MEDIA RELEASE

The state Commission on Water Resource Management (CWRM) is partnering with county water departments and the Hawaii Rural Water Association to launch “Detect-A-Leak Week” (March 11-17) to encourage all Hawaii residents to check for water leaks at their homes, properties and workplaces.

“Nurturing and protecting Hawaii’s natural resources are ancient traditions in the islands, and water is the most valuable of these resources.” said William J. Aila, Jr., CWRM chairman. “We must ensure that future generations have enough clean, fresh water to use. We can all do our part by conserving water and eliminating waste by finding and repairing leaks in our homes and places of work.”

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the average American home can waste more than 10,000 gallons of water every year from running toilets, dripping faucets and other household leaks. This can be significantly reduced in Hawaii if all residents statewide check their plumbing fixtures for leaks.

“For more than 20 years, the Detect-A-Leak Week program has served as an excellent reminder to our customers to check for and repair leaks in their homes and on their properties, which helps preserve our water supply,” said Ernest Lau, Board of Water Supply manager and chief engineer. “Practicing water conservation by detecting and fixing leaks at home also helps to lower water and sewer bills.”

“Leak detection is an important part of protecting our most precious resource. Join us in our efforts to find and fix leaks by doing your part at home and in your yard,” said Quirino Antonio, Hawaii Department of Water Supply manager and chief engineer.

“With water rates going up, it is ever more important to deal with the leaks while they are small,” said David Craddick, Kauai Department of Water Manager and Chief Engineer.

Maui Department of Water Supply Deputy Director Paul Meyer offered some practical advice: “Is your toilet running needlessly? Flapper valves wear out and it’s sometime hard to tell if you are wasting water. The DWS has free dye tablets with instructions for testing for leaking toilets. It’s easy to test for leaks and takes just a few minutes. Just turn off all your water uses and check your meter. If the dial is spinning, you have leaks that can be wasteful and expensive.”

There are three types of leaks that should be checked: toilet, property and underground leaks.

For more information on how Detect-A-Leak Week is being observed on each island and for more tips on how to check for leaks at home, visit:

Board of Water Supply, City and County of Honolulu: www.boardofwatersupply.com
County of Hawaii Department of Water Supply: www.hawaiidws.org
County of Kauai Department of Water: www.kauaiwater.org
County of Maui Department of Water Supply: www.mauiwater.org
Hawaii Rural Water Association: www.hawaiirwa.org