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| Is my water
safe to drink? |
| Standards for safe drinking water have
been established by the United States Environmental Protection
Agency and in the State of California by the Department of Health
Services. Palmdale Water District meets or exceeds all these
standards so you can be assured that your water is safe to drink.
A Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) is mailed to all customers
in our service area every year as well as being available on
our web site. This report contains levels of different constituents
found in the water supply during the previous sampling period
and their health implications on humans. For a copy of the CCR,
call our district office at (661) 947-4111 or it can be reviewed
online at PWD
- Water Confidence Report. For more information on CCR,
please visit the California Department of Public Health web site located
at http://www.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/drinkingwater/Pages/CCR.aspx. |
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| Why is my
water milky and white in appearance? |
| Milky water is usually due to air bubbles
being present in the water. If the bubbles rise to the top and
the water clears from the bottom of the glass to the top in
a few minutes, the milkiness is due to air. Air is prevalent
in well water and about 40% of the water supplied by Palmdale
Water District come from local well sources. We have air relief
valves at different locations in our water distribution system
to allay this problem but weather conditions dictate how much
dissolved air is released from the water. When cold water saturated
with air attains ambient temperature, the air is released in
the form of minute air bubbles. Air in your water is not a health
hazard. On the other hand, if your water contains very fine
"floc" that settle slowly to the bottom of the glass,
the milkiness may be caused by corroding galvanized pipe in
the plumbing causing a high level of zinc in the water. Call
our district office at (661) 947-4111 so we can investigate the
source of the problem. |
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| Should I
be concerned if my water is colored, rusty, or contains foreign
particles? |
If you have just returned from vacation
or a tap in one part of your house has not been opened for several
days, discolored water may run from the tap for a while and
the water usually clears up quickly. This is because stagnant
water in iron pipeline or faucets will promote corrosion and
cause rusty colored water. Occasionally, a home water treatment
device like a water softener or carbon filter may malfunction
and release ion exchange resin beads or fine charcoal particles
respectively. These are easily identified since the ion exchange
beads are round and look like orange sand or fish eggs while
the carbon filter particles are black. Softening the water may
also make the water more corrosive than water with some hardness
and therefore cause corrosion to the house plumbing system.
For this and other reasons, it may be advisable to soften only
the home hot water that is used mostly for washing and bathing
especially if you are on a low sodium diet. If you believe the
problem is from our water supply, please give us a call at
(661)
947-4111 so that we can perform a thorough investigation. |
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| The water
is causing scale on my cooking utensils and my glassware is becoming
coated with white film or spots, what is the cause and what
can I do? |
| Spots on glassware or scale on taps
and cooking utensils is due to water hardness. Hardness in
drinking water is caused by two minerals, Calcium and Magnesium.
If water contains substantial amounts of these minerals, the
water is said to be hard because making lather with soap for
washing is difficult (hard). However, water is safe to drink
regardless of its hardness.
Hardness is measured in parts per million of Calcium Carbonate
which is identical to the mineral found in calcium vitamin
supplements and in milk. For this and other reasons, it may
be advisable to soften only the home water that is used for
washing and bathing especially if you are on a low sodium
diet. If you believe the spots and white film on your utensils
and glassware is from a source other than hardness in the
water, please give us a call at (661) 947-4111 so that we can
perform a thorough investigation. |
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| I believe
my family became ill from drinking tap water. Is this possible? |
Water supplied by Palmdale Water District
is under the jurisdiction of California State Department of
Health Services and we comply with the strict standards and
regulations of this department. Samples of water are taken
regularly from selected points in the distribution system
for bacteriological and chemical analysis to ensure that the
water is safe for consumption at all times. However, if you
have installed a home treatment device like a water softener,
reverse osmosis system, activated carbon filter, faucet filter
system, dispenser or pitcher, the quality of water supplied
by Palmdale Water District cannot be guaranteed. If you do
not follow manufacturer's maintenance and filter cartridge
replacement instructions, you may be introducing bacteria
to an otherwise safe water supply. Also, note that your drinking
water is not the only thing that can make you sick. Food,
especially unwashed fruits and vegetables and undercooked
meat and meat products are more likely sources of illness.
Consult your physician and be ready to provide his or her
name if it has been determined that your drinking water is
the source of your illness. The information you give us will
help in sampling and analyzing the water sample from your
house for possible contamination. Call our District Office
at (661) 947-4111.
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| Can the
chlorine in my tap water cause skin irritation? |
The physical and chemical characteristic
quality of our water supply is consistent. We perform bacteriological
tests on the water every week and general physical characteristic
on a monthly basis at locations representative of our distribution
system. However, if you just moved into our water service
area from a community with substantially different water chemistry,
it may take some time for your body to adjust to these changes.
You should also be informed that other conditions have been
proven to cause skin irritation. It is a known fact that certain
detergents cause skin irritation for some people. Recent change
in the type or brand of skin care products like soaps, lotion,
shampoos, etc. can lead to skin irritation. Dryness of the
skin is common in the winter months and bathing or showering
will compound the problem because water will wash oils out
of the skin. Chlorine residual is maintained in the water
supply to serve as disinfectant. The level of chlorine in
your treated water is safe to drink, too low to harm your
skin and will not be absorbed into the skin and get into your
body. If you experience skin irritation, we suggest you consult
your physician. If your physician concludes that your skin
ailment is from the water supply, give us a call at (661) 947-4111
with your doctor's information so that we can determine the
necessary analysis to perform on the water sample from your
residence. |
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What
is causing our water to smell and taste funny? |
At certain times of the year, particular
types of algae or green mossy growths are present in the raw
water reservoirs. These algae impart seasonal taste and odor
usually confined to short periods during spring. Growth of algae
can be destroyed by treatment with copper sulfate. We have adopted
continuous copper treatment on the lake varying our dosage with
the level of algae growth from spring to fall. This practice
has substantially reduced the incidents of taste and odor problems
in our distribution system. Lake circulation device called Solar Bees®
have been strategically located at seven spots on the lake to
induce continuous water movement thereby preventing the occurrence
of major algae blooms. We also have a distribution system-flushing
program to ensure that water quality is maintained at dead ends
in the system.
People have called to complain that they smell and taste chlorine
in the water. Chlorine is added to water to destroy disease-producing
bacteria. Some residual chlorine is maintained in the distribution
system to prevent possible re-growth. Even though the chlorine
dosage at the filter plant and our well sites is low and closely
controlled, few very sensitive customers detect it. Your water
is safe to drink but if you are very sensitive to chlorine smell
and taste, you can install activated carbon filter also called
adsorption filter purchased from a reputable manufacturer. Information
about this kind of device can be obtained by following this
link located on the California Department of Public Health - Drinking Water Program
website. However, please note that you must follow manufacturer’s
installation and maintenance instructions for the device to
be effective.
Kitchen and bathroom faucets are places where odor complaint
is rampant. The source of the complaint has often been traced
to partially blocked sink drain or garbage disposal. The sink
odor may be misconstrued as coming from the tap water. If your
kitchen or bathroom sink seems to be the only place where you
smell the water, collect a glass of water from the tap and walk
away from the sink. If the odor is not evident from the glass
but evident when standing over the sink, then it can be concluded
that the odor is coming from the drain. Screen on the sink tap
can also be a source of organism growth and odor. Cleaning and
sanitizing the screen, drain and sink with a bleach solution
will usually relieve the problem.
After eating certain foods like cranberries, spinach, or foods
with peppermint flavoring, the water may seem to have a peculiar
taste. When a person is ill, certain food or medicine can cause
an assumed water taste and odor. If you have been away on vacation
for a while, it may be necessary to flush you tap to clear the
line of smelly stagnant water. Improper care of home treatment
devices like softener, carbon filter, reverse osmosis system,
etc, may be a source of taste and odor. Water heaters need to
be drained once in a while since heat loving bacteria that cause
taste and odor may thrive and affect the house plumbing. If
you believe the odor problem is from our water supply, please
give us a call at (661) 947-4111 so that we can perform a thorough
investigation. |
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There
is oil in my water. What is the cause and what can I do? |
| If your water service has been interrupted
for a repair, the pipe joint compounds or cutting oil used during
plumbing repair can be released when water service is restored.
Flux used for installation of copper pipes has a greasy, "chicken
fat" appearance. You should remove the faucet screens and
aerators and flush the material out of the plumbing by running
the tap for about two minutes. Wash the screens and aerators
with soap and water before you re-install them. If your service
has not been interrupted when you notice oil in your water,
call our District Office at (661) 947-4111. We will then perform
a thorough investigation of our distribution system for malfunctioning
motors and pumps. |
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We found
a worm, insect or insect larvae in our water. How did they
get there? |
| When vegetables are washed in the kitchen
sink, insects or bugs can be washed from these materials and
remain in the sink or drains until water is added to the sink
again. Insects or bugs can crawl into a faucet and come out
into the wash basin, sink, or bathtub when the tap is opened.
Earwigs and tiny earthworms can crawl into lawn sprinkler heads
that are not fully retracted, especially after rainstorms, and
find their way into the home plumbing system. They may end up
in the kitchen sink or bathtub when taps are turned on. Larvae
may grow in flowerpots or pet dishes because of exposure to
the atmosphere. Rats, gophers and snakes have been known to
crawl into toilet bowls located on the first or ground floor
via the sewer. We have a flushing program to circulate water
in dead end water mains and our production is based on demand
so that we do not retain water for a long time in our distribution
system. This practice eliminates stagnant sections in our reservoirs
thereby preventing habitats for insect or worm activities. However,
if you believe that bugs or worms enter your tap water via our
water service, please call our District Office at (661) 947-4111.
We will launch a thorough investigation to find the source of
the problem. |
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My fish
are dying because of something in the water. If the water
can kill my fish, what will it do to me? |
Water that is safe for human consumption
may not necessarily be safe for your fish aquarium. A reputable
fish aquarium store will emphasize the need to de-chlorinate
your tap water before you use it to fill your aquarium but note
that over de-chlorinating the water may also lead to oxygen
deprivation. Lack of oxygen in the water will kill fish. Some
fish are very sensitive to pH or other water quality characteristics.
Home water treatment devices may change these characteristics
and result in fish death. Your water supply is intended for
safe human consumption, it is important that you modify it for
use in your aquarium. Modification includes pH adjustment, alkalinity
adjustment, de-chlorination, etc. Certain types of aquarium
fish can be very sensitive to constituents normally contained
in the water supply.
A Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) is mailed to all customers
in our service area every year. This report contains levels
of different constituents found in the water supply during the
previous sampling period and their health implications on humans.
For a copy of the CCR, call our district office at (661) 947-4111
or it can be reviewed online at PWD
- Consumer Confidence Report. For more information on CCR,
please visit the California Department of Public Health web site located
at http://www.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/drinkingwater/Pages/CCR.aspx.
We encourage you to consult a reliable fish supplier regarding
the living requirements of the fish you purchase and make sure
that those requirements are met. |
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I want
to file a water quality complaint. What do I need to do? |
You can call (661) 947-4111 or visit
our District Office at 2029 E. Avenue Q, Palmdale CA 93550
for any water quality complaint.
• Please inform the representative that you wish
to file a water quality complaint.
• Give your name and the phone number you are calling
from in case you get disconnected.
• Provide the complaint address, your mailing address
if different and a phone number where you can be reached
between 8am and 4pm on weekdays.
• State the nature of your complaint.
• Keep in mind that at your convenience we may need
to visit the complaint address to collect water sample.
We will investigate your complaint and resolve the problem
immediately. If it is necessary to test your water, our Water
Quality staff will arrange to collect a water sample from
your residence. By mail, we will send our laboratory analysis
results, a letter explaining what we have done or what we
will do and what we think you should do to prevent the problem
from occurring again. |
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How do
I find out what is in my water? Are local reports available
to the public? |
| A Consumer
Confidence Report (CCR) is mailed to all service addresses
for customers in our service area every year as well as being
available on our web site. This report contains levels of
different constituents found in the water supply during the
previous sampling period and their health implications on
humans. For a copy of the CCR to be mailed to you, call our
district office at (661) 947-4111 or it can be reviewed online
at PWD - Water
Confidence Report. |
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