Copper Pipe Pitting FAQ’s
Why did it taking so long to hear back from the people in Virginia?
Answer - When the City of Storm Lake originally contracted with Virginia Tech Researchers to include the pitting issues in Storm Lake in their nation wide study Virginia Tech outlined the process as taking the better part of a year with a tentative completion date in September 2006. The overall study that Virginia Tech is working on and which Storm Lake’s study is a part of is expected to be completed in 2007.
Is the water safe to drink?
Answer - The water has always been and continues to be safe to drink. The City of Storm Lake and Veolia Water work hand in hand with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure that the water supply is safe to drink at all times. The EPA and IDNR have strict guidelines that all water systems must follow should the water supply become unsafe including numerous public notification processes.
Who is going to pay for all the repairs to my plumbing caused by these leaks?
Answer – As is the case in all water systems it is the responsibility of the homeowner or business owner to maintain the water system from the main to and inside their property.
What is in the water that causes my copper pipes to leak?
Answer – Dr. Edwards study identified seventeen potential contributors to copper pipe pitting in his ongoing nationwide study. Of those seventeen potential contributors his team identified three that may have been potential contributors in the Storm Lake system. Of those three potential contributors one was identified in a single sample taken from Storm Lake and two others have been corrected by changes in the renovation of the water treatment plant.
How can it possibly be safe to consume if it is eating copper pipes?
Answer – Storm Lake water is constantly tested to ensure that the water is safe for all normal residential and commercial uses. According to Dr. Edwards, lead researcher at Virginia Tech, copper pitting does not indicate that water is of low quality in fact in nation wide research some of the treatment plants creating the highest quality water are experiencing some of the worst problems.
Why didn’t we use a corrosion inhibitor in the past?
Answer – Corrosion inhibitors are generally used to control overall pipe corrosion, which is different from copper pipe pitting, issues which are found in some water systems through the results of lead and copper testing. The City of Storm Lake has conducted lead and copper testing since 1992 as required by the IDNR and EPA and none of the tests have indicated that the City has overall pipe corrosion and therefore the need for a corrosion inhibitor. The results of a secondary review from Dr. Bruce Pound, an international expert on electrochemical science and technology, particularly as they apply to corrosion evaluation and monitoring, confirmed that the stabilization and changes in the water treatment process indicate that at the current time the addition of a corrosion inhibitor to control or reduce the frequency of pitting issues is not necessary.
If the City decides to use a corrosion inhibitor how long will it take to know if it is working?
Answer – Generally water systems see results from the addition of a corrosion inhibitor in nine to twelve months after the additive has been added. Some results may be seen in three to four months in systems with higher levels of corrosion. It is important to note that even the addition of an inhibitor will not stop areas where pitting has already started to occur and in some cases may cause those areas of pitting to speed up.
Will the City use a corrosion inhibitor in light of the conflicting views of the experts?
Answer – At this time the City feels that based on the results of the testing and the changes in the treatment process that it is in the best interest to not add the inhibitor at this time. City staff along with Veolia staff will continue to monitor the situation along with additional lead and copper testing to determine if the need arises to add the inhibitor at a later date.
I have lots of green spots on my pipes. Will these eventually be leaks? Will the addition of a corrosion inhibitor stop the leaks from continuing to form once they are started?
Answer – We have no evidence that the addition of a corrosion inhibitor will stop existing pits from corroding further and in some cases it may actually speed up the occurrence of leaks. The corrosion inhibitor will initially clean out the inside of the pipes and could potentially cause existing spots where pits were self healed (there were cases where this was found in the Storm Lake sampling) to reopen and leak.
Why don’t other communities in our area have pinhole leaks?
Answer – Each community and water system is unique and has a unique blend of water quality and water treatment processes. Other communities in the area are not using the same combination of raw water sources or aquifers and they all don’t use the same type of treatment process that Storm Lake uses. Because communities must use the resources available to them, specifically the sources for raw water (water prior to treatment) each community must treat the water in specific ways and thus have unique problems. Other communities in Iowa and the nation have similar copper pipe pitting issues.
Why is Storm Lake’s water different than surrounding communities like Alta?
Answer – The water is different because of the source of the water. Storm Lake gets its raw water from underground aquifers with varying levels of deepness. The wells are in differing levels, the shallowest are confined wells followed by Dakota and the deepest Jordan. Each type of well has a different type of water quality for example the Jordan aquifer has much harder water than the shallower confined wells but it produces much more water per minute than the shallowest wells. Additionally, wells that may be in the same formation may have a different makeup than another well in the same formation. Storm Lake combines the use of these wells to produce water. The variances in the types of wells and the makeup of individual wells along with the need to blend or mix the sources to produce water make it impossible for any two communities to have the same water source and thus each will have individual challenges in treating water.
Chlorine Odor FAQ’s
Why does my water smell worse on the weekends and Monday than any other day of the week?
Answer – The chlorine smell that some residents are experiencing is caused by the amount of usage within the entire system. In the areas of Storm Lake where water usage is minimal or reduced during a particular time, this allows the water within the distribution system to turnover slowly causing the odors to accumulate. This may be more so over weekends and Mondays when the overall usage in the community is lower.
If the water smells like chlorine, is it safe to drink?
Answer – Yes, the water is safe to drink and for use in any normal residential and business uses. The City of Storm Lake and Veolia Water work hand in hand with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure that the water supply is safe to drink at all times. The EPA and IDNR have strict guidelines that all water systems must follow should the water supply become unsafe including numerous public notification processes.
Is the City going to discount my water bill because I have to run water to flush my lines in order to get rid of the chlorine smell?
Answer – It takes very little water to actually flush out residential and most commercial systems. At the current rates the cost of a flush is very minimal if any increase would be seen at all on their monthly bills.
How long will the water smell like chlorine?
Answer – The taste of the water may have changed following the completion of the water treatment plant renovation. This is caused by the change in the way Storm Lake now produces their water. The smell may be related to the amount of usage in the overall distribution system. If you notice a chlorine odor to your water let the tap run for a few minutes (five minutes is suggested) to flush your lines of the water. If the smells persists please call the City of Storm Lake at 712-732-8002 to report your address and the time and date when you water contained the odors. Citizens should be aware that everyone has a different tolerance for certain odors and thus some people may smell a chlorine odor while others don’t.
Other Miscellaneous Water FAQ’s
The lime in my dishwasher doesn’t clean up well, why?
Answer – Lime is used in the City’s water treatment process as a way to soften the water provided to the community. Lime softening is a common process used in many other communities in Iowa and the United States. Citizens who notice a build of lime on water based appliances can use a lime removal chemical such as Lime A-way.
Are the problems with the water caused by the lack of expertise at the water treatment plant?
Answer – No. Copper pitting and chlorine odors are NOT a result of lack of expertise, training, or management issues.
I’m pregnant, should I drink City water?
Answer – Yes, the water supply in Storm Lake is safe for consumption including consumption by pregnant members of our community.
Why does Storm Lake use this type of treatment process?
Answer – In determining the proper manner in which to treat the water the City, utilizing consulting engineers and experts in water chemistry and treatment, determine what type of treatment methods are needed to treat the type of raw water that is available to the community. While in some cases options are available the engineers and experts make a recommendation based on efficiency, reliability, and ability of the solution to treat the water correctly and reliably while maintaining the standards set by the IDNR and the EPA.