WaterSense Partners Chase Down Water–Wasting Leaks

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From March 17 to 23, 2014, WaterSense partners held more than 50 events across more than 15 U.S. states and Canada in celebration of EPA’s sixth annual Fix a Leak Week. The national awareness campaign encourages Americans to help put a stop to the more than 1 trillion gallons of water lost annually due to household leaks. In honor of this year’s “Chasing Leaks” theme, partners held a variety of road races and race-themed events, inspiring consumers to chase down water-wasting culprits.

From coast to coast, WaterSense partners set the pace for water savings by educating hundreds of homeowners about the importance of nipping drips inside and out. Here are a few examples of how partners helped consumers catch running toilets and compete for water savings:

  • To kick off Fix a Leak Week, the City of Santa Rosa, California, hit the ground running with the city’s third annual St. Patrick’s Day 5k . Adding a little extra “green” to the race, the city’s Water-Use Efficiency Team hosted a booth with giveaways, activities, and water efficiency tips.
  • The Arizona Municipal Water Users Association (AMWUA) held its fourth annual One for Water 4-Miler  race on March 22, 2014. Runners raced alongside AMWUA’s life-sized toilet mascot, Leaky “Loo” McFlapper and Flo the WaterSense spokesgallon.  The event also featured a family fun festival, which promoted finding and fixing leaks indoors and out.
  • The City of Charlottesville, Virginia, once again hosted the Fix a Leak Week Family 5k , featuring activities, water-saving tips, and a prize for catching its own running toilet mascot. To help participants learn how to do it themselves, the event held a demonstration on how to fix leaks.
  • In Utah, the City of St. George and Washington County Water Conservancy District partnered with the Spectrum 10k  and entered a runner dressed in a toilet costume. Race packets contained Fix a Leak Week information, and the two organizations hosted an informational booth where participants could pledge to fix household leaks.
  • The Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District’s second annual Water Drop Dash 5k Race and Water Festival  offered a children’s fun run and a 5k race along the Chattahoochee River. The festivities culminated with water conservation education and activities at the Water Festival.
  • Colorado Springs Utilities’ water conservation mascot Dewey the Drop hosted an educational booth  at the local Jack Quinn’s running club weekly 5k run. Participants and visitors received toilet leak-detection dye tablets and information about fixing leaks around the home.
  • WasteWater Education in Benzonia, Michigan, held a “virtual” Golden Plunger Relay Race  on Twitter. Users formed Twitter “teams” competing to see which online group could achieve the highest number of retweets, or the greatest Twittersphere distance covered, for a prize. The Twitter user posting the most original screenshot of where a Golden Plunger was sighted also won a prize. The inaugural winners  were AMWUA’s “Fix a Leak Week Arizona” campaign and the Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle, Washington.

The EPA WaterSense Facebook map  tracked these events and more. Learn ways you can continue to chase leaks year-round by checking out tips for finding and fixing leaks inside

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