Summer time is here! And that means spending days by the pool, chasing the ice cream truck, grilling out and—an important one not to forget—checking to make sure your house is leak free.

Summer in Arlington means significantly increased water usage, and any overlooked leaks in your house or sprinkler system could skyrocket your water bill.

Q: How do I know if I have a leak?
There are many ways to check for leakage yourself, just take a look at the creative YouTube
videos available.

One of the easiest and most reliable ways to check, however, is to pick out a two-hour window during the day when no water will be used. This can be during a grocery run, while you go to the gym or are at work. Check your water meter at the beginning of this two-hour window and jot the number down. And then check the meter again at least two hours later.

If no water was used but the number changed, that’s a sure sign that you have a leak
somewhere in your home.

Q: Where will I find leaks?
Checking your faucets and pipes can be a good way to spot surface leaks. If you do have a
surface leak, you’ll find water outside (but around) these spaces.

Toilets can also be common culprits for household leaks. An easy way to check if your toilet is leaking is to place a drop of food coloring into the back of the tank. If 10-15 minutes later you see some of the coloring has moved to the bowl, chances are you need to replace your toilet’s flapper.

Q: What can be done by Arlington residents?
Arlington Water customers can check their water levels remotely and online, and can
specifically check for abnormally high water usage and receive alerts directly on the Arlington Water website.

Checking your water levels and plumbing to detect leaks is of the highest importance during the summer, not just to save the world but to make sure you aren’t paying too much for you water bill! Fixing the leaks correctly is just as important as being locating them, however, and Arlington Water Utilities and Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) want to make sure you can handle both like a pro.

So, where to start? Make sure to register for the Arlington Water and TRWD joint event at the Arlington Public Library’s Lake Arlington Branch at 4000 W. Green Oaks Boulevard on Tuesday, July 16th . The two will be hosting a completely free “Care and Repair DIY Sprinkler System Workshop” from 6:30–8:00 pm. If you can’t make it that day, there will be another session at the same time on Thursday, August 8th at the George W. Hawkes Downtown Library, 100 S. Center St.

This workshop provides Arlington residents with tips and tricks for DIY sprinkler care and repair, and will be led by the ex-Water Resources Program Specialist at Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension Service, Dr. Dotty Woodson.

Sprinkler reparation and maintenance is important for both the city as well as for you own wallet. A single damaged sprinkler head can rack up to 25 thousand gallons of wasted water in just six months. This adds up to a whole lot of water wasted for the city and a whole lot of dollars that you shouldn’t have on your water bill.

Make sure you don’t get overcharged this summer, and start by registering for one of the
workshops now. Hurry, because the first 30 people to pre-register will receive a free moisture meter at check in!