Water leaks

Water leaks are a non-stop waste of water and money. Even small leaks will cost you hundreds of dollars each year.

Common sources of leaks include dripping faucets, and worn out toilet flapper valves in toilets.

Here are some simple ways to check for household water leaks

Read your water meter regularly
- Meter readings help detect big jumps in consumption, which may show you have a leak
- Use your quarterly utility bill as a reminder to check for leaks
Use your water meter to detect leaks
- Turn off all indoor and outdoor water faucets and water using appliances
- Watch your water meter – if the red sweeper bar or red/black triangle moves, you may have a leak
Check toilets for leaks
- Add a few drops of food colouring to the toilet tank
- Wait 15 minutes and check the bowl – if the water changed colour, you may have a leak

If you think you have a leak, please fix it immediately. In many cases, fixture replacement parts are inexpensive, pay for themselves quickly, and can be installed by you or a licensed plumbing professional

Every drop counts – choose efficient appliances and fixtures

If you need to replace leaking or worn out appliances or fixtures, replace them with Energy Star and WaterSense labelled products.
Replacing an old toilet with a WaterSense labelled toilet uses 20 percent less water. Not sure if it’s worth it to replace your existing toilet? Try using our payback calculator to see how quickly you can pay off your toilet by using less water with WaterSense labelled toilet.

For more information on water leaks, contact 311.

Want to win a prize and save water? Join the Family Leak Detector Challenge. Our partner, Fort Whyte Alive is giving away prizes to families that check and fix their leaks. Challenges run twice a year, during the months of March and October.

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