HIGH WATER BILLS
A leaking toilet is the primary cause of a high water bill. Most of the time, a leaking toilet will not be heard. A simple test a resident can do is to put food coloring in the water tank and let sit for a period of time. If the bowl becomes colored then the toilet is leaking. The repair would require installing new parts (fill valve and flapper valve) inside the tank. It is not uncommon to see water bills double or even triple with a toilet leak. If you are unsure if you have a toilet leak please call the North Riverside Water Department at 762-5885 for assistance.
WATER QUALITY
During certain times of the year you may notice that your tap water has a milky type appearance that usually clears from the bottom upward. Actually what you are seeing are tiny air bubbles. This is caused by temperature inversion where the lake water temperature is colder than its environment. This is a common occurrence especially during the spring months were air temperature becomes much warmer than the water temperature of Lake Michigan. If this occurs residents can let their tap run for a few minutes or fill a jug and let sit for drinking purposes.
WATER QUALITY REPORTS
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WATER TASTE
Some residents have mentioned a different taste to their water. They are correct. The common cause of this is the algae that are growing in Lake Michigan and all the other Great Lakes. The algae are growing much deeper due to zebra mussels which have infiltrated the Great Lakes. Zebra Mussels are actually cleaning the water causing the suns rays to penetrate much deeper. The taste that people are experiencing is due to the water being filtered through activated carbon. This can lead to dirt like taste and sometimes an odor. Residents are encouraged to fill a jug and let sit if this is a problem.