South West Water is urging customers in Exeter, East and Mid-Devon to check for hidden toilet leaks after its water efficiency specialists found leaking toilets in around one in four homes they visited.
So far in 2026, South West Water has completed 2,874 visits through its free home water audit programme and identified 738 leaking toilets.
Together, these hidden leaks were wasting an estimated 184,500 litres of water every day, which is equivalent to more than 67 million litres a year.
Leaky loos are one of the most common water-saving opportunities identified during home visits. Often silent and difficult to spot, a leaking toilet can allow clean drinking water to continuously flow into the toilet pan without homeowners realising.
South West Water is now encouraging customers to carry out a simple check at home to identify potential leaks before seeking further support from its water efficiency specialists if needed.
How to check for hidden leaks in four easy steps:
- 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.
Megan Williams, Water Efficiency Delivery Manager at South West Water, said: "Our home audits have shown that leaky loos are much more common than many people realise.
"We'd encourage customers to take a few minutes to carry out a simple check at home. If you think your toilet may be leaking, our water efficiency team may be able to help you to fix these leaks through a free home water audit.
"Finding and fixing these leaks helps to save valuable drinking water, protect our water resources and help customers manage their water use and save them money if on a meter."
Customers who suspect they may have a leaking toilet are encouraged to check whether they are eligible for a free home water audit.
During a home audit visit, South West Water's water efficiency specialists will check areas around the home and can help identify hidden water waste, provide tailored water-saving advice, recommend practical steps to reduce water consumption, install water-saving devices and repair leaking toilets and dripping taps where they can.
For more information on checking for toilet leaks, fixing common problems and finding out whether you are eligible for a free home water audit, visit Check your toilet for leaks - SWW