What is the pH of my water?
OCWA's pH is 7.1 to 8.4, slightly basic.
Is my water hard or soft?
The hardness of OCWA's water ranges from 103 to 205
ppm. That is equal to about 6 to 12 grains per gallon.
It is considered moderately hard. Hardness is a
measurement of calcium carbonate in the water and is
not a health concern.
Will having a water softener installed improve the water quality in my home?
No, softening does not improve the sanitary quality of
water. Softeners mostly remove calcium carbonate. They
will stop `spotting' or `scaling' which may occur on
certain surfaces, and under certain conditions, when
water puddles or droplets are allowed to evaporate.
Water softeners may increase water usage because it
takes more soft water to rinse away soap. It is
ultimately a matter of personal preference.
What can I do about dirty or rusty water?
Water that is dirty or rusty can be caused by changes
in flow inside the pipes. Usually, this is due to a
sudden increase in flow, but sometimes, also by a
change of direction. Leaks, hydrant usage, or changes
in valve positioning can rile things up and cause
these problems. If the problem doesn't clear up in a
short period of time call us and we will try to help.
OCWA will investigate and correct the cause of the
problem and flush its piping if necessary. You may
then be instructed to flush the piping in your own
home. The water should clear up after running it a
bit.
Click here to contact OCWA.
What about taste or odor problems?
Algae most commonly cause tastes and odors, which are;
earthy, musty, grassy, or fishy. At the Otisco Lake
and Lake Ontario plants water is filtered through
granular activated carbon. At times, powdered
activated carbon can also be added to adsorb the
offensive tastes and odors and then the carbon and the
algae both are filtered out. Algae blooms are common
in the warm and sunny months and the carbon dosage is
always being monitored and adjusted. Occasionally,
some tastes and odors do get through. Customer
complaints about taste and odor are taken very
serious. Tastes and odors originating with algae have
no adverse health effects.
Click here to contact OCWA.
What about chlorine taste and odor?
Chlorine dissipates as it travels through a pipeline.
In order to ensure that customers living far from the
treatment plant get water that is adequately
disinfected, the dosage of chlorine received by
customers living close to the plant is higher. OCWA
tries to accommodate everyone, but in the case of a
person very sensitive to chlorine living very close to
the plant, this may not be possible. In order to
remove the chlorine yourself, here are a few things
you can do:
-
Fill a pitcher and let it stand in the
refrigerator, uncovered, overnight.
-
Fill a glass or jar with water and let it stand in
sunlight for 30 minutes.
-
Pour water between containers about 10 times.
-
Heat the water to about 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Chlorine kills organisms that may cause disease.
If you remove the chlorine, be sure to refrigerate the
water to limit re-growth.
