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Be a Leak Detective

Learn how to save water and fix leaks by being a leak detective!

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Plan

  • Why are water leaks a problem?
  • How can you detect a leak at home?
  • What materials do you need for this activity?
  • How long will this activity take?

Do

Activity 1:

  • Walk through your whole house, looking and listening as you go from room to room checking for any water drips
  • Write down any place you find a drip.
  • Use your watch to measure how many times it drips in one minute. If you find a pipe that isn’t dripping, but is wet, write that down too.

 

Activity 2:

  • Remove the lid off the toilet tank. (Ask an adult for help—the lid can be heavy and hard to move.)
  • Add a few drops of food coloring or a dye tablet into the tank. Do not flush the toilet.
  • Wait 10 minutes. If color appears in the toilet bowl without flushing, it has a leak.
  • Flush the toilet immediately after the experiment ends to avoid staining inside of the tank.

Review

  • What can you do to prevent leaks at home?
  • Why are leaks something to worry about?
  • What did you learn that you did not know before?
  • What are some other ways you can be more water conscious at home?
  • Remember to submit your activities on our Scouts for Sustainability Take Action Map

Materials

  • Food coloring or dye tablets
  • A clock or watch
  • A helpful grown-up
  • A toilet
  • Pen & paper or a notebook to record your leaks

Keep it Simple

  • Examine how much water you use daily at home. Using a water diary, can you tell what tasks use up the most water?

Take it Further