▼

Utilities - Treatment Information

Show All Answers

1. The water pressure in my area is low. Why? Who should I contact?

Possible causes for low pressure in your house might be:

• A plumbing problem


• Screens on the faucets are plugged


• The main valve at the water meter is off or partially off

Possible causes for low pressure in your area might be:

• A main break in your area


• A major fire


• Water main construction work


• Water main maintenance work

If you are experiencing low pressure problems, please contact the Customer Service Department at 219.462.6174 ext. 1322.

2. Why is the water brown?

Brown water is caused by iron and other materials stirred up in the water mains. This can be caused by a water main break, Street Department street sweepers pulling water from the hydrants, or Water Department crews flushing out hydrants, etc. The water is safe to drink, but do not wash whites, since the clothes will become discolored.

If you are experiencing this problem, simply turn on any cold water faucet (do not turn on the hot water faucet), and let the cold water run for a few minutes. This should clean out the residue in your service line.

If the water does not clear up, please contact the water operations manager at 219.462.6174 ext. 1340.

3. I just washed my clothes and the whites are orange. Why? What can I do about it?

Brown water is caused by iron and other materials stirred up in the water mains. This can be caused by a water main break, Street Department street sweepers pulling water from hydrants, or Water Department crews flushing out hydrants, etc. Our office attempts to contact all affected customers when a main break occurs, but we don't always succeed.

If you have rust-colored whites due to brown water, please contact the Flint Lake Treatment Plant at 219.462.6174 ext. 1340. One of our representatives will deliver a bag of Iron Out, a product that will remove the discoloring, to you with a set of instructions, or you may pick-up a bag at the customer service window.

4. Why is my water cloudy?

If the water is cloudy, it will clear up after it sits for a short time. Cloudiness in the water is caused by air in the distribution lines. However, cloudiness that does not dissipate may be calcium. If you have this problem, please contact the water operations manager at 219.462.6174 ext. 1340.

5. I am getting white scale on my dishes. What is causing this? How do I get rid of it?

White scale on dishes and fixtures is usually caused by the calcium carbonate or hardness in the water. White vinegar will usually remove the deposits.

6. What is the hardness of the water? And what about iron, fluoride, and chlorine?

There are 17 to 22 grains per gallon of water.

Iron levels discharged from the treatment plants are from 0.03 to 0.06 milligrams per liter or parts per million. Iron levels can be higher due to the iron pipes in the distribution system. On rare occasions, problems in the filtration process can cause higher levels of iron to be discharged from the treatment plants.

Fluoride is added to our water. The levels of fluoride are kept around 1.0 to 1.3 milligrams per liter or parts per million.

Chlorine is added to disinfect the water. Chlorine levels vary depending on the distribution system. The chlorine levels in the water discharged from the treatment plants ranges from 1.2 to 1.5 milligrams per liter or parts per million.

7. I can taste chlorine in my water. Is this a problem?

This depends on temperature conditions. We adjust the amount of chlorine at the plants daily. When the air temperature gets warmer, we have to increase the chlorine level because heat will dissipate the chlorine. The water smells because as we adjust the level up and the air temperature cools, more chlorine will remain in the water than if the air temperature had stayed warmer. There is no harm in drinking the water.

If you have any questions, please contact the water operations manager at 219.462.4542 ext. 22.

8. How do I obtain information on the chemical analysis of the water at the tap?

The chemical analysis of our water is available online. If you have any questions, please contact the water operations manager at 219.462.6174 ext. 1340.

9. How do I arrange a tour of the plant facilities?

Please call the plant manager at 219.462.6174 ext. 1340. Our tours are done at the Flint Lake Treatment Plant I and II located at Flint Lake on the north side of Valparaiso.