DC Water

“DC Water’s required lead testing program mark the lowest lead levels measured in more than a decade”

By Prince Of Petworth

good water
Photo by PoPville flickr user District Shots

In happier water news:

“Recent results from DC Water’s required lead testing program mark the lowest lead levels measured in more than a decade. Levels have continued to decline since 2004, when the water treatment process began including a corrosion control additive to reduce lead release in water. Since 2003, DC Water has replaced more than 20,000 lead service pipes on public property, representing the removal of nearly 118 miles of lead pipes that connect public water mains to household plumbing. DC Water replaces lead service pipes during water main upgrades or when customers choose to replace their portion of the service pipe on private property. DC Water reminds customers that lead sources are different in each property and urges residents to eliminate lead pipes and plumbing materials in their homes. (more…)

Dear PoP – Why does a swimming pool come out of my faucet?

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo from PoPville flickr user hellomarkers!

“Dear PoP,

I’ve noticed for the past few months that the water in my apartment smells very very strongly of chlorine. When I take a shower, it smells like I got out of the pool, when I cook with the water straight from the tap, my food tastes off. I’m now filtering all the water I use for drinking and cooking, but the brita filter’s not strong enough to remove the chlorine smell. At first my roommate and I thought it was just us, but I’ve noticed it at friends’ houses, and now one of my co-workers who also lives in northwest just mentioned it at his place.

Is this a sign of something horrendous in the DC water supply that they’re trying to cover up with chlorine? An attempt to destroy the city’s sense of smell? Is it dangerous to be ingesting this much chlorine?

Does anyone know the reason for it?”

I know folks have been mentioning this in some random reader rant and/or revel posts. But I can’t recall – did anyone ever figure out the reason? WASA?

I’ve heard folks talking about this Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights and Dupont but I haven’t noticed it in Petworth. Is this phenomena city wide?

Dear PoP – What’s Up With DC’s Drinking Water?

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

I recently moved into DC from Arlington, and while I’m loving the change, I’m not so thrilled with how my tap water tastes. Even filtered through my Brita pitcher, it has a not-so-delicious “metallic sewage” scent and flavor. I don’t want to go to bottled water – expensive and wasteful – so I was wondering if any readers had suggestions on undersink or other types of filters that worked well in DC? I was reading the annual water quality drinking report (http://www.dcwasa.com/waterquality/waterquality_reports.cfm), and it identified some specific problems in DC water, so I was hoping someone had already done all the research about what was the best filter to remove those particular contaminants!

Thanks,

Thirsty Reader”

This is a great question. The best solution I’ve come up with is that I use a brita filter on my tap and then I pour that water directly into a brita pitcher for a double filtration. And if all else fails I then mix in a healthy dose of powdered iced-tea mix… What sort of filters do you guys use?