Water quality 101: what you need to know

About water quality

We're committed to providing you with high-quality, safe and clean tap water. Here's some information on our water:

• Our water meets or exceeds current federal and state regulatory standards.
• Your water may appear cloudy when you initially pour it from the tap. This is caused by dissolved air in your water and isn't an indicator of a problem. The water will clear if you let it stand for a few minutes.
• It's good practice to run the tap water for a few minutes after periods of no water use (i.e., six hours or more) to flush out the water that's been sitting in your household plumbing. To help conserve water, you can collect and use the flushed water for washing or watering plants.

What impacts water quality

As water comes into your home and out of your faucets, your plumbing and water heater may impact its quality. If you spot a problem, you can often solve it by performing basic plumbing or water heater maintenance.

Here's how to diagnose the source of a water issue and how to handle it:

Dirty or cloudy water

• One faucet
  Only indicates the plumbing. Consult a plumber.
• Hot water
  Only implicates the water heater. Consult the manufacturer.
• Multiple faucets, hot and cold
  Indicates corrosion in the plumbing or the water supply. To clear the lines, run cold water for a few minutes until clear and then run hot water (always use cold water so you don't draw dirty or rusty water into the hot water tank). If the water doesn't clear, call our Customer Care team.

Gray or white particles in your water

• Floating particles
  Indicate a disintegrating dip tube in your water heater. Contact a plumber.
• Sinking particles
  Likely calcium carbonate. Your water heater probably needs routine maintenance — consult the manufacturer. If the problem continues, call our Customer Care team.

If you see gray or white particles in your water, periodically remove and clean the faucet screens.

Black particles in your water

• One faucet
  Only indicates a disintegrating washer or corrosion in the plumbing. Run the water for a few minutes to clear the particles. If the faucet has a screen, remove and clean all faucet screens and aerators. If the problem continues, call a plumber.
• Toilet water
  Indicates a disintegrating float in the toilet tank. Replace the float (hire a plumber if necessary).
• Hot water
  Only indicates your hot water system. Consult the manufacturer or a plumber.
• Cold water
  Only implicates the main water line. (This may happen due to hydrant usage or construction in the area.) Call our Customer Care team as it may require flushing the main line leading to your house. If main line flushing was conducted, run the cold water from all taps until the water runs clear. Then, remove and clean all faucet screens and aerators.

Household water tips