To mark World Plumbing Day on 11 March, WaterSafe, the UK’s register of approved contractors working with drinking water, is warning people not to ignore a leaky loo.
Even a small trickle can waste up to 400 litres of water every day and cost the bill payer up to £400 extra per year, according to a statement.
The company have said that it’s easy to check if your loo is leaking – the water may run or drip down the back of the pan and into the toilet bowl, or the toilet might start re-filling randomly when it hasn’t been used it for a while.
Another way to tell is to wait 30 minutes after flushing, then run a piece of tissue around the back of the bowl. If it becomes wet this may indicate a leak. Other signs to look out for are dripping overflow pipes, located on an outside wall.
Julie Spinks, director of WaterSafe, said: “I understand it’s easy to ignore a leaky loo and put off fixing it until another day, but people are potentially wasting a lot of money if they have a water meter and pay for what they use, as well as wasting a lot of water.
“I’d recommend always using an approved plumber to fix a leaky loo, as drinking water can be contaminated if toilet pipes running to and from your toilet are not properly connected.
“The WaterSafe website has a comprehensive list of qualified plumbers trained to work with your plumbing system and who are supported by your local water company and the drinking water regulators.”