TAMPA, Fla. — Starting Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency is urging everyone to save water as a part of its "Fix-a-Leak Week."
According to the agency, on average, a household can leak as much as 10,000 gallons of water a year through faulty sinks, toilets or other systems. At any given time, 10 percent of homes have leaks that can waste 90 gallons or more per day.
Considering Tampa's driest months tend to be during the Winter and early Spring, both the EPA and Tampa Bay Water is reminding people to save on water by checking your home for any of these types of leaks.
Tampa Bay Water explained to 10 Tampa Bay, a leaky faucet that drips once per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons of water per year. Also checking sprinkler heads or outside systems for malfunction components can make a big difference too. Adjusting settings to minimize water runoff can save up to 25,000 gallons of water in six months.
"Tampa Bay Water is asking residents to save five percent of their water use. A very easy way to do that is just fix household leaks. Go to your toilet flapper and if it's leaking fix it. That can save you up to 200 gallons per day," said Brandon Moore with Tampa Bay Water.
In addition, the organization says to consider replacing old or inefficient toilets, and remember to check out Tampa Bay Water Wise to see if you qualify for a rebate.
Despite more than three inches of rain in February, Tampa Bay is still in a stage one water shortage, with a drought alert of a 5.4-inch rain deficit over the past year.
During dry times, water use typically goes up because homeowners water their lawns more often in order to keep their grass green. But because of this drought, many areas along the coast have enacted water restrictions including Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas Counties.
Watering restrictions are created by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and designed to conserve water during the driest months of the year.
Check these local municipalities for more information regarding when you're allowed to water your lawn.