A dripping tap is easy to ignore. The drip is slow, the waste seems trivial, and the repair feels like something to get to eventually. But the numbers are less trivial than they sound — and the reasons a tap drips are worth understanding before deciding whether to fix it yourself or call someone.
How Much a Dripping Tap Actually Wastes
A tap dripping once per second wastes around 15,000 litres of water per year — roughly the equivalent of 100 full baths. A faster drip, or a tap that runs to a thin stream, can waste two or three times that. At UK water rates, this is measurable on your bill. For a household on a water meter, the savings from fixing two dripping taps can easily exceed £100 per year.
"A single dripping tap can waste up to 5,500 litres of water per year. Fixing a dripping tap is one of the simplest ways a household can reduce its water consumption and, on a metered supply, its water bill."— Waterwise — Save Water: Taps
Traditional Taps — Washers and O-Rings
A traditional pillar tap (separate hot and cold) drips because the rubber washer at the bottom of the spindle has hardened and no longer seats properly against the valve seat. Replacing a washer requires turning off the water to that tap (via the isolation valve under the sink, or the main stopcock), removing the tap head, unscrewing the packing nut and spindle, and replacing the washer — a job that takes fifteen minutes with the right tools. The tap may also need the valve seat reground if it is corroded, which requires a seat grinder tool.
Ceramic Disc Cartridges
Most modern taps use a ceramic disc cartridge rather than a rubber washer. These last longer but can still fail, particularly if there is grit or limescale in the water supply. A dripping ceramic-disc tap is fixed by replacing the entire cartridge — which must match the make and model of the tap exactly. Budget tap brands can make cartridge sourcing difficult; in those cases, replacing the tap entirely is often the more practical option.
Mixer Taps
A mixer tap with a single lever has a single ceramic cartridge that controls both temperature and flow. Leaking from the spout usually means cartridge failure. Leaking from the base of the tap where it meets the sink usually means worn O-rings on the body. The two repairs require different approaches.
"The key distinction when diagnosing a dripping tap is whether water is coming from the spout (usually a worn washer or cartridge) or from around the tap handle or body (usually a failed O-ring or packing). Mixing these up leads to unnecessary work and a tap that still drips."— Which? — How to Fix a Dripping Tap
When to Call a Plumber
Call a plumber if: you cannot turn off the water to the tap (the isolation valve is seized or missing); the tap is old enough that internal parts are corroded or stripped; the valve seat is damaged and needs regrinding; or the tap is a thermostatic mixer (common in showers and some bath-shower combinations) where the internal mechanism is complex and requires manufacturer-specific knowledge.
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