Bournemouth Water is encouraging customers to carry out a simple check at home to identify hidden toilet leaks which could be wasting thousands of litres of water every year.
Leaky loos are one of the most common sources of water loss in the home, yet often they go unnoticed. Many toilet leaks are silent, allowing water to continuously trickle into the pan without people realising.
A single leaking toilet can waste up to 400 litres of water a day, making it one of the biggest sources of household water waste and a key focus of Bournemouth Water's water efficiency programme.
So far in 2026, Bournemouth Water has identified and repaired 153 leaking toilets across the region. These repairs are saving an estimated 38,250 litres of water every day, equivalent to 13.9 million litres of water a year.
Check for hidden leaks in four easy steps
To help reduce water waste, Bournemouth Water is encouraging households to carry out a simple toilet roll test to check for hidden toilet leaks.
- Leave your toilet for around an hour after the last flush
- Place a few sheets of dry toilet paper against the back of the toilet pan.
- Leave it for a few minutes without flushing.
- Check whether the paper has become wet.
- If it has, your toilet may have a hidden leak.
If a leak is identified, customers can access step-by-step advice on fixing common toilet leaks through Bournemouth Water's website.
Megan Williams, Water Efficiency Delivery Manager at Bournemouth Water, said: "Many toilet leaks are completely silent, meaning customers can be wasting large amounts of water without realising it.
"By taking just a few minutes to carry out a simple toilet roll test, customers can identify potential leaks and take action to stop valuable drinking water being wasted, and to save money if they are on a water meter. Reducing water waste helps protect precious water resources and can also help households better understand and manage their water use."
For more information on carrying out the toilet roll test, fixing a leaking toilet and finding out whether you are eligible for a free home water audit, visit Save water | Bournemouth Water