Dripping Tap, Calculate Costs

Calculator for the loss of water and the costs caused by a dripping tap or faucet over time. It takes about 4 drops for one milliliter. The loss of water in any period of time can be calculated from the seconds between two drops. The financial loss is ultimately calculated from the price per cubic meter of water.

Example: one drop every 5 seconds wastes 4.3 liters of water per day. That's 1578 liters or just under 1.6 cubic meters per year. At €4.50 per m³ of cold water, the cost is €7.10. The costs are higher for warm water.

The four drops per milliliter, 0.25 milliliter per drop or 400 drops per liter are a good average. Our own measurement showed a mass of 23 grams for 100 drops. This is approximately the same value within the scope of the measuring accuracy of the kitchen scale. The standard medical drip of 0.05 milliliters is only about a fifth as large. This is because in the medical field the opening from which the drop comes is smaller. In contrast, raindrops can be up to one milliliter.
To repair a dripping faucet, decalcifying is sometimes enough; acetic acid or citric acid is suitable for this. The easiest part to decalcify is at the aerator; you can easily unscrew it with a pipe wrench and then place it in a glass with one of the above acids for a good half an hour. If the reason is deeper in the tap, this must be removed; be sure to turn off the water first! Place the seals or all parts in the acid for a good half an hour. Then wash off with clean water.
Eliminating the dripping doesn't just have a financial impact. On the one hand, any waste of water should be avoided in times of drought, and on the other hand, the sound of a dripping tap is simply annoying.