Service Information

Color in water is usually caused by naturally occurring organic matter, minerals, or mineral build-up in the pipes. We flush our water system regularly to clean mineral build-up and other sediment from the pipes. If you receive discolored water, you should let your faucets run until the water is clear. Such substances typically do not pose a health hazard; however, we ask that you please report any instances of discolored water so that we may investigate.

Tap water providers and bottled water providers must meet the same water quality standards. In fact, tap water providers are required to conduct more frequent water quality testing and reporting than bottled water providers. Some consumers prefer the taste of bottled water, and some choose bottled water because they have special health needs. But tap water is a much better deal at costs of 1,000 times less than bottled water.

Clean your coffee maker with vinegar and water as directed by the manufacturer.

The most common cause of odor in hot water is the water heater. If your cold water smells fine, check your water heater to ensure that the temperature setting is correct. Water heaters also need to be maintained (see manufacturer’s instructions). Please contact us if the odor persists or if it is present in both the hot and cold water.

A milky or cloudy appearance is usually caused by air bubbles in the water, which pose no health risk. If the water is allowed to sit, the air will dissipate and the water will clear. If the cloudiness does not disappear, please contact us so that we may investigate.

Spots are caused by hard water, or minerals that remain after the water has evaporated. Spots can be eliminated through use of a dishwasher rinse agent.

The hardness of water varies with the water’s source. The choice to buy a softener is an aesthetic one, since hard water is not harmful to health. However, water softeners typically increase the sodium content of the water, a factor that should be considered by people on low-sodium diets.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, home treatment units are rarely necessary for health reasons. Most often, water treatment units are used to remove substances that affect the aesthetic qualities of the water. If you do choose to install a home treatment unit, it is important to follow the manufacturer’s maintenance instructions, because improperly maintained units can actually cause water quality problems.

We conduct regular water system flushing to remove any mineral build-up and sediment from the pipes and also to ensure that water circulates adequately throughout the system. Fire hydrants may also be opened to conduct fire-flow capability tests.

Disinfectants are required because they prevent the spread of germs that cause diseases. Years ago, before disinfectants were used for drinking water, diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, and dysentery were common. Drinking water disinfection has vastly improved the quality and safety of drinking water.

We disinfect your water to ensure that it is free of harmful bacteria. To reduce any chlorine taste or smell, try refrigerating your water before drinking.

Dirt or sand can occur naturally in groundwater or as a result of a water line repair. We try to reduce the instances of dirt or sand in the water through regular flushing, which improves water quality by increasing the circulation of water in the pipes and removing most of the sediment from the water.

Water sources change at certain times of the year due to the availability of supplies. Surface water, or water that comes from sources like rivers and lakes, tends to taste slightly different than water pumped from underground aquifers.

An Important Message on Maintenance of Private Plumbing
Village Water System Inc., provides drinking water to its members that meets or exceeds all federal, state, and local regulations including National Drinking Water Standards. However, at times, customers may experience individual concerns with the water coming from their private plumbing.
Here are a few suggestions on ways to maintain your private plumbing system.

FLUSHING HOUSEHOLD PIPES:
 Accumulation of organic material in your plumbing may contribute to odor and taste concerns. Organic material can be eliminated by flushing your water pipes. •When flushing household plumbing use only cold water. Hot water is handled when flushing hot water heaters.
•Flush in a sequential manner by flushing the cold water bathtub faucet first and then work through all other faucets in the house (from the largest pipe to the smallest pipe). In working through the sequence, toilets should be the last item flushed since toilets tanks typically have the smallest plumbing lines in the house supplying them
•Remove aerators from the ends of the indoor faucets and run faucets wide-open for 3 to 5 minutes. Removing the aerators before flushing will prevent anything dislodged from accumulating on the screens.
•Flush the toilets two or three times each while the faucets are running. This generates a large flow of water through the pipes to help dislodge any build-up of organic material that is causing the taste and odor problem.
•After 3 to 5 minutes of flushing, turn off the water faucets. Clean the aerators before reinstalling. All seasonal residents, schools, and businesses open seasonally are encouraged to flush their private plumbing prior to drinking water if they have been away from their residence, school or business for an extended period of time. Water sitting in pipes for prolonged periods may become unsafe for human consumption.
DISINFECTING A DRAIN
 An odor of rotten eggs, sometimes described as a sewage smell, is usually caused by gases forming in household drains. These gases are formed by bacteria which live on food, soap, hair, and other organic matter which may accumulate in the drain. Since these gases are heavier than air, they remain in the drain until the water is turned on. As the water runs down the drain, the gases are expelled up the drain into the air around the sink. It is not surprising that this odor is often mistakenly associated with the water because it is observed only when the water is turned on. To eliminate this problem, the bacteria in the drain must be killed.
CAUTION: Do not mix any drain cleaners or detergents with bleach; certain combinations can create toxic fumes and may be combustible. •Run the cold water about 15 seconds into the drain to be disinfected. Turn the water off.•Pour approximately one to two cups of liquid chlorine bleach (laundry bleach) down the drain. Pour the bleach slowly around the edges so that it runs down the sides of the drain.
CAUTION: Bleach may cause eye damage, skin irritation, and may damage clothing. Take proper precautions. •If the odor comes from a sink with a garbage disposal, turn the disposal on for a few seconds while the bleach is being poured to help disperse the bleach around the inside of the disposal.
CAUTION: Bleach may cause eye damage, skin irritation, and may damage clothing. Take special care to avoid splashing especially while the disposal is running.•Allow the bleach to remain undisturbed in the drain for 10 minutes. CAUTION: Prolonged contact with metals may cause pitting and/or discoloration.•After 10 minutes, run the hot water into the drain for a minute or two to flush out the bleach. If the garbage disposal has been disinfected, thoroughly flush it.•Repeat this procedure if the odor returns.
FLUSHING A WATER HEATER
Water heaters should be flushed at least once a year to control the build-up of mineral deposits naturally present in water. This will help the water heater operate more efficiently and may extend the life of the heater. The water heater will need to be flushed if the hot water appears yellow or brownish in color indicating an accumulation of rust or if you find sand-like mineral sediment in the hot water.
•Do not shut off the gas or the water supply to the heater.•Attach a garden hose to the draincock located at the bottom of the heater. The draincock usually looks like a regular hose bib (garden faucet) or a round dial with a threaded hole in the middle.
•Extend the garden hose to a place where the water can safely exit the heater (e.g. drain, driveway, etc.)•Open the draincock to allow the water to exit the heater.
CAUTION: Water may be hot and under normal household water pressure.

PLEASE NOTE: If the draincock is made of plastic and the heater is several years old, it may be difficult to open and may break easily if forced.•After five minutes, fill a bucket with the still flushing water.•Allow the water in the bucket to stand undisturbed for a minute and see if the water is clear or if any sand-like particles settle to the bottom. If the water is clear and no sand-like particles are observed proceed to the next step. If the water is discolored or sand-like particles are observed, repeat the previous two steps until the flush water is completely clear and free of sediment.•Close the draincock and remove the garden hose. If you do not feel comfortable performing these maintenance procedures yourself, hire a licensed professional plumber.

WATER QUALITY
Village Water System is proud to provide its membership with quality drinking water. Our water sources bring a variety of natural characteristics each unique in its treatment requirement.  We test our sources annually to determine any natural characteristic changes and to adapt our treatment.   We sample and test our water supply daily to maintain above standards.   Water Treatment includes processes for corrosion control, sequestration of iron and manganese, disinfection by chlorination. This water meets or exceeds all drinking water standards. Additional private water treatment is not necessary. However, if you decide to purchase any additional water treatment system for your home, we remind you to carefully follow manufacturer’s instructions regarding proper maintenance and filter replacement to insure that the system does not contaminant your water supply. Some people may be more vulnerable than the general population to contaminants in drinking water. Immuno-compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice from their health care providers regarding drinking water and/or additional private water treatment requirements. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791 or visit their website at www.epa.gov/safewater