If you are looking for ways to save on your water bill, you would be surprised to know how much money literally goes down the drain in the form of leaks. A small drip from a leaky faucet can waste 15 to 22 gallons of water a day.

Faucets - Most leaks result from worn washers in household faucets and showerheads. These faucets, as well as seldom-used taps in the basement or storage rooms, should be checked periodically. Faucet leaks are usually caused by worn washers or "O" rings (for washerless faucets). Repairing faucet leaks is easy. Simply turn off the water supply line to that faucet, replace the washer and turn on the line again. Many home improvement books and Web sites provide easy-to-follow directions on completing this project.

Toilets - The toilet is one of the most common water wasters but its leaks tend to be less noticeable than faucet leaks. To determine if your toilet is leaking, look at the toilet bowl after the tank has stopped filling. If water is still running into the bowl, or if water can be heard running, your toilet is leaking. Most toilet leaks occur at the overflow pipe or at the plunger ball inside the tank.

To locate a toilet leak, take the tank lid off and flush. The water level should come up to about a half inch or so below the overflow pipe. Adjust the float level control screw, if necessary, so the valve shuts off the water at the lever. If the valve itself is leaking, you may need a plumber to fix it.

Although water may not be seen or heard running, your toilet may have a silent leak. To test for a silent leak, drop a little food coloring into the tank. DO NOT FLUSH! Wait for about 10 minutes. If the food coloring appears in the toilet bowl, your toilet has a silent leak. It is probably located in or around the plunger ball or flapper valve at the bottom of the tank. These leaks are also easy to fix with parts from your local hardware or home improvement store.

Outside Taps - Check the outside taps for leaking water, particularly during the summer sprinkling season. A leaky hose connection used on your lawn or in your garden can waste thousands of gallons of water over the course of a summer. Remember to close outside faucets tightly every time you shut off the water.