1. Why does my water taste/smell?
Sometimes odors can develop when water has been sitting in the household pipes for too long. So, if you go out of town for a while, especially if it gets hot outside, or you don't use a specific bathroom too often, we recommend flushing your pipes. Run the cold water for about 15 minutes or until the household pipping is flushed.
2. Why is my water dirty?
When work is done on water mains, or a hydrant is flushed, customers in the area will have “dirty water”. The “dirty water” is a mineral called manganese which settles in the pipes and is normally not present in household water. When work is done on a main or hydrant the manganese that is settled in the pipes is stirred up and mixed with the water. Households should run cold water, only, through the largest faucet in their home until the water runs clear to remove the manganese from the water.
3. Why is my water pressure down/up?
Every household in the District should have a Pressure Relieving Valve (PRV). These valves regulate the pressure of the water that enters your home. If you notice that the pressure is either too high or too low, we recommend first calling our office to see if there is any work going on in the area. If we are not working in the area the first culprit is usually the PRV. These will need to be replaced by a qualified plumber.
If you have a personal water pump, because you live at the top of a hill, you may want to check your pump to make sure it is running properly and again, call a qualified professional to service your pump.
4. Why does my water taste/smell?
Sometimes odors can develop when water has been sitting in the household pipes for too long. So, if you go out of town for a while, especially if it gets hot outside, or you don't use a specific bathroom too often we recommend flushing your pipes. Run the cold water for about 15 minutes or until the household pipping is flushed.
5. What drought level are we in?
If we are the level and information regarding restrictions are located on our website!
6. How hard is our water?
Evergreen Metro has "slightly hard" water, between 17.1 and 60mg/l or ppm. Usually we test at 30mg/L of total hardness and 1.5 grains/gallon. You do not need a water softening system for this amount of hardness.
7. Where is the bulk water station?
Evergreen Metropolitan District has a water fill station at 26370 State Highway 74 in Kittredge. There are three lanes to pull vehicles into and hook up hoses. The island and the side facing Hwy 74 are for individuals who are looking to fill up water every once and while. The side facing Bear Creek is for Bulk Water Haulers who have a permit.
8. What is the pink stuff in my toilet bowl?
Each year, a few customers call the water treatment plant to ask about a slimy pink substance that sometimes forms in moist areas around their homes. They most frequently observe it in the toilet bowls, on surfaces in shower stalls and bathtub enclosures, on tiles, in sinks and in pet water dishes.
A red or pink pigmented bacteria known as Serratia marcescens is thought to be the cause of the pink "stuff". Serratia bacteria are common inhabitants of our environment and can be found in many places, including human and animal feces, dust, soil, and in surface waters. The bacteria will grow in any moist location where phosphorous containing materials or fatty substances accumulate. Sources of these substances include soap residues in bathing areas, feces in toilets, soap and food residues in pet water dishes. Many times, the pinkish film appears during and after new construction or remodeling activities. Others have indicated the pink "stuff" occurs during a time of year that their windows are open for the majority of the day.
These airborne bacteria can come from any number of naturally occurring sources, and the condition can be further aggravated if customers remove the chlorine from their water by way of an activated carbon filter. Serratia can also grow in tap water in locations such as toilets in guest bathrooms where the water is left standing long enough for the chlorine residual disinfectant to dissipate. Serratia will not survive in chlorinated drinking water.
Serratia marcescens is not known to cause any waterborne diseases. Members of the Serratia genus was once known as harmless organisms that produced a characteristic red pigment. More recently, Serratia marcescens has been found to be pathogenic to some people, having been identified as a cause of urinary tract infections, would infections, and pneumonia in hospital environments.
Once established, the organism usually cannot be eliminated entirely. However, periodic and thorough cleaning of the surfaces where the pink slime occurs, followed by disinfection with chlorine bleach appears to be the best way to control it.
Serratia Marcescens Bacteria
July 2003 Fact Sheet
*From the American Water Works Association, Opflow Article: Question of the Month, page 3, November 2000. Water Quality Bulletin, Woodinville Water District, Woodinville