Frequently Asked
Questions
Quality questions
-
Where does La Porte’s water come from?
La
Porte’s water system is supplied by groundwater from deep wells. The
water is pumped from the wells to one of two treatment plants before it
reaches your home.
-
Is
the water filtered?
Yes. All
of the water that goes into the distribution system to customers comes
from one of the City’s two filtration plants. After the plants filter
the water it is pumped into the grid-configured distribution system
constructed mostly of iron pipes.
-
Are
lots of chemicals used in treating the water?
No,
there is not a need to use many chemicals. The water is basically safe
to drink from the wells, but it goes to filtration plants to further
enhance the quality. At the plants the iron and manganese are filtered
out. If the iron and manganese were left in the water they would stain
plumbing fixtures and laundry. Hydrogen sulfide is removed to eliminate
the rotten egg odor that is common to many private wells in the area. A
small amount of chlorine is utilized to pre treat the water and also to
ensure the water quality as it moves through the distribution network. A
small amount of fluoride is added to prevent tooth decay. A very small
amount of a common food grade ortho-polyphosphate is added to minimize
corrosion of pipes.
-
How
much chlorine and fluoride are in the water?
Chlorine
in the distribution system usually averages at 1 ppm (part per million)
and fluoride is at 1 ppm (part per million). This is the equivalent of 1
pound of chemical in 1 million pounds of water.
-
Are
there any dangerous chemicals in the water?
La Porte
water meets all EPA Safe Drinking Water Act Standards for all chemicals
or compounds. It is considered to be a safe and healthful source of
drinking water.
-
If
I open the faucet and the water looks rusty is it safe to drink?
Because
the system is constructed of cast iron pipe, some corrosion does occur.
When there is a high flow rate from usage of a fire hydrant or other
system component, the product of the corrosion which is rust can be
stirred up. If rusty water is encountered, run the cold-water tap until
the water clears and also avoid doing laundry until in clears. The water
is tested regularly and is safe to drink. It is also a good idea to call
the water plant and report the problem so that our staff can investigate
to determine the specific cause. We have someone on duty 24 hours per
day and also have a full time Water Quality Supervisor. We take all
quality complaints seriously.
-
Is
bottled water better than city water?
There is
no quality or safety advantage to drinking bottled water. Water that is
bottled and sold in stores often comes from a municipal system or a
treatment system similar to municipal systems. Bottled water is
convenient because it is portable, but once you buy the bottle just
refill it with City water and take it with you. If you pay $1.00 for
a 20 ounce bottle of water remember that you can refill that same bottle
2,184 times for $1.00 at City rates.
-
What can I do to protect our water from contamination?
The
simplest thing you can do is to make sure that you never dump anything
on the ground that you don’t want to drink someday. This is because the
water in our area (both City water and private wells) comes from sand
and gravel aquifers. These aquifers readily supply us with water but are
easily contaminated from the surface by the improper disposal of the
chemicals used in daily life or from business and industry.
-
What is hard water and is it bad or good?
Hardness
is a measure of the concentration of calcium and magnesium salts in
water, which are generally present as bicarbonate salts. Water hardness
is derived largely from the water contacting soil and rock formations as
it filters through the ground. Hard and soft waters are both
satisfactory for human consumption. In fact the minerals that generally
make up water hardness are healthful. La Porte’s water is considered to
be hard water. Effectively this means that it can form a scale in
household plumbing, on cooking utensils, or in water heaters. Soap does
not clean as efficiently in hard water and leaves more residues in
bathtubs, sinks, and clothing. For those that choose to use a water
softener La Porte’s water hardness is approximately 330 parts per
million or expressed in grains per gallon it would be 19.2.
Customer Service Questions
-
How
do I start service for water, sewer, trash, and recycling?
To start
service you need to go to the utility office in the first floor of City
Hall at 801 Michigan Avenue. You need to bring identification including
a picture ID. You also need to bring a deposit of $35 and a one-time
service start fee of $20 to cover the cost of start up. The deposit is
returned or will usually be applied to your final bill when you
discontinue service. (See a sample bill by clicking on the billing
link).
-
How
much does the water cost and how does it compare to other cities?
La Porte
uses a declining block rate schedule. This means that the more water
that is used the cheaper it gets. The first step in the rate block is
$2.93 per thousand gallons. This is for the first 5,000 gallons used
each month. The cost is $2.69 per thousand gallons for the next 10,000
gallons used. The rates decline further for then next 35,000 gallons to
$2.51 per thousand gallons. The next 50,000 gallons is priced at $2.09
per thousand. Finally, any usage over 100,000 gallons is priced at $1.61
per thousand gallons. Most residential usage occurs in the first two
rate blocks. The lowest priced rate blocks are important in that they
help large industrial users remain competitive which helps to keep jobs
here in La Porte. La Porte’s water rates are near the average for a
community our size in Indiana. (See our complete rate schedule by
clicking on the Rates link on the left side of the web page)
-
How
does the water get to my house from the filtration plant?
Large
pumps located at the filtration plant pump the water into the
distribution system. The distribution system is a grid shaped network of
iron pipes. La Porte’s distribution system is made up of approximately
130 miles of pipes with more than 1500 valves and 800 fire hydrants.
Three 500,000 gallon elevated tanks are also located within the system.
-
Who
is responsible for the water line that connects my house to the city
water main at the street?
The
property owner is responsible for the pipe (water service line) that
connects the structure to the water main at the street. During new
construction the property owner pays the Water Department to tap the
main and a plumber to install the water service line. Under current
regulations the property owner is responsible for the maintenance of the
water service line and shut off valve. If a leak develops on the portion
of the line between the city water main and the shut off valve at the
curb, the Water Department crew will make repairs and bill the property
owner only for the materials used in the repair. The Department absorbs
the cost of the labor and equipment that is used in repair. This helps
to keep the costs down for the property owner.
-
How
much water does a normal family use each month?
The
average person uses somewhere between 60 and 75 gallons per day. For a
family of 4 this works out to somewhere between 7,000 and 9,000 gallons
in a month. We have seen many families reduce their usage to 5,000 or
6,000 gallons per month by being conservation minded in their water
using practices.
-
What are water towers used for and how do they work?
Water
towers are used to store treated water to help to meet peak customer
demands and to balance the load on the pumping plants from peaks and
valleys of customer usage. The pressure from the water pumps pushes the
water up into the water towers. When customers use more water than is
being pumped from the plants, the water flows from the towers into the
system to help satisfy the demand. If customers are using less water
than is being pumped from the plants the excess pumped water refills the
towers.
7.
Where is the water meter and how often is it read?
For most
homes the water meter is in the basement or crawlspace usually along the
front wall facing the street. If your home does not have a basement then
it is either in a meter pit in front of the house or in cabinet or near
the water heater where the line comes up through the floor slab. Most
houses have a remote reading meter where a display unit is wired up to
the meter and mounted outside the house to allow the meter to be read
from the outside. Water meters are read and billed on a monthly basis.
-
If
I have an emergency, how do I turn off the water?
Every
house is required to have a shut off outside that the Water Department
can use to shut off water and a valve by the meter that will shut the
water off from the inside. If your water meter is in the basement, a
crawl space, or if even if it is in a trap door or closet there should
be a shut off valve by it. It is a good idea to put a brightly colored
tag on it so you can find it easily in an emergency. Make sure that
other members of your family know where it is and how to turn it off in
an emergency. If you rent in a multiple unit building you should call
your landlord in an emergency.
-
What is the most common cause of abnormally high water bills?
There is
no question that most high water bills are caused by toilets that run or
leak water directly to the sewer. The toilet normally accounts for 30%
of all water usage in the home. To make matters worse studies have shown
that 20% of toilets leak. The other most common leak sources in the home
are the water softener, irrigation system, dripping faucet, and the
humidifier on a furnace.
-
How
can I tell if my toilet is leaking?
Normally
you will not hear a toilet leaking until the leak is quite severe but
the cost can be substantial. A leak in a pipe the size of this dot (.)
could mean the loss of hundreds of gallons per day. Most toilet leaks
occur at the overflow pipe or at the plunger ball inside the tank. To
determine if your overflow pipe is leaking, flush the toilet with the
tank lid off. The water level should refill up to about one half inch
below the overflow pipe. Adjust the float level control screw, if
necessary, so the valve shuts off the water at that level. If the valve
itself is leaking, it will probably need to be replaced.
Another
test would be to drop a little food coloring or dark beverage into the
holding tank. Do not flush but wait about half an hour to see if the
colored water appears in the toilet bowl. If it does you probably have a
seeping leak around the flapper valve or plunger ball and need to
replace these worn parts. If the coloring disappears from the holding
tank without flushing but does not appear in the toilet bowl then you
may have a crack or break in the overflow pipe allowing the water to
seep into the pipe.
There
are, of course, other areas which could be a source of water loss but
these are the most common. Please feel free to call on us to assist you
where we are able.
13.
Is it hard to fix a toilet if it is leaking?
If you
are handy with tools it is not hard to fix most toilet leaks and the
parts are generally available at local hardware stores. If you are not
sure of what you are doing it is best to call a plumber.
What
number do I call if I want more questions answered or have an emergency?
If you
want any additional information about La Porte’s water or have a water
emergency just call 326-9540. We have someone on duty 24 hours per day
to assist you.
14.
Community Water Fluoridation
www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/safety/systematic.htm
|
