How do I flush my plumbing?

The City of Savage recommends flushing out the home plumbing twice per year, or when water is discolored or carries an unpleasant odor. Please use the following steps:

1. If the home has a water softener, bypass it temporarily.
2. Open all cold-water faucets and let run, both inside and outside of the home.
3. Fill the washing machine and flush all toilets.
4. Let the water run until it clears, which should take about 5 to 15 minutes. The cost for this should be less than $1.
5. Turn off all faucets, empty washing machine, and put the softener back in service.

Following the above steps will result in removal of loose sediment from your water system and ensures high quality, fresh water for your home or business.

I'm installing a water softener and need to know how hard the water is. Can the City give me that information?

Water from the Savage Water Treatment plant is on the average 19 grains hard. Another way to express this is 317 parts per million of total hardness measured as CaCo3. This is moderately hard water.

Why is there an odor coming from my water?
Generally, odor is caused by two things:

1. Mineral buildup in the pipes and dissolved in the water.
2. Chemicals added during treatment, such as chlorine. Chlorine reacts with minerals in the pipes and water, which gives off a chlorine smell.

Flushing of the house plumbing will normally alleviate the problem.

Why is my water rusty and what can I do about it?
Rusty water is caused by iron mineral in the water and build-up in the home's plumbing. Flushing of the house plumbing will normally alleviate the problem.

Where does our water come from?
The City withdraws water from wells ranging in depth from 150 feet to 1000 feet. The age of this water is typically greater than 40,000 years old.

Why do I have low water pressure?
Low water pressure can be caused by a number of things:

1. Partially closed valves either in the home or outside at the shutoff.
2. Pipes clogged with minerals.
3. Malfunctioning water softener.
4. Home at a high elevation compared to the water tower.

Is anything added to the water?
Yes. The well water is first aerated to release any trapped gasses and to oxidize the iron, then it is filtered though graded gravels and activated carbon to remove the iron and manganese, which contributes to hardness. Fluoride is then added, as mandated by law, for the prevention of tooth decay. Chlorine is also added to prevent any disease causing bacteria from contaminating the water. Potassium Permanganate and Hydrous Manganese Oxides are added as filtering agents. All of these chemicals are safe and strictly regulated by the Department of Health.

Is any testing done to make sure the water is safe?
Most definitely. Hundreds of tests are done in the course of the year to make sure the water is safe and palatable. Representative sites are sampled throughout the City on a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly basis. Some of the things that are tested for include:

• fluoride
• chlorine
• coliform bacteria
• nitrites
• lead
• copper
• rihalomethane
• volatile organics (21)
• asbestos
• radium (2)
• synthetic organics(33)
• organic chemicals (31)
• arsenic
• radon
• sodium
• disinfectant byproducts (15)
• 15 misc. contaminates

How much water do we use?
Savage residents use over 1 billion gallons yearly. Minnesota residents use 1.2 trillion gallons yearly. The national average of water consumption is 100 gallons per person per day. Savage residents consume on average, 73.6 gallons per person per day.

Where does our sewage go?
All wastewater is pumped to the Seneca Wastewater Treatment Plant in Eagan, which is owned by the Metropolitan Council Environmental Services. Savage taxpayers pay over $100,000 per month for this service.