A dripping faucet or a running toilet might seem like minor annoyances — the kind of thing you notice, mentally file away, and then forget about. But water leaks waste an enormous amount of water, and they often signal problems that will worsen if ignored.
Here's how to spot them, how much they actually waste, and what to do about them.
Those numbers are striking. A single running toilet — the kind that just sounds like it's refilling briefly every so often, or that you can hear running faintly — can waste the equivalent of two full bathtubs of water every single day.
"A dripping faucet isn't a small problem. It's just a slow one. Report it today, and we'll fix it before it becomes a big one."
How to Spot a Running Toilet
Sometimes a running toilet is obvious — you can hear the water continuously trickling. But often the leak is silent. Here's how to check:
Put a few drops of food coloring (or a dye tablet, available at hardware stores) into the toilet tank — not the bowl. Wait 15 minutes without flushing. If color appears in the bowl, water is leaking from the tank through the flapper seal. This is the most common source of silent toilet leaks.
After a flush, the tank should fill and then stop running within about a minute. If you can hear running water more than 90 seconds after flushing, or if the toilet runs again at random intervals without anyone using it, there's a leak.
Turn off all water in your unit (no running taps, dishwasher, or appliances) for two hours. Check your water meter at the start and end of that period. If the reading changes, water is leaking somewhere. (Note: You may not have direct access to your meter — contact us and we can help check.)
Other Leaks to Watch For
- Under-sink cabinets: Open the cabinet under your kitchen and bathroom sinks periodically and look for pooling water, water stains, or a musty smell. Small drips from drain connections often go unnoticed for months.
- Around the base of the toilet: Water pooling around the base of the toilet (especially after flushing) indicates a failed wax ring seal — a maintenance issue that can cause floor damage if not addressed.
- Water stains on ceilings: A brown stain or wet spot on your ceiling means water is coming from above — either from a roof leak or from the unit above. Report this immediately, as the damage spreads quickly.
- Showerheads and faucet handles: Drips at the base of handles or from the showerhead when water is off indicate worn seals or cartridges — easy fixes that save significant water over time.
- Appliance connections: Periodically check behind your dishwasher and washing machine for moisture or staining. Hose connections can develop slow leaks that cause major damage before they're discovered.
Please Report It — Even If It Seems Minor
We ask residents to report leaks immediately, even small ones. Here's why: most leaks worsen over time as seals deteriorate and water pressure continues to work on weak spots. A slow drip becomes a steady drip becomes a stream. A minor fix today can become a major repair — and significant water damage — if left alone for weeks or months.
Reporting is easy: use the Resident Portal to submit a maintenance request at any time. Include where the leak is and whether it's getting worse — and attach a photo if you can. We'll schedule a repair as quickly as possible.
Beyond fixing leaks, small daily habits also add up. Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth (saves about 8 gallons per person per day). Run the dishwasher only when full. Fix that slow drip right away by reporting it. For a full list of water conservation tips, see our article: Small Changes, Big Impact: Water Conservation at Home.
Water conservation benefits everyone — it keeps utility costs manageable for the whole building and takes care of a shared resource that matters. Thank you for staying attentive to leaks and reporting them promptly.