 Frequently
Asked Questions
Q. How much water does the average person use at home per day?
A.
Estimates vary, but each person uses about 80-100 gallons of water
per day. Americans drink more than 1 billion glasses of water each day.
Q. Do we really need to drink eight glasses of water a day for good
health?
A.
Our bodies need fluid –even when we don’t feel thirsty. But keep
in mind that beverages such as juice, milk and soft drinks and many
foods are almost all water and count towards the required fluid
intake. Water is usually recommended over other beverages, however,
because it does not contain caffeine or sugar.
Q. How does water get to our homes and businesses?
A. A network of transmission and distribution mains
transports water from our wells to our customers’ homes and
businesses for their use. The pipelines range in size from 6"
to 18" in diameter and are generally located within the public
street rights of way. Other facilities include control valves, fire
hydrants, service lines and meters. Fire hydrants used by local fire
departments are connected directly to our distribution mains.
Service lines are smaller pipes that bring the water from the
distribution mains to the connection with customer’s homes or
businesses.
Q. Where does
water go after we are done with it?
A.
Water leaving our homes generally goes either into a septic tank in
the backyard where it evaporates or seeps back into the ground, or
is sent to a sewage treatment plant through a sewer system.
Q.
What is potable water?
A.
Potable (which rhymes with floatable) means water that is safe to
drink. Potable water must come from a natural source, e.g. surface
or groundwater, and must meet or be better than federal and state
standards for drinking water quality.
Q.
Why does my water sometimes have a chlorine taste and odor?
A.
Tidewater treats its supplies to ensure that water delivered is safe
to drink and that it meets drinking water standards.
This may mean that you may encounter chlorine-type tastes or odors
from time to time. If you find this unacceptable, collect tap water
in a container, shake it and let in stand for a while before
covering the container and placing it in the refrigerator for
drinking. The chlorine odor will dissipate.
Q. What is best to use for cooking--hot or cold tap water?
A. It
is best to use cold water. Hot water can contain rust, copper and
lead or other impurities from your household plumbing because these
contaminants dissolve more quickly into hot water than into cold
water.
Q. Why does tap water often look cloudy when first taken from a
faucet and then clear up?
A.
The cloudy water is caused by tiny air bubbles in the water similar
to the gas bubbles in carbonated soft drinks. After a while, the
bubbles rise to the top and are gone. This type of cloudiness occurs
more often in the winter when the drinking water is cold.
Q. What is hard water?
A. Hardness in water is
caused by two minerals -- calcium and magnesium. If your water
contains substantial amounts of these minerals, water is said to be
hard because making a lather or suds is hard to do. Water containing
little calcium or magnesium is usually called soft water.
Q. Why does my dishwasher sometimes leave spots on glasses?
A. The spots that may appear on glassware after
washing and air drying are caused by nontoxic minerals that remain
on the glass when the water evaporates. Spots on glass shower doors
appear for the same reason. Commercial products are available that
allow the water to drain without leaving spots.
Q. I’ve heard about people installing
filters or home treatment devices? Are these devices really necessary?
A. Tidewater strives to provide quality drinking
water which meets state and federal standards. However, some customers may choose to install additional home
treatment devices to meet their personal preferences such as
improving the taste or smell of their water. These treatment devices
do not necessarily make the water safer or healthier to drink. And,
if not properly maintained, can actually cause water quality
problems.
Q. What causes water mains to break?
A. Adverse weather conditions and drastic changes in
temperature can create havoc with water mains and cause main breaks.
You can usually tell when a main break has happened because water is
bubbling up from the ground. Sometimes breaks are less noticeable
and may only be detected by a loss of water pressure. Tidewater
Utilities, Inc. strives to repair water main breaks and restore
service as quickly as possible. Our maintenance crews are on call 24
hours a day to repair breaks. A typical break in a 6 or 8 inch pipe
is usually repaired in under six hours. Larger pipe breaks may take
longer to repair. Water service may be interrupted while the main is
being fixed but is resumed once the pipe has been repaired.
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