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Home treatment units may improve flavor or odor, but they do not boost safety. Lack of maintenance might cause bacteria to proliferate in the treatment system and taint the water. Before buying a home water treatment device, read the product information. Follow manufacturer directions for operation and maintenance and change the filter regularly. Certified home treatment devices should have an NSF mark. Visit the EPA's website for more information. 
 

Bottled water isn't safer than tap. Studies have found that most bottled water is just tap water repackaged. The only difference is that plastic bottles can leach microplastics and chemicals! Tap water is also an important source of minerals like calcium and magnesium.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires all water utilities to produce annual water quality reports that convey important information and characteristics about the water they provide to their customers. You can view our water quality reports online.

Additionally, bottled water contributes to plastic pollution. Four out of every five single-use water bottles end up in a landfill, equaling about 2.8 million tons of plastic per year. Water bottles that are not properly disposed of can end up in one of several giant garbage patches in oceans around the world.

For more information, visit the Value of Water.
 

Black specks in tap water are often caused by rubber plumbing fittings degrading in contact with tap water chlorine and chloramines. Degraded gaskets and o-rings can gather in toilet tanks and faucets.  

Specks that can be smudged between fingertips indicate degrading rubber. Silicate or manganese is likely if it does not smear between your fingertips. Please contact our Customer Service Department to request a service visit to flush your water lines to clear silt or manganese. After flushing the mains, flush your residential lines.  

New or restored structures can have particle issues. Plumbers sometimes disrupt plumbing systems. Flushing new systems can help. 

If your garments or towels smell after laundering, check the washing machine. Wet laundry will show odors from the washing machine. After drying, the laundry smells much better but returns when damp. Washing machine scents can come from two sources:

1. Clothes may smell “sour” after prolonged wetness.  
2. Lint, filth and moisture from the washing machine can cause odor transfer to garments. To reduce odor, consult the owner's manual.  

Water appears colorless in small amounts, but it turns bluer as the sample size increases due to its interaction with light and other basic properties.

After a hot, dry summer, tap water may smell earthy/musty in the fall. All surface waterways have algae, but summertime algae are numerous. Algae die off and emit two harmless chemicals that smell earthy or musty as water temperatures drop. We can smell tiny amounts of these chemicals.

Prince William Water consistently tests and monitors the water to make sure that it meets or exceeds EPA’s safe drinking water standards. Tap water that meets EPA standards is typically safe. We take pride in maintaining high water quality throughout our distribution system.  

The pink/orange toilet stains are likely Serratia marcescens bacteria. These bacteria are most common in toilet bowls, shower stalls, dishwashers, tiles, sinks and pet water dishes.

Any damp place with phosphorus or fat will develop the bacterium. Serratia can grow in toilets where water stands long enough to evaporate chlorine residual disinfection. Chlorinated water kills Serratia and bleach removes microorganisms from toilets. 

Prince William Water's state-certified Water Quality Laboratory performs or administers state and federal testing to ensure that our water meets or exceeds regulatory standards. In addition to regulated testing, several other analyses check distribution system water quality. 

If chlorine is not removed before using in your aquarium, Prince William Water tap water can harm fish. Prince William Water flushes with free chlorine from April to June and utilizes chloramines, a chlorine-ammonia mixture, the rest of the year. Ask your pet retailer about chlorine and chloramine removal.