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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 18-21
March 22, 2018
deppressoffice@dep.nyc.gov, (718) 595-6600

During “Fix A Leak Week” New Yorkers are Encouraged to Identify and Repair Water Leaks to Save Money

In New York City, a Running Toilet can Cost a Homeowner up to $50 Per Day

Nationwide, Household Leaks Can Waste More than 1 Trillion Gallons of Water Annually

During national Fix a Leak Week, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) encourages New Yorkers to identify and fix residential water leaks. DEP offers a full range of information on how to detect leaky pipes and toilets including leak detection tablets and a Home Water Savings Kit that can help residents conduct a do-it-yourself water audit in less than an hour. DEP has also created a brief public service announcement about detecting leaky toilets that can be viewed here.

“New Yorkers can save money and help conserve our water supply by simply identifying and fixing leaky plumbing,” said DEP Commissioner Vincent Sapienza. “Our Automated Meter Reading system provides property owners with near real time information about their water use and an alert will automatically be sent if we detect a higher than normal use of water.”

Nationwide, household leaks can waste more than 1 trillion gallons of water annually, equal to the annual water use of more than 11 million homes. Leaks are not only wasteful, but they can also be very expensive for homeowners. For more information on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Fix a Leak Week, click here.

Over the last few years, DEP has introduced a number of customer service initiatives aimed at helping New Yorkers manage their water use and bills and respond promptly to leaks. These programs include the completion of a network of Automated Meter Reading devices that ensure bills are based on actual consumption and that allow customers to access data about their water use in near real time. In addition, a leak notification system has already saved customers $138 million and the leak forgiveness program has been expanded to include maintainable fixtures such as toilets and faucets to encourage homeowners to make timely repairs.

DEP manages New York City’s water supply, providing approximately 1 billion gallons of high quality drinking water each day to more than 9 million residents, including 8.5 million in New York City. The water is delivered from a watershed that extends more than 125 miles from the city, comprising 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes. Approximately 7,000 miles of water mains, tunnels and aqueducts bring water to homes and businesses throughout the five boroughs, and 7,500 miles of sewer lines and 96 pump stations take wastewater to 14 in-city treatment plants. DEP has nearly 6,000 employees, including almost 1,000 in the upstate watershed. In addition, DEP has a robust capital program, with a planned $18.9 billion in investments over the next 10 years that will create up to 3,000 construction-related jobs per year. For more information, visit nyc.gov/dep, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

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