Water Quality

The City of Clive receives water from the Des Moines Water Works who is responsible for initial treatment to insure that it is of the best quality before distributing it to the city as a wholesale customer.  As it reaches our connection, the City of Clive Public Works Department is charged with maintaining the high quality product until it flows out of your faucet. 

2013 CONSUMER CONFIDENCE REPORT  Click Here to view

This annual report is your guide to the quality and safety of the tapwater provided to Clive residents by Des Moines Water Works.

The report states whether the water meets federal and state standards for safe drinking water. The presence of a particular ingredient does not mean that the water is unsafe to drink. However, if something is detected above the maximum level, the Public Water Supplier (PWS) must discuss the potential health effects, and actions taken to correct the problem.

 

People who have special health problems, immune deficiencies, or pregnant women should check with their health care provider if contaminants are detected in concentrations that are above the standard or maximum contaminant level (MCL). 

TASTE AND ODOR

Most complaints about taste and odor are received in the spring and fall. During those times, increased runoff from snowmelt and heavy rains, or the presence of leaves in the river may cause changes in the taste and odor of water.

WATER HARDNESS

The definition of hardness is the sum of the concentrations of calcium and magnesium in the water. These minerals are found in the earth’s terrain that our ground and surface water comes from.

Do I need to use a water softener?
The desired level of hardness in your water depends entirely on your own personal preference.  Some people prefer very soft water while others prefer their water to be quite hard.  If you do not wish to see spots of any kind on your dishes, for example, you would need a water hardness level of zero grains/gallon.

If you do decide to install a water softener, you should be aware that most water softening systems use sodium in their softening process.  If anyone in your household is on a low-sodium diet they should discuss this issue with their doctor.  One possible approach would be to install the water softener in the feed line to your hot water heater.  This would result in soft water for bathing and clothes washing yet still avoid the higher sodium content in the cold water used for cooking and drinking

 

The City’s water is supplied by the Des Moines Water Works. For questions regarding treatment processes and on-line drinking quality information, visit   http://www.dmww.com/water-quality/water-quality-data/