Water Quality and Chemistry
The City of Saginaw Water Treatment Plant performs numerous tests to ensure the water is safe and of the highest quality. Some common tests are listed below.
Bacterial Analyses for Detecting Coliform Bacteria
The Water Treatment Plant tests round the clock for Coliform bacteria. Coliforms are commonly found in topsoil, ponds, lakes and other surface waters. Coliform organisms themselves usually will not cause disease, although may originate in the intestines of mammals. The City of Saginaw Water Treatment Plant exceeds the stardards set by the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Heterotrophic Plate Count (HPC) for Detecting Heterotrophic Bacteria
This test may also be referred to as Standard Plate Count. Heterotrophic bacteria can indicate how effective treatment and distribution are at controlling microorganisms. HPC measures a range of bacteria that are naturally occurring and are not indicative of a public health risk. The suggested limit for HPC is 500 colony-forming units per 1 mL of sample.
Partial Chemical Analyses
Total Hardness is the sum of calcium and magnesium concentrations in the water. City of Saginaw water hardness is approximately 110 mg/L. The suggested limit is 300 mg/L. Hardness can cause bathtub rings and scale in pipes. It can be removed by a water softener.
Chloride is a common inorganic chemical may cause a salty taste. City of Saginaw water chloride is approximately 15 mg/L. The suggested limit is 250 mg/L. Chlorides may be removed by Reverse Osmosis.
Turbidity is the clarity of the water. City of Saginaw water turbidity is usually less than 0.1 ntu. The limit is 0.3 ntu. Turbidity may be removed by filtration.
Free chlorine is a chemical residual that is used for disinfection. City of Saginaw water Free Residual Chlorine leaves the Water Plant at between 1.0-1.3 mg/L. As the water moves through the system, the residual drops slightly as it is used up or volatilizes. The limit is 4.0 mg/L. Chlorine may be removed by a water filter containing activated carbon. Once the carbon is expended, chlorine will resume passing through the filter.
Fluoride is a naturally occuring element, which is added to City of Saginaw Drinking Water to prevent tooth decay. It may cause mottling of teeth at high concentrations. The concentration in City water is 1.0 mg/L as recommended by the EPA. Fluoride may be removed by Reverse Osmosis. Additional information may be found at the following links.
- http://www.awwa.org/Resources/topicspecific.cfm?ItemNumber=30949&navItemNumber=32970
- http://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation
- http://www.pinellascounty.org/utilities/fluoridation.htm
- http://www.ada.org/public/topics/fluoride/news.asp
Conductance is the ability of water to conduct an electric current. Conductance is used to estimate the amount of total dissolved solids in water. City of Saginaw water conductivity is usually between 250-325 µmho/cm. Suggested limit is 850 µmho/cm.
For further information about the City of Saginaw’s drinking water, refer to your annual Water Quality Report, found online at http://www.saginaw-mi.com/profiles/ or request a copy by calling the water plant laboratory at (989)759-1646.
If you are concerned about your drinking water, contact your local water department, the water plant laboratory or see Frequently asked questions.