Stafford County Utilities is encouraging residents to participate in Fix a Leak Week, which runs from March 16 to 22, as part of a national campaign sponsored by the United States Environmental Protection Agency WaterSense program. The initiative aims to help the public identify and repair household leaks that can waste nearly one trillion gallons of water annually across the country.
The campaign highlights the importance of water conservation and cost savings for households. According to Stafford County Utilities, “The average household’s leaks waste nearly 10,000 gallons of water per year, which is enough to wash 300 loads of laundry. Cumulatively, that amounts to more than one trillion gallons of water.” Common sources include worn toilet flappers, dripping faucets, and leaking valves—issues that are often easy and inexpensive to fix.
Residents are advised to follow three main steps: check for leaks in toilets, faucets, showerheads, sprinklers, and other fixtures; twist and tighten hose and pipe connections; and replace fixtures with WaterSense-labeled models if necessary. The county also recommends checking your water meter before and after periods of no usage to detect hidden leaks. Customers should inspect irrigation systems for broken sprinkler heads or detached drip lines during daylight hours.
In addition to these efforts at home, Stafford County Public Schools District enrolled 31,700 students during the 2023-24 school year according to the Virginia Department of Education. Brooke Point High School had the highest enrollment among the county’s schools with 2,242 students as reported by the department. White students made up the largest ethnic group in Stafford County schools at 38.9%, followed by Hispanic students at 24.5% according to state data. Overall enrollment increased by 1.7% compared with the previous year according to official figures.
Among early education centers in Stafford County during this period, Rising Star Early Childhood Education Center at Melchers enrolled the most pre-kindergarten students with 292 children—54.5% of all pre-kindergarteners in the county according to state records. Rocky Run Elementary School welcomed the largest number of kindergarteners with 148 students or about 7.4% of all kindergarteners in Stafford County as noted by education officials.
Stafford County Utilities urges customers: “Take 10 minutes this week to check for leaks and, if necessary, repair them.” The department encourages participation in EPA’s Ten Minute WaterSense Challenge as a way for residents to track their progress toward saving both money and water.
