All about city and municipal water systems.

The majority of the population gets their water from the city/municipal water systems. Others can get their water from private wells or have it delivered to holding tanks (cisterns) where necessary. This tap water is drawn from a freshwater source, usually a lake, river, or stream, and treated before being pumped to our homes and businesses through various intricate pipe networks.

Most systems will include several stages of filtration to remove suspended particles, debris, and algae. Chloramine and chlorine are typically used to remove bacteria and viruses in the disinfection process and purify the water. Even with testing, natural factors can affect the way water tastes where you live, such as the change of seasons or rainfall. The taste of ground or well water even changes with the depth of the water or surface conditions.