Fixing leaks

Shan's attempt to water plant narrates story of water crisis in a sentence, where we , like the toddler shan are negligent towards the leaks in the plumbing of our house and by the time we will need those lost drops there will hardly be any water left in city reserves to supply us.
Leaks, to most of us are more of an irritation rather than a concern. There is a casual behavior amongst us, especially towards small leaks and unfortunately they are not repaired till the sound from the leak starts disturbing us. However it’s simple mathematics that an even a minuscule leak of one drop per second has the potency to send about 5 liters of water down the drain each day. However, leaks of such magnitude are mostly neglected.
There are a few things that we wish to bring to light regarding domestic water leaks. Most of the small leaks around the house generate due to wearing away of the washer which in turn happens due to repeated over tightening of the faucet. So the next time you turn off the tap, be gentle and withdraw the torque once the flow stops.
If it’s not possible to get the plumbing done immediately then try to route the water to your plants or the garden so that it is not wasted. Leaky toilets are a common issue in every other house. Check if your toilet is leaking by putting few drops of color or dye in the cistern. If there is colored water in the pot after 15 minutes then there is a leak in the flapper valve.
For a water conservative and responsible citizen monitoring of leaks around the house should be a monthly or a quarterly routine as a part of house maintenance. For that check every faucet of the house if there is a leakage, check the toilet and any other water consumption source such as water purifier. Now, close all the sources of water so that there is no water running through the meter. Notice the meter reading and hold for fifteen minutes. If there is any significant change in the reading then there is a water leak. The magnitude of change in reading determines the quantum of loss through leak and any significant leak in the monitoring should be addressed as soon as possible. A pipe leak in house can pose structural as well as health issues. Damp walls that don’t go away with repairs are often due to pipeline leakages.
Water leak awareness is very scarce in our country and due to low water tariffs, but we expect it from our readers at Planetous. Keeping an eye on plumbing in your house does not require much care or concern. Let us all understand the importance of clean water and value each drop.