Frequently Asked Questions About Water

What is the hardness of my water?
The hardness of water depends on which plant serves your residence. You can check the water service area map to if A.B. Jewell or Mohawk Water Treatment Plant supplies your water. The average hardness for A.B. Jewell runs 8.2 grains per gallon or 140 parts per million. The average hardness for Mohawk runs 5.2 grains per gallon or 89 parts per million.

What lakes supply the Water Treatment Plants?
Lake Eucha and Spavinaw supply Mohawk. Lake Oologah supplies A.B. Jewell.

I have seen the news reports about the chicken litter polluting our water supply.  How does the litter pollute?
The main pollutant from the chicken litter is phosphorous, which runs off from the soil when it rains. Phosphorous acts like a fertilizer so when it gets into the lakes it causes algae blooms. When the algae dies it produces a chemical called Geosmin. Geosmin gives the water a musty smell and taste.

Is the water still safe to drink?
Yes, the water is treated to meet and exceed all federal, state, and local water quality requirements. Recently, the water treatment plants have installed granular activated carbon (GAC). This carbon improves the taste and smell of the water.  Geosmin is not harmful; it is found in high concentration in beets. When you cook beets they give off the same earthy, musty smell. The City of Tulsa also continuously monitors pH, turbidly, chlorine, and other water quality tests every 4 hours. The distribution is tested with 200 samples per month.

How much water can the Water Treatment Plants produce? 
On average we treat 100 MGD. Can go up to 220 MGD. AB Jewell can treat 120 MGD and Mohawk 100 MGD.

Drinking water looks cloudy when first taken from a faucet what cause this?
The cloudy water is cause by air bubbles in the water similar to the gas bubbles in carbonated soft drinks. Take a glass of water and see if it clears up from the bottom to the top. If it clears up this way then you know it is air bubbles.  Cloudiness occurs more often in the winter when the water is cold.

Why is my drinking water reddish or brown?
The reddish-brown color is nontoxic, but it can stain clothing in the wash and it looks bad. The possible causes are:

• Iron, found in the water pipes in the street leading to your home or in your home may be rusting creating rusty-brown water.
• The hot water tank may be rusting.
• Road construction or water line repairs can knock particles inside the pipe loose.

If you are having trouble and your neighbors are not then your own pipes or water heater probably are rusting. Letting the water run a while will often clear the water.

What is the white film on my coffee pot and on my dishes? How do I get rid of it?
This is caused by the "hardness" of the water. Two nontoxic chemicals called minerals - calcium and magnesium, cause the hardness. The minerals dissolve in water tend to settle our when water is heated or are left behind when it evaporates. These minerals are white and accumulate in coffee pots, showerhead, and other dishes. To remove these minerals use vinegar or lemon juice to clean and then rinse thoroughly.

What causes little black flecks to come out of my tap? 
The lining from a bitumen-lined main or plumbing may have started to break down.  Granular particles that smear when rubbed between your fingers may be small pieces of rubber that are "sloughing off" from rubber parts/hoses in contact with your water over time. Sources of these include the reservoir plug in the toilet water tank and black rubber tubing (often with a steel braided outer covering) that is sometimes used in sink fixtures. Some types of jacketed black rubber hose (Aqua-Flo) may deteriorate in the presence of chlorinated or chloraminated water.