General Water Quality Frequently Asked Questions

•  Where does my water come from?

Berkley purchases water from the Southeastern Oakland County Water Authority (SOCWA). SOCWA is a whole customer of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD). The source of raw water for DWSD is surface water from Lake Huron and the Detroit River .

•  Is there fluoride in drinking water?

Yes, fluoride is added to Public Water Supplies because of dental benefits.

•  Is there chlorine in my drinking water?

Yes, chlorine is used as a disinfecting agent. The free chlorine residual in the distribution system is approximately 0.2 milligrams per liter or 0.2 parts per million.

•  What is the hardness of my water?

The City of Berkley water supply averages 100 ppm (parts per million) or 6 grains of hardness.

•  How much sodium (Na) does my water contain?

The City of Berkley water supply averages about 4 mg/l (milligrams per liter) of sodium.

•  Why does my water look white or milky?

Air bubbles in the water give it this appearance. Air bubbles disappear when a glass of water stands for several minutes. It looks like carbonated beverage, such as ginger ale. It is not harmful. Temperature changes in the distribution system or household plumbing can cause air bubbles. Water naturally releases air bubbles when it is heated.

•  Is it safe to drink from my garden hose?

No. A standard vinyl garden hose has substances in it to keep the hose flexible. These chemicals may leach into the water as it flows through the hose.

•  I found small white (egg shell like) particles in my faucet aerators, what are they?

Non-Toxic plastic

Where does come from?

  Polypropylene Plastic Dip Tubes (cold-water intake pipes) in the water heater.

What can I do?

  Replace the dip tubes. Six manufactures have agreed to provide assistance to customers with water heaters manufactured between August 1993 and October 1996.

  A. American Water Heater Company     1-800-999-9515

  B. AO Smith Corporation                     1-800-320-2636 www.hotwater.com

  C. Rheem Manufacturing Company       1-800-621-5622 www.hotwater.com

       Sears

       Montgomery Wards

  D. Bradford White Cooperation       1-800-523-2391

  E. State Industries, Inc                  1-800-365-0024

        Kenmore

        Reliance

        Master Plumber

        Penfield

  F. Richmond                                 1-800-432-8373

•  Should I buy bottled water?

Bottled water in the US is less regulated than a municipal water supply. You do not need to buy bottled water for health reasons. The City of Berkley 's water supply meets all Federal and State drinking water standards.

•  What do the labels on bottled water mean?

Artesian water or artesian well water is water that comes from a well drilled into a confined aquifer in which the water level stands at some height above the top of the aquifer.

Groundwater is water from a subsurface saturated zone that is under a pressure equal to or greater than atmospheric pressure.

Mineral water is water that contains not less than 250 mg/l (milligrams per liter) of total dissolved liquids coming from a source tapped at one or more bore holes or springs, originating from a geologically and physically protected underground water source.

Purified water or demineralized water is water that has been produced by distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis, or other suitable process that meets the definition of purified water in the United States Pharmacopeia, 23 rd revision, January 1, 1995.

Sparkling bottled water is water that contains carbon dioxide.

Spring water is collected from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the surface of the earth or through a bore hole tapping the underground formation feeding the spring.

•  How much water does one person use each day?

The US average is nearly 50 gallons used each day by a person. Toilet flushing is by far the largest single use of water in a home. Most toilets use 4 to 6 gallons of water for each flush.

•  Why is my water red or brown?

It is caused by sediment, which is inside of the water system.

What causes it?

The sediment is disturbed during maintenance operations or hydrants being opened due to fires.

What can I do?

Allow the system to settle down wait 10-15 minutes then open a faucet at the lowest point (normally the basement laundry tub) in the house. The water is safe to use and drink but it may not taste the best (it is advisable to keep bottled water for emergencies).