Local Tap Water in the Town of Blacksburg
(Blacksburg Christiansburg VPI Water Authority)

Picture


1.    
Where is the original (natural) source for this water?
The Water Authority gets its water from the New River. The river is located approximately 2 miles west of the treatment plant.

2.     How large/productive/reliable is this source?
The authority has 2 raw water pumping stations located at the river. There are 6 raw water pumps that pump the raw water directly to the treatment plant. Once the water reaches the filters, the water goes into the plant clearwell that holds 360,000 gallons! It is then delivered to the public by 6 finished water pumps that take the water out of the clearwell and deliver it to the distribution system. This system is efficient and reliable, and delivers water to the Blacksburg/ Christiansburg area as well as VPI. The plant is open 24 hours a day, and operates at a 12.5 million gallon capacity per day as well as on average treating 7 million gallons of water per day.

3.     Is the water of high quality? Is it treated to remove contaminants, or to add “enhancements”?
Yes, the water is of high quality and is proven through monthly testing that is available on their website to the public. Once the water reaches the plant it is immediately dosed with chlorine to kill most disease causing organisms. This also helps to eliminate any taste and odor problems. Once in the clearwell, the water is chlorinated again to kill any remaining disease causing organisms. In the clearwell they also add caustic soda for pH control and a corrosion inhibitor for the pipe system.


4.     Once treated, what does it contain?
The water contains Fluoride that is added at the end of the process. Since there isn't enough fluoride in the river water, a small amount must be added to aid in the proper development of young peoples' teeth. The water also contains caustic soda and a small amount of chlorine that has been added at the end of the treatment process.


5.     Is it safe? How do you know? How often is it tested?
Yes. Once a month, the Blacksburg/ Christiansburg water authority tests its water. It is tested for Temperature, Sodium, Fluoride,  and Turbidity and the available results are posted on their website for the public. They seem to have not posted results for the year of 2009, however they have averages for the month of January 2010, which list that the average Temp.  was 42  degrees F, Sodium is at 10.1 mg/l, Fluoride is at 0.96 ppm, Hardness is at 51 mg/l and Turbidity is at .03 ntu’s.


6.    
How is the water transported from its source to end consumers?
(use graph provided)
After this process, the water is clean, it is wholesaled to Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and VPI and then comes to you via your household plumbing for your use and consumption.

7.     Does transport require bottles or other containers? Where do these come from and how are they produced?
 No it does not. The Blacksburg/Christiansburg/VPI water authority pumps water directly through plumbing systems in order to reach its customers.

8.     How safe are the containers themselves?
The water authority does not used bottled water.

9.     What are the costs to the consumer?
A water meter measures the amount of water coming into your home or business. Your water meter may be located in your basement or outside in a pit or hole. A meter reader reads the meter on a regular basis and the utility bills you for the amount of water used. The bill covers the costs of treating and distributing the water and sometimes this cost fluctuates. On average though, the price of 1,000 gallons of water used in the U.S. costs about $1.30.

10.  What else should people know about choices and trade-offs?
Tap water quality is government regulated. By choosing to drink tap water over bottled water, the public could be greatly decreasing the effect that bottled water has on the environment. People's thirst for bottled water is producing unnecessary garbage and consuming vast quantities of energy, even in areas where perfectly good drinking water is available on tap. Not only is bottled water not regulated through the government, but the monetary cost is also much greater than drinking from the tap.



References:

http://www.h2o4u.org/education/fromrivertotap.shtml

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/02/0224_060224_bottled_water.html

 



Picture