People across the U.S. could save up to a trillion gallons of water a year by fixing leaks around the house and the EPA's national Fix a Leak Week, March 19-25, is a great time to get started.

Arlington Water Utilities, in partnership with the Arlington Public Library, is offering residents several ways to learn the skills needed to become leak detectives.

• Visit Arlington Water's pop-up booths at the Woodland West Branch Library, 2837 W. Park Row Drive, from 2-5 p.m. on Thursday, March 22, and at the East Arlington Branch Library, 1624 New York Ave., from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on Saturday, March 24. Water department staff will be on hand with water efficiency tips, educational games and toilet leak detection tablets to take home.
• Throughout March, the Woodland West and East Branch libraries are offering a showerhead swap. Arlington residents can exchange up to two showerheads from their home for new water-efficient models provided by Arlington Water Utilities.
• Arlington Water is also teaming up with Tarrant Regional Water District to offer a limited number of free sprinkler system check-ups for Arlington residents this spring. The EPA estimates that an irrigation system leak the size of a dime can waste about 6,300 gallons of water each month. Residents who sign up will receive a 45-minute evaluation by a local licensed irrigator. Click here to sign up.

The EPA estimates that easy to fix water leaks account for more than 1 trillion gallons of water wasted each year in U.S. homes. The average U.S. household leaks more than 10,000 gallons a year or the amount it takes to wash 270 loads of laundry, according to the EPA. Fix a Leak Week is a yearly event that is part of the Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSense campaign for efficient water use and conservation.

Here are some tips to avoid water loss at home:

• Check for leaks. Look for dripping faucets, showerheads, and other fixtures. Look under the sink, water heater and appliances for pooling water. Also, check for toilets for silent leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring into the tank and waiting 10 minutes. If color appears in the bowl before you flush, you have a leak.
• Twist and tighten hose and pipe connections. To save water without a noticeable difference in flow in your bathroom, twist on a WaterSense labeled faucet aerator.
• Replace the fixture if necessary. Look for WaterSense labeled models, which are independently certified to use 20 percent less water and perform as well as or better than standard models.