Frequently Asked Questions

1. Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Water Quality

2. Is my water safe to drink? Check out our Annual Consumer Confidence Report (http://www.palmdalewater.org/WaterReport.aspx) Consumer Confidence Report • Palmdale Water District meets or beats ALL safe drinking water standards established by the EPA and California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

3. My water is milky & white in appearance, what should I do?

4. Iam concerned because my water is colored, rusty, or contains foreign particles, what should I do? ► If you believe the problem is from our water supply, please call 661-947-4111 and request a water quality investigation.

5. My cooking utensils have scale and my glassware is spotted or has a white film, is this from the water and what can I do?

6. Iam concerned because my family became ill, could it be from drinking tap water? If you wish we can test your water for possible contamination. Call the office at 661-947-4111.

7. Can the chlorine in my tap water cause skin irritation? The level of chlorine in your treated water is safe to drink, too low to harm your skin and will not be absorbed into the skin and get into your body.

8. What is causing our water to smell and taste funny? We have installed eight lake circulation devices (Solar Bees®) to induce continuous water movement, thereby preventing the occurrence of major algae blooms. One possibility is seasonal algae blooms. They can occur in raw water reservoirs for a short period of time. We have taken several steps to mitigate this issue. Since 2008 our plant has been using GAC (one of the best technologies available) for removal of taste and odor causing compounds. We have a flushing program for the distribution system to ensure water doesn’t stagnate in system dead ends. If you want the water sampled and analyzed, call the office at 661-947-4111 to schedule an investigation.

9. Why do we smell chlorine in the water and what can we do about it? Chlorine is added to the water to destroy disease causing bacteria. The dosage is low and closely monitored and controlled. Your water is safe to drink. Manufacturer’s installation and maintenance instructions need to be followed for the device to be effective. If you are sensitive to chlorine smell and taste, you can install an activated carbon filter. Information about this kind of device can be found online at the California Department of Public Health, Drinking Water Program.

10. There’s an odor coming from my tap water, what can I do about it? If you believe the odor problem is from the water supply, call the office at 661-947-4111 to schedule an investigation. Collect a glass of water from the tap. Take it and walk away from the sink. Smell the glass of water. If the odor is not evident from the glass, but is evident when standing over the sink, then the odor is most likely from the drain or the sink tap. Cleaning and sanitizing the screen, drain and sink with a bleach solution will usually eliminate the problem. The screen on the sink tap maybe a source of organism growth and odor. You could have a partially blocked sink drain or garbage disposal.

11. My water has a peculiar taste, what could be causing this? If you believe the taste issue is caused by the water supply and wish the water sampled and analyzed, call the office at 661-947-4111 to schedule an investigation.

12. There is oil in my water. What is the cause and what can I do? Has your plumbing recently been repaired? If repairs have not been recently done on your plumbing system and you notice oil in your water, call the office at 661-947-4111 to schedule a water quality investigation. Yes NO Pipe joint compounds, cutting oil or flux used in pipe repair and installation can sometimes be released when service is restored. Remove the faucet screens and aerators and flush the material out of the plumbing by running the tap for about 2 minutes. Wash screens and aerators with soap and water before reinstalling them.

13. Is the water safe for my fish aquarium? Please consult a reputable fish aquarium store or expert fish hobbyist for the proper care and maintenance of aquariums. Our Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) contains the levels of the different constituents found in the water supply. View it online at http://www.palmdalewater.org/

14. Are there chloramines in the water? No Some water agencies use chloramines as a disinfectant. We do not disinfect with the compound chloramine and have no plans in the future to do so. chloramines

15. Is fluoride added to the water?

16. I want to request a water quality investigation. What do I need to do? Our representative will take down the information and a thorough investigation will be done. You will be notified of the results.