Fort Wayne City Utilities is sounding the alarm: a dripping faucet or running toilet in your home could be quietly draining hundreds of dollars from your wallet every year. With National Fix a Leak Week kicking off March 17, the department is rolling out extra help, free tools, and one-on-one support to stop wasted water and skyrocketing bills before they get out of hand.
Household leaks waste nearly 1 trillion gallons of water across the United States annually, according to the EPA. In Fort Wayne alone, the average family loses more than 10,000 gallons a year to leaks most people never even notice.
Why Small Drips Turn Into Huge Bills Fast
A single toilet that keeps running after flushing can waste up to 200 gallons a day. Let that go for a month and you are looking at an extra $80 to $150 on your water bill, depending on your usage tier.
“Most people don’t realize the leak until the bill hits,” said Abigail Welch, Chief Customer Support Officer for City Utilities. “By then they’ve already paid for water they never used.”
Even slow faucet drips add up. Just 10 drips per minute wastes more than 500 gallons a year, enough to fill a small above-ground pool.
Free Help Available Right Now in Fort Wayne
City Utilities has made it easier than ever to catch problems early.
Customers who see an unusual spike in usage can call the support team at (260) 427-1234 or email customerservice@cityoffortwayne.org. Staff will pull your account, compare it to past usage, and help pinpoint whether a leak is the culprit.
The department also launched a brand-new leak detection webpage packed with short how-to videos and checklists. Residents can learn:
- How to read your water meter to check for hidden leaks
- The simple dye tablet test that reveals toilet leaks in minutes
- Step-by-step instructions to replace a worn flapper (costs under $10 and takes 15 minutes)
- When to call a plumber versus fixing it yourself
MyWater Portal Gives You 24/7 Leak Alerts
More than 18,000 Fort Wayne households now use the free MyWater portal, and the number is climbing fast.
Once registered, you get hourly usage data instead of just monthly totals. The system can spot continuous flow that signals a running toilet or broken sprinkler line and sends an instant text or email alert.
Last year, MyWater notifications helped customers catch and stop leaks that would have otherwise wasted over 12 million gallons combined.
Simple Fixes That Pay for Themselves in Weeks
Here are the most common leaks Fort Wayne plumbers see and how fast the repair pays off:
- Running toilet (new flapper): $8 part, pays for itself in 10-20 days
- Dripping kitchen faucet (new cartridge): $25-40, pays for itself in 30-45 days
- Leaky outdoor spigot (new washer): $2, pays for itself in less than a week
City Utilities even mails free leak detection dye tablets to anyone who requests them. Just drop one in the toilet tank; if color appears in the bowl without flushing, you’ve got a leak.
Fort Wayne residents caught more than 4,200 household leaks last year thanks to these tools and tips, saving millions of gallons and keeping money in people’s pockets.
This week is the perfect time to walk through your house, listen for running water, and check the meter. One small fix today can keep your bill under control all year long.
What leaks have you found in your home? Drop your story in the comments below, and if you fix one this week, tag #FixALeakFortWayne on social media so we can celebrate the savings together!
