How does the water that comes out of your taps stay clean enough to drink as it travels through the pipes from the water treatment plant to your house?
In: 3
[removed]
There’s a certain level of chlorine still in the water but otherwise there’s not supposed to be leaks in the pipes letting bad stuff get in. Chlorine is a disinfectant and the gas evaporates out of water quickly when exposed to air.
The system is pressurized, so anywhere with a leak will leak *out* instead of *in* until it can be repaired.
Since the water is purified and chlorinated you don’t get bacterial buildup in the pipes, but you may get mineral deposits.
The pressure keeps contaminants out most of the time. But occasionally the addition of new homes/businesses and water line breaks/repairs will allow intrusion of dirt and other contaminants. If it is severe enough, the system may be shut off at points and flushed out. If you happen to live at the very end of a water system distribution, you might see water being flushed out frequently.
There are minerals and chemicals in the water, sometimes even lead. Lead is more often from your service line these days. They test the quality at various points and times and estimate the chlorine needed to keep bacteria down without over-chlorinating it. We’re seeing more background pharmaceuticals and industrial chemicals now. So may people drink bottled water or use filters.
Often the water is not “CLEAR” because of disturbances of the system such as a fire hydrant being tested up the street. They say such calcium is not harmful. You be the judge.
Latest Answers