Save Our Water’s fix a leak week can help water conservation

10 percent of homes throughout the U.S. have leaks that waste 90 gallons of water or more per day - News 11's Vanessa Gongora has more.

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - With California being in a drought going on 20 years, Save Our Water says we can be part of the solution.

Save Our Water is is California's statewide water conservation program.

The program is encouraging Californians to check for common household water leaks this week as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) annual Fix a Leak Week March 14-20 2022.

According to data from the EPA, household leaks can waste nearly 1 trillion gallons of water annually nationwide and an average household's leaks can account for nearly 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year.

In California alone, about 8% of household water use is wasted due to leaks, according to the UC Davis Center for Water-Energy Efficiency.

Many common household leaks inside and outside the home are easy to identify and fix.

Dave Todd, Land and Water Use Program Manager for the Water-Use Efficiency branch, says pick a time of day that you don't have any water on that you know of, take a look at the water meter and then go back in an hour to check it. If it shows water being used and you don't have any water fixtures on in your house or yard, it's most likely because you have a leak.

"In the bathroom at the toilet you can sometimes hear the water leaking through the flapper of your toilet and it's pretty simple to change a flapper," Todd said.

He says there are also many ways to conserve water.

"Wash a full load when using dishwasher or clothes washer, and again it doesn't just save water. It saves energy and reduces greenhouse gas emissions when you do that," Todd said.

The Imperial Irrigation District (IID) says water conservation is very important, especially here in Imperial Valley.

Robert Schettler, IID Public Information Officer, says the drought has an impact on the Colorado River, which is Imperial Valley's sole water supply.

The lower Colorado River basin has been in a drought for more than 20 years now.

"With the drought going on as long as it did and has, I don't see an end in sight right now. It's still a concern," said Schettler.

The Colorado River serves about 40 million people in the west and in Mexico.

"Farmers are asked to produce as much crop if not more with less water and you know what, they're doing it," Schettler said.

Schettler says water is a precious resource and the Colorado River is our only source.