Why is city water treatment important?
City water treatment is vital for providing a safe, drinkable supply to local populations. Utility companies have responsibility for ensuring they treat the municipal supply, so we feel confident drinking from the tap, while authorities monitor the water quality to check that potential contaminants never pose a threat to human health.
What are the four stages of water treatment?
This treatment process involves four stages that make your water ‘clean enough to drink.' 1. Coagulation and Flocculation This uses chemicals that bind with other waterborne compounds to form larger particles, which creates a solid mass called floc. 2. Sedimentation
Is water treatment always effective?
Despite the standards and rigorous supervision, water treatment isn’t always effective. In 2014, in Flint, Michigan, the city switched its primary water source to the Flint River. The water treatment services were not adequately set up to treat a highly corrosive water supply that caused health issues throughout the local population.
What is the role of the utility company in drinking water?
Utility companies have responsibility for ensuring they treat the municipal supply, so we feel confident drinking from the tap, while authorities monitor the water quality to check that potential contaminants never pose a threat to human health.
What chemicals are added to city water?
To prevent contamination with germs, water companies add a disinfectant—usually either chlorine or chloramine—that kills disease-causing germs such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, and norovirus.
How is water treated in Oklahoma?
During treatment, certified water quality experts take lake water through an extensive treatment process to remove harmful bacteria and other contaminants. They then disinfect it by introducing a small amount of chlorine. Fluoride (a known Neurotoxin) is then added to prevent tooth decay.
Does Oklahoma City water have chlorine?
While most cities use chlorine as the primary disinfectant, Oklahoma City water is disinfected with chloramine (which is formed by mixing chlorine and ammonia).
Can I drink Oklahoma City tap water?
For the latest quarter assessed by the U.S. EPA (January 2021 - March 2021), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.
What is EWG water?
EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, as well as information from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History database (ECHO). For the latest quarter assessed by the U.S. EPA (January 2019 - March 2019), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.
Is it safe to drink water from a sewage treatment plant?
Always take extra precautions, the water may be safe to drink when it leaves the sewage treatment plant but it may pick up pollutants during its way to your tap . We advise that you ask locals or hotel staff about the water quality. Also, note that different cities have different water mineral contents.