National Fix a Leak Week is March 20-26

Illinois American Water is dropping helpful tips to customers during the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Fix a Leak Week. Fix a Leak Week will be observed this week, March 20-26. The national campaign held by the EPA raises awareness about leaks and other water issues that contribute to water waste within homes and businesses.

“For Illinois American Water, this week is a way to encourage our customers to use water wisely. We focus on conservation and reducing water waste every day but want our customers to see conservation can not only save money, but also help preserve water, a precious resource,” said Beth Matthews, vice president of operations for Illinois American Water.

According to the EPA, the average residence in the U.S. loses 10,000 gallons of water per year thanks to seemingly minor leaks. With more than 110 million households in the U.S., this equates to more than one trillion gallons of water lost every year due to leaks in the home. It is estimated that the average homeowner can reduce their water bills by 10 percent by addressing leaks.

“Many people may not realize that even the smallest leaks can waste thousands of gallons per year, every drop adds up,” said Matthews. “If every one of our Illinois customers fixed a household leak, they could contribute to millions, or even billions, of gallons of water saved in a year.”

Illinois American Water is committed to fixing leaks by replacing or upgrading infrastructure to support water quality, water pressure, system security and service reliability to customers.

Illinois American Water also offers these helpful tips for detecting leaks:

• Check your Illinois American Water bill monthly. If the usage increases to above average and there was no change in your home size, there most likely is a leak.
• Check your water meter at the start and end of a two-hour period during which no water is being used (i.e., when no one is home). If the meter changes, there most likely is a leak.
• Test your toilet. Leaks can occur in your toilet. Test for one by putting a drop of food coloring into the toilet tank. After 10 minutes, if any color shows up in the bowl, you have a leak.
• Check faucet gaskets - At least once a season – and especially after extreme temperature changes – check faucet gaskets and pipe fittings for surface leaks, indicated by water on the exterior of the pipes.
• Check in-ground irrigation systems and hoses. Make sure they weren’t damaged by frost or freezing.

Customers can download a leak detection kit here. Include children in learning with interactive games and more by visiting Illinois American Water’s Water Learning Center. Illinois American Water customers can also manage their Illinois American Water account online by visiting www.illinoisamwater.com.

About Illinois American Water – Illinois American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and wastewater services to approximately 1.3 million people. American Water also operates a quality control and research laboratory in Belleville. With a history dating back to 1886, American Water (NYSE:AWK) is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 6,500 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and regulated-like drinking water and wastewater services to more than 14 million people in 24 states. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to help keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit amwater.com and follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

ILLINOIS AMERICAN WATER WAS RANKED HIGHEST IN CUSTOMER SATISFACTION WITH LARGE WATER UTILITIES IN THE MIDWEST THREE YEARS IN A ROW!

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