New Jersey American Water Reminds Customers That Each Drop Adds Up During Fix a Leak Week

March 19, 2018

Stop leaks and save money with free materials and resources to help
reduce the trillion-plus gallons of water lost in residential leaks
every year

VOORHEES, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–New Jersey American Water and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) are reaching out to promote Fix
a Leak Week, which runs from March 19-25. The national campaign,
part of the EPA’s WaterSense program, helps to raise awareness about
small leaks and other water that may be inadvertently wasted within
homes. With more than 110 million households in this country, a
seemingly minor leak from a faucet, showerhead, toilet, or other
appliance can collectively result in a tremendous amount of wasted
water. With the average residence losing 10,000 gallons a year, this
means that more than a trillion gallons of water are lost annually
nationwide through leaks occurring within homes. Through initiatives
like Fix a Leak Week, the hope is that by prompting action, that amount
can be significantly reduced.

“Most people may not realize that even the smallest leaks can waste
thousands of gallons per year, which has an impact on water bills,” said
Tom Shroba, New Jersey American Water Vice President of Operations. “For
the more than 658,000 customer properties we serve in New Jersey, that
means collectively up to 5.8 billion gallons of treated water – enough
to fill up MetLife Stadium about six times – are being lost to household
leaks annually. Fortunately, most common household leaks are easily
correctable, and can be incorporated as part of spring cleaning
routines.”

On an institutional level, New Jersey American Water is committed to
finding and fixing leaks by using innovative leak detection technology
and replacing or upgrading water pipelines that have reached the end of
their useful life. The company’s operations and engineering teams are
using acoustic monitoring to find and fix leaks before they lead to main
breaks. This technology has helped the company achieve an average 17
percent water loss (compared to statewide averages of 25 to 30 percent)
and has provided savings of up to $1.9 million in the first two years
and an estimated 1.7 million gallons of water per day. This technology,
along with replacing aging pipelines and upgrading treatment and
distribution facilities, is included in the $350 million in annual
investments New Jersey American Water makes to continue to provide
clean, safe, reliable water to customers.

To assist customers with at-home leak repairs and prevention, New Jersey
American Water has produced a helpful infographic
including tips on finding and fixing common, and some not-so-common,
indoor and outdoor water leaks. A downloadable leak detection kit is
also available through American Water’s website, www.amwater.com.

New Jersey American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK),
is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing
high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to
approximately 2.7 million people. For more information, visit www.newjerseyamwater.com
and follow New Jersey American Water on Twitter
and Facebook.
With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and
most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater
utility company. The company employs more than 6,900 dedicated
professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water,
wastewater and other related services to an estimated 15 million people
in 46 states and Ontario, Canada. American Water provides safe, clean,
affordable and reliable water services to our customers to make sure we
keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit www.amwater.com.