to nip those leaks in the bud.
Shower showdown
Tse-Sung Wu, of Berkeley, estimates his shower had a chronic leak for the past 10 years. “I’m not that handy,” admits Wu. So, he turned to a trusted plumber to fix a faulty shower diverter, the valve that directs water between the shower head and the tub. Within 45 minutes, a decade-long leak disappeared.
“I knew this leak was a problem, but never fixed it, thinking it couldn’t be done easily or was too expensive,” Wu said. “I just can’t believe how easy it was.”
The results: Wu’s shower is using 25 percent less shower water thanks to the repair. Plus, he’ll get his money back from the repair in about year through savings on his water and energy bills.
Pool problem solved
Last summer, Ted Comfoltey and his wife Gabrielle, of Blackhawk, were on vacation. Back at home, their pool was hard at work, spilling 7,000 gallons a day. Ted spotted the excessive water use online when he checked his home
water use with the WaterSmart Toolbox, an EBMUD pilot program that uses advanced metering technology.
“It took some investigation, but I pinpointed the source of the leak—our automatic pool filler. We’ve had it for years and it was overdue for replacement,” Comfoltey said.
The result: This pool is on its best behavior, refilling only when it needs to. As a bonus, Comfoltey bought a pool cover to minimize evaporation, saving even more water.
Your go-to for leaks: Check out EBMUD’s homeowners guide to fix common leaks in toilets, water heaters, showers and more.
