Believe it or not, a leak of just 1/10th of a gallon per minute can result in over 4,000 gallons of water wasted per month, or more than $20 extra on your water bill. Don't let a toilet leak drain your pockets throughout the year. Here are some simple things you can do to identify and correct the issue:

Leak identification

Did you know that leaking toilets don't always make noise? You can check for leaks by placing a couple of drops of food coloring into your tank. You can also use dye tablets (shown in photo at top right). Wait 15 minutes without flushing. If color shows up in the bowl, it means you have a leak (see photo at bottom right). The quicker the color shows up, the bigger the leak is.  Make the fix; sometimes all you need is a new flapper.

Repair options

Depending on the leak, you can try some quick solutions such as:

• Depending on the age of the toilet and the extent of repairs, consider replacing your old unit with a 0.8 gallons-per-flush model. You might even qualify for a rebate.
  


• Check the condition of your flapper and replace it if necessary.
  
  
• Adjust the water level in your tank. You may see a line indicating the suggested water level on the refill tube or inside the tank. If not, fill the water to 1/2 inch-3/4 inch below the top of the refill tube.
  
  
•  Check the condition of your fill valve and replace it if necessary.