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.
