What’s That Leak Costing You?
A licensed plumber’s calculator — see the gallons and the dollars your leak wastes per year, and the cheap fix.
The faucet and showerhead figures scale from EPA WaterSense estimates (1 drip/sec faucet ≈ 3,150 gal/yr; 10 drips/min showerhead ≈ 500 gal/yr). The toilet figures are our own estimate, not EPA’s: the published EPA WaterSense toilet-leak case is a fill valve stuck wide open, which they put at 4,300 gal/day. Your dollar cost uses the rate you enter and is a planning estimate, not a bill. As an Amazon Associate, Plumbing Picks may earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you.
Don’t know your rate? I pulled the water and sewer rates for 31 major U.S. cities out of the 2025 MWRA Advisory Board rate survey — see what a water leak costs in 31 U.S. cities, including the combined cost per 1,000 gallons to type into the box above.
If the Number Shocked You: What the Fix Usually Costs
Most household leaks are cheap, DIY fixes — usually cheaper than a single month of the waste they cause:
- Running toilet — nine times out of ten it’s a worn flapper: a cheap part and a 15-minute swap. See the flappers that actually seal. If “jiggle the handle” is part of your routine, it may be the fill valve instead.
- Dripping faucet — often a scaled-up aerator or a worn cartridge, not a reason for a whole new faucet.
- Weeping pipe joint — a pipe repair clamp stops it tonight while you plan the permanent repair.
Not sure which leak you have? Run the five-step check in the 2026 Home Water Waste & Cost Report.
If yours is the classic silent toilet leak, the usual fix is a new flapper — Korky 100BP Ultra flapper — and here’s how to tell whether it’s the flapper or the fill valve.
Leaks & your water bill — quick answers
How much water does a leaky toilet waste?
A leaking toilet flapper can waste 200 gallons a day — roughly 6,000 gallons a month. Priced at the water-and-sewer rates in the MWRA Advisory Board’s 2025 retail rate survey, that is about $120 a month at the survey average, and it clears $70 in all but six of the major U.S. cities the survey prices. A fill valve stuck wide open is far worse: EPA put that case at 4,300 gallons a day and up to $1,400 a month. It’s the most common hidden cause of a high water bill, and usually a cheap flapper fixes it.
How much does a dripping faucet cost per year?
The EPA estimates a faucet dripping once per second wastes more than 3,000 gallons a year. Priced at the rates in the MWRA Advisory Board’s 2025 retail rate survey, that is about $22 a year in Las Vegas, $63 at the survey average and $132 in San Francisco — more if it drips faster. A washer or cartridge kit is inexpensive.
How do I find a hidden leak?
Check your water meter, then don’t use any water for two hours and check it again — if it moved, water is leaving somewhere. For toilets, drop food coloring in the tank and wait 10 minutes; color in the bowl means a leaking flapper.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find a hidden water leak?
Check your water meter, then avoid using any water for two hours and check it again. If it moved, water is leaving somewhere. For toilets, put food coloring in the tank and wait 10 minutes; color in the bowl means a leaking flapper.
Curious how the national numbers stack up? See our 2026 Home Water Waste & Cost Report — what household leaks actually cost, with EPA data and a 5-minute leak check.
The leaks that cost the most are the ones nobody sees: a sensor under the water heater, behind the washer and beneath the sinks turns a slow disaster into a phone alert. GoveeLife leak detectors (4-pack).
Fix the 12 Most Common Plumbing Problems Yourself — Free Plumber’s Handbook
Step-by-step fixes for the 12 most common problems — and exactly when to call a pro. Free and instant, from a licensed plumber. Save hundreds on calls you didn’t need.