| HOW
DOES WATER GET TO MY HOME?
In most areas, both ground water and SFWD water is
blended and then pumped to a steel or concrete reservoir
through large buried pipes. Because Daly City is hilly,
we have many reservoirs at different elevations, and
your water may be pumped several times. Connected
to the large pipes are smaller pipes that branch out
and take water down every street in Daly City, with
smaller pipes leading to your home.
HOW DO WE MONITOR WATER QUALITY?
The water delivered to you is monitored every day
of the year by trained water quality specialists.
Water is analyzed in state certified laboratories;
both in Daly City's own laboratory and by private
laboratories. Samples are collected from supply connections,
distribution facilities and throughout the service
area. Over 5,000 tests are performed annually to assure
that Daly City's water is continually of high-quality.
WHAT LAWS RELATE TO WATER QUALITY?
The quality of drinking water is regulated by the
Federal Government. In 1974, Congress passed the Safe
Drinking Water Act (amended in 1986 and under review
at the present time) which required the US Environmental
Protection Agency to establish uniform standards for
drinking water. In California, these standards are
enforced by the State Department of Health Services,
and have been made even more stringent than the Federal
standards.
There are two types of Drinking Water Standards. Primary
Standards are related to the protection of public
health, and specify limits (called Maximum Contaminant
Levels) that may be harmful to humans if consumed
in excess. Secondary Standards are based on aesthetic
qualities of water such as taste, odor or clarity,
and specify limits for substances that may affect
consumer acceptance of the water.
SHOULD I BUY A WATER TREATMENT
UNIT?
Commercial businesses frequently canvass door-to-door
or by telephone attempting to sell home systems that
filter or treat tap water. These systems range in
price from less than one hundred dollars for simple
filters to thousands of dollars for more elaborate
units. Some sellers use ethical sales methods, but
others make false statements about the quality or
source of tap water, or mislead customers about contaminants
and potential health problems to frighten them into
buying unnecessary devices.
The purchase of a treatment device is unnecessary
in Daly City. Also, since safe operation of a home
treatment device requires regular changing or recharging
of filters, careless maintenance may even cause them
to be detrimental to your water quality.
Please call us right away if someone tells you your
tap water is unsafe and you should buy their product.
SHOULD I BUY BOTTLED WATER?
Bottled water offers no health or safety advantages
over our own tap water. The source of bottled water
and how it is processed are the keys to its quality,
just as they are for tap water. In fact, many water
bottlers take their water directly from municipal
supplies. Within Daly City, the choice to use bottled
water should be based on personal taste, and not on
health or safety reasons.
Last
year, an internationally-famous and expensive bottled
water was recalled because of benzene contamination;
similar types of incidents with other brands have
occurred in the past. This demonstrates the fallibility
of such products.
One
clear advantage of tap water is its price: over four
gallons of Daly City water, delivered to your tap,
cost less than one penny. On the average, bottled
water costs over 80 cents per single gallon.
SOME REMINDERS
Is the Drought Really Over?
During the last three winters we have had dramatically
increased rainfall locally and even more precipitation
in the mountains. The exceptionally rains of this
winter cause people say the drought is over at last.
While that statement is partially true, the increasing
population and subsequent need for water makes it
necessary to continue to use water in a way that helps
our existing collection and storage facilities handle
the growth in demand. So, those water saving tricks
that you learned during the drought will help in the
future.
COLOR
IN THE WATER?
Part of our service to you means repairing pipes that
break - day or night. Sometimes this means closing
valves to one or more streets to allow our workers
to make repairs. Later the valves are opened and the
pipes are flushed. All this activity may sometimes
stir up sediment in the pipes, slightly coloring your
water.
The water is safe. To clear it, wait until after the
workers are finished, and run your tap briefly. The
color will disappear. (Be sure to use the water for
your plants.) If you have a question, just call us.
CRYPTOSPORIDIUM AND GIARDIA
Recent laboratory analysis has shown that Daly City
ground water has no detectable level of these microorganisms.
These analyses are run several times per year to reassure
our customers that the water remains free of this
problem. |
