Cincinnati Public Water System

Mission: GCWW staff provides customers with abundant high-quality water, promotes environmental sustainability, and delivers exceptional services in a financially responsible manner. Greater Cincinnati Water Works has been municipally owned and operated since the City of Cincinnati purchased it in 1839.

GCWW has consistently pioneered advancements in water quality research and technology to safeguard public health. We've earned national recognition for our innovative water treatment processes and research initiatives. To guarantee premium quality municipal water, we conduct over 600 daily tests from source through treatment and throughout the distribution system.

GCWW distributes more than 48 billion gallons of water annually through approximately 3,000 miles of water mains to roughly 235,500 residential and commercial accounts. Our service area encompasses the entire City of Cincinnati, most of Hamilton County, and portions of Butler and Warren Counties in Ohio. In 2003, we expanded to serve Boone County and Florence, Kentucky via a pipeline installed beneath the Ohio River.

Greater Cincinnati Water Works consistently meets or exceeds all state and federal health standards for water quality.

What is the hardness level of South St. Paul Water? The measurement is typically 18 grains or 307 parts per million hardness.

What should I know about water treatment systems? It's important to be aware that some water treatment companies use misleading sales tactics, false claims, or scare techniques. Everyone has the right to decide what's best for their household, and you may choose to install additional water treatment to further reduce levels of contaminants of emerging concern, chlorine, and other chemicals. However, exercise caution when purchasing a water treatment system.

If considering a home water treatment system, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) recommends:

1. Verify that the treatment system/device is certified to achieve claimed results. Reliable certifiers include: NSF International, Underwriters Laboratories (UL), and Water Quality Association (WQA).
2. Ensure the treatment system addresses your specific concerns – no single system treats all water quality issues.
3. Work with a reputable water treatment company.
4. Confirm installation is performed by a licensed plumber or certified water conditioning contractor (as required by state law).
5. Compare different water treatment systems and prices.
6. If you live in a city, contact your local water system for information about your water quality.
7. If a company claims to be working with the city or a state agency, request their contact person at that organization.
8. Understand proper operation and maintenance of your system; otherwise, it may not work effectively and could potentially worsen water quality.

Be cautious of sales pitches involving:

• Listing national groundwater contamination issues regardless of whether they affect your area
• Conducting in-home "water quality tests" that supposedly indicate contamination but may simply show naturally occurring minerals
• Misrepresenting state and federal municipal water standards, falsely claiming your water exceeds those standards
• Offering "one-time only" deals at "drastically reduced" prices, when systems are actually being sold at inflated rates

Anyone experiencing false or misleading information or high-pressure sales tactics should contact the Minnesota Attorney General's Office Consumer Complaints department at 651-296-3353 or 800-657-3787 or online at: http://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/Complaint.Asp

MDH provides additional information about municipal water and home treatment systems on their website at:

• http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/index.html
• http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/water/factsheet/com/pou.html