M-8 - Tiffin Water System Q and A

CITY OF TIFFIN WATER SYSTEM Q&A QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Q: What is the City’s water quality? Q: Is it safe to drink hard water? A: The City’s drinking water complies with all state and federal A: Yes. There are not any health side effects that occur with safe drinking water requirements and is therefore considered hard water. The primary concern with hardness is that it can safe for human consumption. However, the drinking water is lead to scaling in your house’s plumbing system which can considered hard. Hard water is water that has a high mineral decrease the capacity, cause scaling of plumbing fixtures, content. It is formed when water passes through deposits of and can lead to the failure of appliances. limestone, chalk, or gypsum. Hard Water can cause: • Mineral buildup on plumbing fixtures Q: If the City is already removing hardness, why • Poor soap and detergent performance doesn’t the City provide adequate treatment • Clogged pipes to provide soft water? • Decreased water heater efficiency A: The City currently uses an ion exchange process. The ion • Skin irritation or dryness exchange process relies on salt to backwash the softeners. The DNR has placed a limit on how much salt the City According to the United States Geological Services, the can discharge to the stream adjacent to the wastewater following guidelines are applicable for hard water: treatment plant. The City recently completed a pilot study on an alternative treatment process called reverse osmosis. Soft Water 0 to 60 mg/L as Calcium Carbonate Moderately Hard 61 to 120 mg/L as Calcium Carbonate Q: Will the City be switching their treatment Hard Water 121 to 180 mg/L as Calcium Carbonate process to reverse osmosis? Very Hard Over 180 mg/L as Calcium Carbonate A: The pilot study results were very promising, and it is likely the City will be upgrading the treatment plant to accommodate a Q: Why doesn’t the City treat the water to remove reverse osmosis treatment system. the hardness? A: Currently, the City uses an ion exchange process which Q: If the City decides to move forward with reverse is primarily used to remove radium. The ion exchange osmosis treatment, when will the project occur? process does soften the water, however, the treated water A: It is likely construction would be begin in 2025. is still classified as hard. There are not any state or federal mandated limits for hardness. Q: Will I still need to soften the water in my home if the City decides to move forward with reverse Q: If the City is treating the water for hardness, osmosis treatment? why am I having to replace my water heater? A: The City’s drinking water would be considered soft water. A: The City gets its water from deep wells. Unfortunately, the Therefore, you would no longer need your water softener. water from the wells has very high levels of hardness (500- The City would encourage residents to bypass or remove 600 mg/L). The City’s current treatment system reduces the their existing softeners because they also rely on salt for hardness levels down to approximately 250 mg/L. treatment which eventually flows to the City’s wastewater treatment facility and is discharged to Clear Creek. There Q: What causes the hardness in water? are not any wastewater treatment technologies that can A: Hardness is measured by the amount of calcium and economically remove salt from wastewater. magnesium ions in the water. These ions are naturally found in the aquifers the City pulls their water from.