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1 Trillion Gallons of Water

April 01, 2017

1 Trillion Gallons of Water

1 Trillion Gallons of Water.

Sometimes when we hear numbers that large, it's hard to really conceive of what they mean. How much water is 1 trillion gallons, really? Well, 1 trillion gallons of water is:

  • the amount of water in about 40 million swimming pools. 
  • the amount of water in about 24 billion baths.
  • the amount of water in Florida's huge Lake Okeechobee (with a surface area of 669 square miles).
  • the amount of water used in one year by 11 million homes.

AND . . . 

  • the amount of water wasted every year by household water leaks. Washington Post

That's really an astounding figure.  Every year, enough water to serve 11 million homes is needlessly wasted. (EPA) Down the drain. That leaky faucet or constantly-running toilet is more than just an annoyance; it is wasting water at an alarming rate. "The average household's leaks can account for more than 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year and ten percent of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day. Common types of leaks found in the home are worn toilet flappers, dripping faucets, and other leaking valves. These types of leaks are often easy to fix, requiring only a few tools and hardware that can pay for themselves in water savings. Fixing easily corrected household water leaks can save homeowners about 10 percent on their water bills." EPA WaterSense

How easy are these leaks to fix? Well, did you know that all you need is a few drops of food coloring and you can check to see if your toilet is leaking right now?

"How could we cluelessly waste such a vastness of water? 'I think how it goes unnoticed is, people see a couple of drips coming out of their shower head, or sprinkler outside, or faucet, it doesn’t seem like that much,' said Karen Wirth, who does marketing and outreach for the EPA’s WaterSense program.  Washington Post

Those few drips don't seem like much, but they really add up. 

Last week was the EPA's WaterSense "Fix a Leak Week," so this is a great time to take a look at how to fix those leaky faucets, toilets, and showers. And save money, and, more importantly, save WATER!

 

EPA 

Check out this great video that shows you how to Find and Fix LEAKS!

 

For more info:

Upworthy

USGS's Water Drip Calculator: How much does a leaky faucet waste?

Washington Post: The Incredibly Stupid Way that Americans Waste 1 Trillion Gallons of Water Each Year

EPA: Fix a Leak Week