Does a little leak in my house's water line really waste water?

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Welcome to CoreFacts, where we're always short on time and big on science. I'm Jessica Robertson. Let's get right to it. Today's question is...

Does a little leak in my house's water line really waste water?

It's not the little leak that wastes water, but it is the little leak that keeps on leaking that wastes water. And the fact that the leak is so little means that maybe you ignore it. So, how can a little leak turn into a big waste? Many of our toilets have a constant leak somewhere around 22 gallons per day. This translates into about 8,000 gallons per year of wasted water, water that could be saved. Or think of a leaky water line coming into your house. If it leaks 1 gallon of water every 10 minutes that means that you are losing (and paying for) 144 gallons per day or 52,560 gallons per year.

You can use our leak calculator to see how much a leaking faucet wastes. Just go to ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/sc4.html.

And now you know. Join us again every weekday for a new CoreFact. For other CoreFacts, or for CoreCast, our in-depth science podcast, go to usgs.gov/podcasts. If you'd like to have a question featured on our show, give us an email at corefacts@usgs.gov or a phone call at 703-648-5600. Remember, long distance fees do apply.

CoreFacts is a product of the U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior.

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