Money is tight right now. And your home’s plumbing might be making it worse without you even knowing it. A running toilet wastes up to 200 litres of water every single day. A dripping faucet adds another 75. Most London Ontario homeowners have never thought about how much water — and money — is quietly disappearing through their fixtures every month.
The good news is that most water waste is fixable. Some of it you can fix yourself in five minutes. Some of it needs a licensed plumber. Here’s how to tell the difference — and what each fix actually saves you.
How Much Water Are You Actually Wasting
Before we talk about fixes, here are the numbers worth knowing for a London Ontario home.
A running toilet is the single biggest source of household water waste. It can leak up to 200 litres per day — silently, because the water runs from the tank directly into the bowl without ever reaching the floor. You often don’t notice it until your water bill arrives.
A dripping faucet that drops once per second wastes around 75 litres per day. A leaky pipe hidden behind a wall or under a floor can waste 120 litres or more — and causes structural damage to your subfloor and walls while it runs. The average 8-minute shower uses 64 litres. Running a half-full dishwasher wastes 15 litres per unnecessary cycle.
None of these feel dramatic. However they add up to real money every month on your City of London water bill.
5 Ways to Stop Wasting Water at Home
We put together a short video breaking down five easy fixes for common water waste in London Ontario homes. Watch it below and then read the detail on each one.
Watch: 5 Ways You Might Be Wasting Water at Home
1. Reduce Long Showers
The average shower uses approximately 8 litres per minute. An 8-minute shower uses 64 litres. Cutting two minutes off your daily shower saves over 5,000 litres per year — per person. For a family of four that’s significant.
Furthermore if your showerhead is older than 10 years it’s likely using more water than modern fixtures are designed to. A low-flow showerhead reduces flow from 8 litres per minute to around 4 — cutting shower water use by up to 50% with no noticeable drop in pressure.
2. Switch to a Low-Flow Showerhead
This is one of the easiest upgrades in your home. A quality low-flow showerhead costs $30 to $80. Installation takes 10 minutes. And the water savings pay for it within weeks.
If you’re not sure which showerhead suits your home’s water pressure — particularly if you have lower pressure in an older London neighbourhood — a plumber can assess your pressure and recommend the right unit. Installation with a pressure check runs a standard service call.
3. Fix Leaky Pipes and Dripping Faucets — Don’t Ignore Them
This is where most homeowners lose the most money. A single dripping faucet wastes 75 litres per day. A slow leak in a pipe behind your wall wastes more — and causes damage you won’t see until it’s expensive.
Leaks around toilets, faucets, and supply lines are the most common sources. Check under every sink monthly. Look for moisture, staining, or soft spots in the cabinet base. If your water bill has increased without a clear reason — that’s your signal to call a plumber.
A licensed plumber finds and fixes leaks properly. Not a patch that holds for six months — a proper repair or replacement with the right parts.
Learn more about Triton’s plumbing services in London Ontario
4. Stop Using Your Toilet as a Trash Can
Every flush uses 5 to 7 litres of water. Toilets are the biggest single source of water use in the home. Flushing tissues, cotton balls, or anything other than toilet paper adds unnecessary flushes and can cause drain blockages that cost real money to clear.
Furthermore if your toilet is running — that constant hissing sound after the tank fills — it’s wasting up to 200 litres per day. A running toilet is almost always caused by a worn flapper. It’s an inexpensive part. However left unfixed it adds up fast on your water bill. We have a full step-by-step video on fixing a running toilet on our YouTube channel if you want to attempt it yourself.
5. Run Full Loads — Dishwasher and Washing Machine
Running a half-full dishwasher uses the same amount of water as a full load. Every unnecessary cycle wastes 15 litres. Over a month that adds up. Use the light cycle when loads aren’t heavily soiled and wait until the dishwasher is full before running it.
The same applies to your washing machine. A full load on a cold water cycle is the most efficient combination — and it extends the life of your clothing.
When to Call a Plumber vs Fix It Yourself
Here’s the honest breakdown.
You can fix yourself:
- Shortening shower time
- Running full dishwasher loads
- Soaking dishes before hand washing
- Replacing a basic showerhead on a standard fixture
- Replacing a toilet flapper — watch our YouTube video for a full walkthrough
Call Triton:
- Running toilet that you can’t diagnose
- Dripping faucet on a cartridge or valve that needs disassembly
- Any suspected pipe leak — behind walls, under floors, or in the mechanical room
- Low water pressure that doesn’t improve after checking the showerhead
- Any plumbing repair in a heritage home where old pipe materials are involved
Repairs don’t carry a warranty. New fixtures and parts installed by a licensed plumber come with both a manufacturer warranty and Triton’s own installation warranty. That’s worth factoring into the decision.
Book a plumbing assessment with Triton Home Service
Why Choose Triton Home Service for Your London Ontario Plumbing
Triton Home Service is a licensed Red Seal Plumbing company serving London, Woodstock, St. Thomas, and Southwestern Ontario since 2010. Owner Aron Oretan is a Licensed Red Seal Plumber and Steamfitter with 26 years in the trade, licences in plumbing, steamfitting, and gas fitting, and five years teaching at Fanshawe College.
We show up on time. We protect your home while we work. We quote before we start. And we stand behind every job with a warranty on our installation work.
317 five-star Google reviews from London and area homeowners tell you what that means in practice.
Frequently Asked Questions About Saving Water in London Ontario
How much water does a running toilet waste in London Ontario? A running toilet wastes up to 200 litres per day — silently, as water leaks from the tank into the bowl. Over a month that’s 6,000 litres of water you’re paying for and not using. It’s almost always caused by a worn flapper and is one of the easiest plumbing repairs to make.
Is London Ontario water hard enough to affect my fixtures and appliances? London city water runs between 6 and 7 grains per gallon of hardness — considered hard by water quality standards. Over time mineral scale builds up inside showerheads, faucet aerators, and water heaters. A low-flow showerhead, annual water heater maintenance, and a water softener all help extend the life of your fixtures and reduce waste.
What’s the most effective single thing I can do to reduce my water bill in London Ontario? Fix leaks. A running toilet and a dripping faucet together can waste over 275 litres per day. Fixing both in a single service call typically pays for itself within one or two billing cycles through water bill savings alone.
How do I know if I have a water leak I can’t see? Check your water meter when no water is running anywhere in the house. If the meter is moving you have a leak somewhere. Other signs include unexplained increases in your water bill, moisture or staining inside sink cabinets, soft spots in flooring, or musty odours near walls.
Start Saving Water — and Money — Today
Small changes make a real difference on your water bill. Fix the leaks you can fix yourself. Call Triton for the ones you can’t. And if you’re not sure which category your problem falls into — call us and we’ll tell you honestly.
Licensed Red Seal Plumber. 26 years in the trade. Serving London, Woodstock, St. Thomas, and Southwestern Ontario since 2010.
Book your plumbing service call with Triton Home Service
For reference: City of London Water Conservation Program — City of London Ontario
Aron Oretan is a Licensed Red Seal Plumber and Steamfitter, UA Certified Instructor, and founder of Triton Home Service. With 26 years in the trade, licences in plumbing, steamfitting, and gas fitting, and five years teaching at Fanshawe College, he brings classroom expertise and field experience to every job in London, Woodstock, St. Thomas, and Southwestern Ontario. Phone: 226-270-6424 | tritonservice.ca
