Portsmouth Water is launching a new campaign called ‘Find it Fix it Friday’ to help customers identify leaks at home and reduce water waste.

Over the summer, the water company repaired more than 1,000 leaks across its network. Despite being on track to achieve its highest leak repair rate, Portsmouth Water says that 38% of leaks occur on customer-owned pipework and appliances, making tackling water waste a “shared effort”.

As a result, the water company is launching ‘Find it Fix it Friday’, where every Friday in the lead up to Christmas it will release a short video offering guidance on identifying leaks. Topics are set to include dripping taps, leaking toilets, outdoor taps, stop taps and other common sources of water waste in homes and gardens.

Insights from Portsmouth Water’s smart meter programme have also inspired the campaign. They reveal that approximately one in five households have a continuous flow of water, wasting an average of 215 litres a day.

According to the water company, one of the biggest culprits is a leaking toilet – often hidden from view. Leaking toilets can waste up to five bathtubs of water a day.

Bob Taylor, chief executive of Portsmouth Water, said: “Reducing leakage is one of our top priorities. We’re investing heavily to find and repair leaks on our network, and our teams have worked incredibly hard this year to increase the number of leaks we’re fixing.

“But leakage isn’t just a challenge for water companies. Around 38% of the leaks we identify are on customers’ own pipework, so we all have a part to play.”

He added that many leaks can be found early and fixed quickly, something he hopes the campaign will drive forward.

“We’re sharing simple, practical advice that can help customers save water, avoid unnecessary waste and protect this precious resource for the future.”

The campaign forms part of Portsmouth Water’s wider efficiency programme, which aims to help customers use water wisely in order to protect it as a natural resource.

Find it Fix it Friday videos can be accessed on Portsmouth Water’s website and social media channels, running from October 16 to December 18.