Worn plumbing fixtures waste a great deal of water and can be costly to the consumer. Follow these tips to save water and money:

1. Repair leaky faucets, showers and hoses. A leaky faucet wastes between 750 gallons (a steady drip) and 12,000 gallons (a steady stream) per month.
   
2. Replace parts inside your toilet tank before leaks start. A leaky toilet tank wastes between 300 gallons (slow leak) and 60,000 gallons (running toilet) per month. To detect a slow leak, put food coloring in the toilet tank and wait up to 12 hours without flushing. If the water in the bowl turns color, your toilet tank is leaking.
   
3. Protect plumbing from freezing in cold weather. Protect pipes from freezing by insulating pipes in unheated areas. Whenever possible, drain outside faucets before freezing weather sets in.
   
4. Locate your main water valve. If a serious water leak occurs, knowing where the main water valve is will save hundreds of gallons of water and reduce the risk of property damage.