Cities of Duarte and San Marino Team With California American Water and United States Environmental Protection Agency for Fix a Leak Week

LOS ANGELES, March 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The cities of Duarte and San Marino will proclaim March 15-21, "Fix a Leak Week," to remind residents to check household plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems for leaks.

Because minor leaks account for more than one trillion gallons of wasted water each year in U.S. homes, the EPA launched "Fix a Leak Week" in order to raise awareness of water waste and water-wise practices.  California American Water is partnering with the EPA's "Fix a Leak Week" program and asked local cities in its Los Angeles County service district to encourage their residents to repair dripping faucets, running toilets, and leaky shower heads.

"The water shortages we face in California are significant and persistent," said Garry Hofer, California American Water's Los Angeles district manager.  "The bright side is that a significant amount of water waste can be eliminated through some very simple steps and easy-to-do repairs at home.  California American Water has made great strides in educating our customers on residential water conservation and we look at 'Fix a Leak Week' as an opportunity to enhance this important mission."

California American Water also offers several ways for homeowners to identify and repair dripping faucets, running toilets and leaky showerheads.  In many cases, fixture replacement parts can be installed by the customer and often pay for themselves quickly.  Some tips include:

• Leaky toilets are most often the result of a worn toilet flapper. Replacing the rubber flapper is a quick fix that could save a home up to 200 gallons of water per day.
• Reduce faucet leaks by checking faucet washers and gaskets for wear and, if necessary, replace the faucet with a WaterSense-labeled model.
• For a leaky garden hose, replace the nylon or rubber hose washer and ensure a tight connection to the spigot using pipe tape and a wrench.
• Landscape irrigation systems should be checked each spring before use to make sure they were not damaged during the winter months.

If homeowners have to replace a plumbing fixture, EPA reminds them to look for the WaterSense label.  WaterSense-labeled toilets and faucets are independently tested and certified to save water and perform as well as or better than standard models.  For more information on Fix a Leak Week, visit www.epa.gov/watersense/fixaleak.

California American Water offers rebates on water-saving appliances, free water wise surveys, leak detection kits for toilets and other conservation tools and ideas.  California American Water customers can sign-up for these services by stopping by its local office located at 8657 Grand Avenue, Rosemead, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:25 p.m., or by calling (626) 614-2536.

California American Water, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), provides high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 600,000 people.  California American Water's Los Angeles service district includes approximately 28,000 households and businesses, or a population of about 100,000 people, in the cities of Bradbury, Duarte, El Monte, Irwindale, Monrovia, Rosemead, San Gabriel, San Marino and Temple City, as well as unincorporated portions of Los Angeles County and the Baldwin Hills area.

Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest investor-owned U.S. water and wastewater utility company.  With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 16 million people in 35 states, as well as Ontario and Manitoba, Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.

SOURCE California American Water