Stop those leaks – Leaking faucets, toilets, pipes and other appliances account for 10% of domestic water usage. To find out if you have leaks, turn off all the water-using fixtures inside and outside your home (remember the ice-maker in the refrigerator), write down the reading on your meter, then check it again two or three hours later. Many meters have a small red or blue triangle on the face, which will move even at very low flow rates.
Toilet Leaks — Check for overflow; the water level may be set too high, or your shut-off valve may be leaking (leaking valves often run only at night when water system pressures tend to rise). Check the flapper by adding some dye to the cistern and watching for it in the bowl. If it’s leaking, replace it with a chlorine-resistant flapper.
Faucet leaks — Most faucet leaks are visible drips, but sometimes leaks around the handle or internals are harder to detect. A constantly dripping tap can waste as much water as you save by buying water efficient appliances. Examples of drip rates are 60 drops per minute = 192 gallons per month; 90 drops per minute = 310 gallons per month; and 120 drops per minute = 429 gallons per month.