In a Friday release, Tampa Bay Water ensured residents and businesses that local water supplies exceed all levels of drinking water safety standards. The company supplies water to nearly 2.4 million people in the area.
"If it doesn't meet our high water quality standards, it doesn't leave the plant," said Christine Owen, Tampa Bay Water's regulatory compliance senior manager.
The water crisis in Flint, Michigan, is due in part to unbalanced pH and alkalinity corroding the area's pipes and fixtures. Tampa Bay Water has been controlling and treating water for appropriate and safe pH levels since 2002.
Here's how your water becomes safe to drink:
- Color and contaminants are removed through a process called coagulation. Ferric sulfate, the coagulant, makes color and contaminants stick to it and settle out of the water.
- Water is disinfected with ozone, the most powerful disinfectant in water treatment. It kills harmful micro-organisms.
- Water is filtered to remove particles, disinfected again with chlorine, and pH and alkalinity are adjusted to make sure the water is stable and not corrosive.
- Water samples are tested and monitored against more than 100 safety standards.
- per a Tampa Bay Water release
If you have other questions or concerns about water safety in light of the Flint crisis, feel free to contact Tampa Bay Water here, or call 866-INFO-H2O.
-----
