The cost of delaying fixing plumbing problems

Leaking toilets and dripping taps could be wasting hundreds of litres of water a day

Drips and leaks can be annoying but they’re not really urgent jobs are they? Well, they’re probably not likely to cause major damage in the short term but putting off fixing them could be wasting hundreds of litres of water every day. If you’re on a water meter those plumbing niggles will be costing you actual money but even if you’re not, there is a cost to the environment and it could be compromising the resilience of national water supplies, not to mention storing up bigger issues in the long term.

A recent survey by the Water Regulation Advisory Scheme (WRAS) discovered that 28% of British people would wait over a week to fix a dripping tap and 22% would wait over 4 days to fix a leaking toilet. (In our experience, it’s actually much longer than this). Those tiny drips add up and you’re probably losing a lot more water than you realise.

Did you know that…

• A dripping tap loses an average of 180 litres of water a day
• A leaking toilet loses an average of 600 litres of water a day
• A dripping shower loses an average of 21 litres of water a day

Just imagine the water being lost on a nationwide basis. It is estimated that around 400 million litres of water leaks from UK toilets EVERY DAY! Just fixing leaky loos alone could contribute 10% of the additional water capacity needed to cope with extreme drought in England by 2050.

Reasons for fixing plumbing problems quickly

There are a number of reasons why it’s always best to deal with plumbing problems sooner rather than later:

• Leaks won’t get better by themselves. A dripping tap will NEVER just resolve itself if you leave it long enough!
• Ignoring leaks will usually result in them getting much worse and could potentially cause damage to your property
• Fixing these issues when they first start is usually a much simpler task than dealing with the bigger problems that they often become. Some you can resolve yourself, others may need the services of a professional plumber
• For those on a water meter, it will be costing you money
• We have a collective responsibility to conserve water. If each of us made small efforts to deal with plumbing issues, that would be a big step towards tackling national and even global water waste

Julie Spinks, managing director of WRAS, said: “Four days might not seem like a very long time to wait before fixing a plumbing problem, but this level of delay can lead to huge water wastage, as well as potential damage to the home and increased bills. We all have a duty to use water more wisely and consider the impact we have on the environment. When a plumbing problem first arises, a quick call to a local approved plumber can not only give you peace of mind but also help ease the burden on the environment.”

How long have you been ignoring that dripping tap?

If you have a dripping tap or leaking toilet that you’ve been meaning to get fixed for a while, now is the time to take action. We can help; you can call us on 0800 0326478 or send us a message to request a plumber – don’t delay!