How much water does a leaky faucet waste? A lot, especially when you add up all the tiny droplets.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) a small drip has a volume of about 0.33 ml: that's about 3,000 drips in one liter of water. (Do the math conversions and that equals 11,350 drips per gallon.) So even if you're averaging a really slow drip - about 2 drips per minute - that'll add up to 92 gallons per year. Faster drips (10 drips/min) can waste up to 500 gallons a year. Multiply that with hundreds and thousands of homes with leaky faucets and you've got a lot of wasted water.

If you're good around the house, Denver Water has some good how-to steps on fixing those small leaks.

Another way to save water at the faucet is to install an aerator. It is an easy and cheap retrofit that will reduce the water flow at the sink.

Be sure to look for hidden water leaks such as pipes that may be dripping under the sink or toilet, or even at the garden hose spigot. One way to see if you have a hidden leak is to read your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If it isn't exactly the same, chances are you have a leak.

Find out how much water your leaky faucet is wasting using the fun USGS calculator.

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