FAQ
Where does our water come from?
Why are there contaminants in your drinking water?
Where does our water come from?
Your drinking water comes from two different sources. One water source is from wells located in a sand and gravel aquifer adjacent to the Ohio River. Additionally, we purchase water from Indiana-American Water Company, which has wells located in Clark County.
Where can I pay my bill?
Why are there contaminants in your drinking water?
Where does our water come from?
Members can pay their bill by mailing them to PO Box 247, Georgetown, IN 47122, at our office during business hours, or for your convenience we also have a night drop box. If mailing your bill, please mail it to P.O. Box 247 Georgetown, IN 47122.
Edwardsville Water is now accepting debit and credit cards.
Why are there contaminants in your drinking water?
Why are there contaminants in your drinking water?
Why are there contaminants in your drinking water?
The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity. Contaminants that may be present in source water include:
- Microbial Contaminants: such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife.
- Inorganic Contaminants: such as salts and metals, which can be naturally occurring or result from urban storm water runoff, industrial, or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming.
- Pesticides and Herbicides: which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban storm water runoff, and residential uses.
- Organic Chemical Contaminants: including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban storm water runoff, and septic systems.
- Radioactive Contaminants: which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.
In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health.
Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk.
How hard is our water?
Additional health effects you should know about:
Why are there contaminants in your drinking water?
The hardness of the water is 20 grains per gallon (gpg).
Additional health effects you should know about:
Additional health effects you should know about:
Additional health effects you should know about:
Copper is an essential nutrient, but some people who drink water containing Copper in excess of the action level over a relatively short amount of time could experience gastrointestinal distress. Some people who drink water containing Copper in excess of the action level over many years can suffer liver or kidney damage.
Elevated levels of Lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. We are responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for Lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking.
Important information for the Spanish-speaking population: (Espanol) Este informe contiene informacion muy importante sobre la calidad de su agua potable. Por favor lea este informe o comuniquese con alguien que pueda traducir la informacion.
Do you need to take special precautions?
Additional health effects you should know about:
Additional health effects you should know about:
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. 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 about drinking water from their health care providers or the Safe Drinking Water Hotline.
Water Information Resources:
Why does my coffee get an oily film on top?
What is the “Other” charge on my bill?
Water Information Resources:
IDEM (Indiana Department of Environmental Management) – www.in.gov/idem
EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) – www.epa.gov
CDC (Center for Disease Control) – www.cdc.gov
Safe Drinking Water Hotline – 800-426-4791
What is the “Other” charge on my bill?
Why does my coffee get an oily film on top?
What is the “Other” charge on my bill?
The charge that is listed on the bill as “Other” is a facility charge. This charge has always been part of the total bill. In 1999, when our computers were updated, this “other” charge was made into a line item.
Why does my coffee get an oily film on top?
Why does my coffee get an oily film on top?
Why does my coffee get an oily film on top?
The following information was provided in an article on “Oily film on Coffee” from the Tennessee Division of Water Supply. We have been posed the question many times and the explanation… I thought you might find interesting
It appears that the oily film is caused by the hardness of the water (ours is 20 grains per gallon). It is similar with tea as well. The Chemical Technology and Consulting team explains that the calcium in hard water binds with the fatty acids that are released from the coffee during brewing. The lower calcium levels in soft water don’t have this effect which explains why coffee and tea that is brewed with bottled water do not produce the oily film. Some individuals are trying to determine which type of water softener is the best to effectively solve this problem in a cost effective, reduced labor manner.
Explaining the Oily Film Observed on Coffee
Coffee beans naturally contain coffee oil up to 15% on a dry basis. This coffee oil is comprised of approximately 71% fatty acids or, in other words, oils much like those which would be found in margarine or soaps. These fatty acids contain a hydrophilic area and a hydrophobic area. Because they contain a hydrophilic area, fatty acids are somewhat soluble in water. When water is poured through ground coffee, this naturally occurring coffee oil is dissolved into the water and is carried to the pot which stores the coffee. Here, the oil may remain dissolved and pass unnoticed. This usually is the case when the water used is of low hardness. When the water is hard (which our’s is) the calcium bonds with fatty acids to precipitate them, even though they are usually soluble. Hot water from the coffee maker helps this bond to form more readily, and thus, the precipitated oil is even more pronounced.
A good analogy is soap. Much like the soap molecule, which is sodium or potassium salt of a long chain carboxylic acid (fatty acid), hard water calcium substitutes with the sodium or potassium to form the insoluble scum. In coffee, there is no substitution, but the the calcium simply bonds to the fatty acid. The (CH3)(CH2),COOH+Ca2 is the oily film seen on the coffee. It is also the soap scum seen in bathrooms after calcium has bonded with the fatty acid chains in the soap. This is seen in hard water because there is enough calcium present to precipitate the fatty acids. Soft water does not contain enough calcium to precipitate fatty acids. In general, the use of very hard water increases the oily film formation seen on coffee. I hope that you find this information useful.
Article by Diane, Watertown, TN on Dear Dr. Brew: