If you are an occupant (a potential owner of the property or a person who has permission to live in the property without a lease), you may take the following steps to receive water service:
Chlorine in the form of chloramine (chlorine combined with ammonia) is added, first to disinfect the water and then to make sure that the water stays free of germs or harmful bacteria all the way to your tap. Chlorine levels in water vary from about 0.2 parts-per-million to 2 ppm depending on where you live relative to the water treatment plant, as well as the time of the year (chlorine is harder to keep in the water during the summer when the temperature of the water is high).
Philadelphia's water is moderately hard because the rivers from which we get the water contain calcium. We increase the hardness slightly as we add lime to adjust the acidity, or pH level of the water. These are natural minerals.
The acidity of Philadelphia's water is controlled at the treatment plant using lime to make sure that treatment works properly and to make sure that the water coming out of your tap is consistent and low in corrosiveness. The natural water's pH can change. The treatment plants control these changes so that we can supply water that is neutral in pH.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of State require us to control the corrosiveness of our water to prevent lead and copper from leaching out of the plumbing materials into the water. We add parts-per-billion levels of a corrosion inhibitor, a phosphate, to the city's water to reduce the corrosion of the pipes.
Fluoride is added to the water at 0.7 mg/L concentration for the prevention of tooth decay. This is done under the Philadelphia Department of Public Health's guidance. Some fluoride is natural in the water, but we boost it up a little more to keep it consistent and beneficial.
Remember, the pipes inside your home are your responsibility. When your pipes freeze, the Philadelphia Water Department is not able to help. Protecting your pipes and water meter from cold weather is well worth the effort and will keep your water flowing.
If your pipes freeze: