Bottled or Tap?

[G-Rex]

This whole thread is full of people who have NO idea how drinking water is actually made.

Pharmaceuticals? Really? You realize that the processes we put raw water through in treatment eliminates that, right? I read sample reports taken from finished water going out to distribution on a regular basis, and these things aren't in there. Are they there in trace amounts that are so minute that they don't register in samplings tests? Sure, but guess what, arsenic, zinc, and uranium are in your water too, also in quantities so minute that are unmeasurable.

People already complain about the fluoride in water. Government makes us put it in there. People complain about the chlorine smell in some water. Guess what, chlorine is still a pretty damn good disinfectant in the treatment process.

Kaneman, the reason you get those notices are because the water plant was unable to meet the removal limit for a given part of the process one day out of three months more than likely. By the time you got that notice, the plant has produced good water for many weeks. Many things lead to those notices. Rainfall stirs up the silt and gunk in lakes and rivers, where raw water is taken from. The filters in the plant could be ready for replacement of their media. The way they know that needs done is when the water quality begins to go downhill. Hell, if the normal operator took a week off work and the guy running the plant in his absence wasn't as experienced with the plant itself, or liked to feed more lime, or chlorine, or take your pick of the chemicals we use in the water treatment process, then that will cause a bump in the numbers to cause you to get that notice.

If you took the limit level that the EPA requires we remove arsenic to, multiply that times 1000, you still would *maybe* have enough in your system to even quantify over a lifetime.

You don't really want to get me started on the EPA.

Chicken little, the sky isn't falling.

[Hydrant]

Agreed with G-rex. After being around water treatment plants and the technology / processes that go into treatment its amazing what can be done.

Here is some info from the city of Cincinnati

Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW) uses the latest treatment techniques in its state-of-the-art facilities to remove harmful contaminants. Cincinnati has been recognized nationally for its excellent drinking water. GCWW has always met or exceeded all state and federal health standards for drinking water.

Most GCWW customers receive water from the Miller Plant on the Ohio River (diagram below). Granular activated carbon (GAC) treatment at Miller gives GCWW an edge in water quality management. GAC allows us to use substantially less chlorine in the treatment process. GCWW pioneered the use of GAC treatment and has one of the largest GAC facilities in the US.





GCWW also uses source water from its Bolton Wellfield on the Great Miami Aquifer (an aquifer is buried sand and gravel filled with water). It is located in the portion of the aquifer served by the Hamilton to New Baltimore Consortium, which has developed an award-winning source water protection program to protect the aquifer.

[tommymac]

Originally Posted by Hydrant

Agreed with G-rex. After being around water treatment plants and the technology / processes that go into treatment its amazing what can be done.

Here is some info from the city of Cincinnati

Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW) uses the latest treatment techniques in its state-of-the-art facilities to remove harmful contaminants. Cincinnati has been recognized nationally for its excellent drinking water. GCWW has always met or exceeded all state and federal health standards for drinking water.

Most GCWW customers receive water from the Miller Plant on the Ohio River (diagram below). Granular activated carbon (GAC) treatment at Miller gives GCWW an edge in water quality management. GAC allows us to use substantially less chlorine in the treatment process. GCWW pioneered the use of GAC treatment and has one of the largest GAC facilities in the US.





GCWW also uses source water from its Bolton Wellfield on the Great Miami Aquifer (an aquifer is buried sand and gravel filled with water). It is located in the portion of the aquifer served by the Hamilton to New Baltimore Consortium, which has developed an award-winning source water protection program to protect the aquifer.

For NYC theyre going to be using a UV plant soon too, I am at the site where its being built as I type this theyre also building a new filtration plant down in the bronx. Both will be up and running in about 2 yrs.

Then I need to find another do nothing side job LOL

Tom

[Kaneman]

Originally Posted by G-Rex

Kaneman, the reason you get those notices are because the water plant was unable to meet the removal limit for a given part of the process one day out of three months more than likely. By the time you got that notice, the plant has produced good water for many weeks. Many things lead to those notices. Rainfall stirs up the silt and gunk in lakes and rivers, where raw water is taken from. The filters in the plant could be ready for replacement of their media. The way they know that needs done is when the water quality begins to go downhill. Hell, if the normal operator took a week off work and the guy running the plant in his absence wasn't as experienced with the plant itself, or liked to feed more lime, or chlorine, or take your pick of the chemicals we use in the water treatment process, then that will cause a bump in the numbers to cause you to get that notice.

In my specific case it is because I live next to Lake Worth (Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base, aka Carswell borders it) which is one of two bodies of water in Texas so polluted you can't eat any species of fish in any amount you catch there.

We've been getting these notices here for 7-8 years.

[askmrjesus]

Originally Posted by G-Rex

This whole thread is full of people who have NO idea how drinking water is actually made.

Damn straight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46lSs...eature=related

JC

[Rangerscott]

I prefer tap over bottle. Bottled water just taste bad. It has no taste but it does.

[101lifts2]

Tap = No
Bottle = No
Water Store = Yes

We have Water stores in California that filter out the tap water, but seem to use better processes than a Brita filter. The water store I fill up my 2, 5 gallons jugs for the week has the best tasting water I have ever tasted. It kicks any bottled water (Evian, Aqua etc.) for taste at only 25 cents a gallon.

When you drink a gallon a day, the water has to taste good.

[Homeslice]

Originally Posted by G-Rex

This whole thread is full of people who have NO idea how drinking water is actually made.

Pharmaceuticals? Really? You realize that the processes we put raw water through in treatment eliminates that, right?

Do you work for a utility? OK, cool, but are you a biochemist?

You say they "eliminate" pharmaceuticals? Uh, no.......This has been in the mainstream media for a long time......Are they miniscule trace amounts, yes....... but they're still present, proving that you guys didn't eliminate them. Hell, most utility companies don't even bother testing for them, because the Feds don't require them to and don't set any limits/standards.

Like I said, the amounts are miniscule, but until someone does some long-term research proving that there are no negative health effects over a person's lifespan, the jury is still out. People live for an average of 80 years.......That's a lot of water. And everything they EAT used water in its manufacturing, too.

[Homeslice]

Originally Posted by 101lifts2

We have Water stores in California that filter out the tap water, but seem to use better processes than a Brita filter. The water store I fill up my 2, 5 gallons jugs for the week has the best tasting water I have ever tasted. It kicks any bottled water (Evian, Aqua etc.) for taste at only 25 cents a gallon.

When you drink a gallon a day, the water has to taste good.

Is this the thing where it's blue jugs that you put upside down into a dispenser? Do you go pick it up, or get it delivered?

[Homeslice]

Hmm, no drugs in the water huh..... You guys can read the article if you want, this is one of many: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/...n3920454.shtml