When you turn on your tap, you expect the water to be pure, healthy, and tasty. That is why we work hard to deliver water that meets or exceeds all state and federal health standards. In fact, we are proud to say we have never violated any Environmental Protection Agency water quality standard.
In early September 2020, we changed the way we disinfect drinking water, switching from chlorine gas to a liquid chlorine bleach that is manufactured on-site at our Bridge Filtration Plant. The new system, which uses coarse salt, water, and electrolytic conversion to make sodium hypochlorite (bleach), allows us to store enough salt at the filtration plant to last 3 months.
Installing a home water-treatment device is a personal choice. Before buying a device, you should:
- Look at our drinking water reports and test results before you choose a device.
- Decide what you want a treatment device to do. Some devices remove tastes and odors. Others remove contaminants such as lead.
- Contact National Sanitation Foundation International for information about certified water filters.
- Choose a treatment device that does what you want.
- Install and maintain the device according to manufacturer instructions. Other water quality problems can develop from lack of maintenance.
- The Oregon Health Authority offers more information in its OHA technical bulletin on treatment devices.
If your water tastes or smells of chlorine, check out some tips for removing the taste of chlorine in the water you drink. For other tastes and odors, you can try the tips below.
- Remove and clean faucet aerators.
- If you have a water filter be sure to maintain it according to the manufacturer's guidelines.
- Sometimes, household odors from drains, compost buckets, or new furnishings may be mistaken for odors in drinking water. Fill up a glass of water and take it outside or to another room to determine if tap water is the source of the odor.
- If the odor is from hot water only, it might be time to do some water heater maintenance.
- If the odor comes from cold water, the water might be sitting in pipes for a long period of time. Run water from your faucets until the water runs cold to bring in fresh water from our water main.
Try these tips on how to flush your home's pipes:
- Turn on your outside hose bibs at full force one at a time for a few minutes or until the water runs clear. Start with the hose bib closest to your water meter.
- If the water does not clear after a few minutes, wait an hour. Repeat the process until the water runs clear.
- After the outside hose bibs run clear, run the cold-water faucets at full force throughout the house.
- Start at the cold-water faucet in the bathtub because that faucet has the highest flow.
- After the tub faucet and hose bibs run clear, flush all other cold-water faucets in the house.
- After flushing, remove faucet aerators to clear any particles and then reinstall them.
Particles in your drinking water might clog your faucet aerators, but particles are usually not harmful or toxic.
Rust or other minerals in your home's plumbing could cause colored particles. A broken dip tube in your water heater could cause white flaky particles. To find out what kind of particles are collecting in your aerator:
- Place the particles in vinegar overnight.
- Minerals will dissolve in the vinegar, plastic from a dip tube will not.
You should consider replacing your dip tube if plastic pieces are clogging your aerators. To replace your dip tube, follow manufacturer instructions. Plumbers can replace dip tubes and flush remaining particles out of the water heater.
Hardness is a way of defining the mineral content of water. "Hard water" has high mineral content. "Soft water" has low mineral content. Our water is considered soft, which means it contains small amounts of minerals.
No. Over the years, our members have let us know their wishes about adding fluoride to their drinking water, as the following timeline details:
- 1953: EWEB invites members to take part in an informal vote via postcard ballots. Voters reject the use of fluoride in drinking water by a slight majority.
- 1958: In November, the issue is placed on the ballot. A growing majority of members vote against fluoridation.
- 1964: The issue returns to the ballot, and residents for the first time vote to add fluoride to the water.
- 1965: Fluoridation opponents call for a special election. Voters reverse the decision and impose a ban on the use of fluoride in drinking water.
- 1976: Local residents vote in favor of fluoridation in a November election.
- 1977: Fluoridation opponents petition for a special election. Voters again reverse the decision and impose a ban on the use of fluoride in drinking water.
