Water Quality FAQ

The Carpinteria Valley Water District wishes to assure its residents, businesses and visitors the following:

1. Our water system & supply has not been affected by the storm.
2. The water being supplied to the City of Carpinteria including Gobernador Canyon and Shepard Mesa is SAFE to use for drinking, cooking, bathing and laundry.
3. The Carpinteria Valley Water District is NOT under a boil water order.

It is very difficult to separate taste from odor because these two human senses are so closely related. Most occurances of a peculiar taste or odor in the water can be grouped into the following categories:

• Chlorinous, bleachy, chemical, and medicinal - Two common causes are the addition of chlorine to the water by CVWD, and the interaction of that chlorine with a build up of organic material in your plumbing system.
• Sulfurous (rotten egg-like), decayed, and sewage-like - Two common causes are bacteria growing in your drain or bacteria growing in your water heater.

Keep a pitcher of chilled tap water in the refrigerator. Not only will this improve the taste, it will help conserve water because you don’t need to let the tap run until the water gets cold.

Some possible causes of problems associated with water which appears dirty, has an unusual color, or sediment/particles include:

• Sediments or pipe materials from breaks in water mains or hydrants. Water mains in the distribution system can fail due to age, corrosion, high pressure surges, or damage by construction work. Hydrants can also be broken off by vehicles.
• High flows can occur in water mains due to fire fighting, water system tests, or maintenance. Unusual high-flow conditions can stir up sediment or scale from the water mains.
• Construction activities – The customer’s service connection from the distribution main to the water meter is sometimes disturbed by construction activities of contractors or other utilities.
• Aging galvanized plumbing – Rust particles or scale from galvanized steel home plumbing can also produce reddish-brown water or rust particles, particularly noticeable when a tap is first turned on.

The cloudy water you are seeing is a result of entrapped air in the groundwater, a common and harmless condition. To verify this, place the cloudy water in a glass and observe whether it clears from the bottom up (you may be left with bubbles on the side of the glass and a small surface layer of bubbles). If this occurs than you have dissolved air in the water.

“Hard” water, which contains more minerals than “soft” water, can cause spots on glasses or silverware. In California, water supplies are typically very hard. It is best to read the owner’s manual for your dishwasher and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding hard water. Some other tips that may help reduce spotting include using hotter water, varying the brand and type of rinse agent and detergent, and adding white vinegar to the rinse cycle of the dishwasher.

The range of CVWD’s water is 17-22 gpg.

No, CVWD does not add any additional fluoride into the water. However, fluoride is found naturally in our water supply. For more information regarding fluoride levels in the water, please refer to our Consumer Confidence Report.

Giardia and Cryptosporidium are micro-organisms which can cause gastrointestinal illnesses. The chance of these diseases being found in your drinking water is very small. Groundwater supplies that operate with proper well protection like CVWD's are not susceptible to contamination by these organisms.

CVWD routinely collects samples of water in the mains throughout the service area and sends them to a laboratory for testing. CVWD is not equipped to provide laboratory testing on water inside residences or businesses.

The Carpinteria Valley Water District can be reached at (805) 684-2816.

Questions and comments can also be emailed to info@cvwd.net or mailed to:
Carpinteria Valley Water District
1301 Santa Ynez Ave
Carpinteria, CA 93013

The telephone number for the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline is (800) 426-4791.