Spring is here. The sun is shining, and flowers are in bloom. Best of all, the warmth of the season is melting the snow on the mountains, signaling the start of a journey for a portion of your tap water supply to reach your faucet.
Think about it…each drink of water you take comes from somewhere. Could it be the from the great Rocky Mountains? Or maybe the High Sierra? Where does all the runoff go? How do we collect and treat it?
Allow us to take you on a journey- water’s journey, that is. You may discover a newfound appreciation for this vital necessity in life, and the process it undergoes to make its way to you.
As we mentioned, our tap water begins as snow in the local Southern California Mountains, the Sierras, or the Rocky Mountains. When temperatures rise, the snowmelt flows down into local streams such as the Santa Ana River, the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, or the Colorado River. From there, the water is collected and brought back to our facilities for treatment and testing.
Our member agencies provide you with water that is composed of 30% imported water supply, which is then blended with local groundwater sources. According to the EPA, groundwater is freshwater (from rain or melting ice and snow) that soaks into the soil and is stored in the tiny spaces between rocks and particles of soil. Our agencies pump up this water from a well and combine it with imported water to reduce the expense of obtaining water from distant places and to reinforce water reliability from a local and sustainable source.
Once collected and combined, your SoCal tap water generally goes through five stages of water treatment: coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection. The CDC outlines the specific functions of each of these steps in this article. All you probably want to know is that your water supply is thoroughly tested by our agencies to ensure it meets the cleanest and highest standard of water safety in California. Because after all, providing clean and safe water is our top priority.
*This water tank depicts one typically seen in the Midwest. The water tanks on the west coast look slightly different, but still perform the same way.
Wondering where water goes next? Straight to you, precisely when you need it most. It’s our privilege and responsibility to do this work day-in and day-out, ensuring the delivery of a fresh and reliable source of water to you, our valued customer.
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