EThekwini residents must avoid ignoring a leaking tap and having water dripping steadily for any length of time.

This is the advice from Sipho Phungula, a professional plumber from KwaDabeka, as eThekwini Municipality is experiencing significant water losses due to leaks, illegal connections and billing inefficiencies.

Phungula says leaking taps and water dripping from pipes can be incredibly costly and damaging to the home when ignored for a lengthy time. The plumber also shares in the video below the five steps that can be used by anyone who wants to change a tap washer at home.

“Water dripping from your tap is not just costly when it comes to essential repairs. Having a steady drip of water can increase your water bills substantially over time. Not to mention that this is a huge waste of water, so it is not very energy efficient. Getting your tap fixed quickly saves money and water,” he says.

However, Phungula highlighted that sometimes a leaking tap indicates that a washer within the tap has worn away, and this can be straightforward to replace. He added: “Some people complete these repairs themselves at home. Tap washer can be changed by anyone regardless of gender.”