Did you know? Backflow prevention protects water quality

Did you know? Backflow prevention protects water quality.

As warmer weather arrives and outdoor water use increases, it’s important to check your backflow prevention devices on sprinkler systems, hoses and faucets to protect water quality.

In compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, Metropolitan Utilities District (M.U.D.) requires backflow preventers are installed and tested every year on lawn sprinkler systems which use booster pumps or chemical injection systems. We keep records of these tests and issue notices when testing is due. If you have an underground sprinkler system, check your city’s plumbing code on backflow regulations.

If you use a garden hose to apply chemicals to your lawn and garden, it is a good idea to have a backflow device installed on the faucet connected to the hose. Check your city’s plumbing code for regulations.

Tips to prevent backflow incidents:

• Check your faucets to make sure all faucet endpoints are above the flood level of the sink, tub, basin or other apparatus they supply.
• Protect your faucet extensions by installing proper backflow prevention devices on all faucets capable of having a hose or other extension attached.
• Check drain lines (refrigerator drink dispensers, water softeners, heat exchangers, etc.) to make sure there is an adequate air gap between the drain line and the floor drain or sewer line into which they discharge.
• Never use unprotected faucets to fill non-drinking water containers (water beds, pools, stock tanks, hot tubs, etc.)

New water quality report available

As a customer of M.U.D., your drinking water is safe and meets or exceeds all federal and state requirements. View the new Water Quality Report and learn more about the source and quality of your drinking water.

If you want a printed copy, do one of the following:

• Check the box on your bill when you submit your May or June payment;
• Call Customer Service at 402.554.6666, provide your name and address, or
• Email [email protected] and provide your name and address.

M.U.D. operates and maintains more than 2,900 miles of pipe that delivers clean drinking water to the taps of 211,623 homes and businesses in the metro Omaha area. We serve an average of 84 million gallons of water per day to the community and maintain nearly 27,000 hydrants for fire protection.

M.U.D. operates three water treatment plants, which provide a reliable water supply and allow facilities to be taken off line as needed for system improvements. We are working diligently to ensure a safe and reliable drinking water supply to our customer-owners, as well as safeguarding the water system for future generations.

M.U.D. relies on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to determine what substances are health risks — and if they are a health risk, what levels are safe for human consumption.

To ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the EPA prescribes regulations to limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. More information may be obtained by calling the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline, 800.426.4791, or visiting their website: http://water.epa.gov/drink/.