A dripping tap can waste a surprising amount of water over time. WaterSafe says a dripping tap could be wasting up to 5,500 litres of water a year. The real amount depends on how fast your tap drips, so a slow drip will waste less and a fast one more.
What the WaterSafe Figure Means
The figure comes from WaterSafe advice on dripping taps, and the key words are “up to”. It is not a fixed amount for every tap. A tap that lets out a drop every few seconds is very different from one that drips steadily.
What the figure does show is that small drips add up. A drip you barely notice during the day keeps going overnight, at weekends and while you are away. Over weeks and months, that can become a lot of water going straight down the plughole.
What It Can Mean for Your Bills
If your home has a water meter, you pay for the water that passes through it. A dripping tap means you are paying for water you never use. If you are not on a meter, the drip may not change your bill directly, but it is still water being wasted.
A dripping hot tap can cost more than a cold one. The water has already been heated by your boiler or cylinder, so you lose the energy used to heat it as well as the water itself. That is one reason it is worth fixing a hot tap drip sooner rather than later.
Other Problems a Drip Can Cause
A constant drip can leave marks in the sink or bath. In hard water areas, limescale can build up where the water lands, leaving white or brown crusty stains that are hard to clean off. On some surfaces, staining may become permanent over time.
A drip can also get worse. The worn washer or cartridge that causes it tends to keep wearing, so a slow drip may turn into a steady trickle. If water is also leaking from the base of the tap or under the sink, it may soak into cabinets or flooring.
How to Check How Fast Your Tap Drips
You can get a rough idea of your own drip with a simple check. Place a cup or small jug under the tap and leave it for a set time, such as an hour. Then look at how much water has collected. A few drops suggests a slow drip, while a noticeable amount points to a faster leak.
This will not give an exact yearly figure, but it shows whether the drip is minor or more serious. Either way, a worn part is usually to blame, and our guide to fixing a dripping tap explains how we can help put it right.
If you have a tap that will not stop dripping, give us a call on 01793 569521. We help homes and businesses across Swindon and can talk you through the next steps.