Huber Heights Public Water System

We're pleased to present this year's Annual Quality Water Report. Our goal is to keep you informed about the quality water and services we've delivered to your home throughout the past year. Our mission has always been to provide you with a safe, reliable source of municipal water.

Our water comes from the Great Miami Valley Buried Aquifer, and we maintain a current, unconditional license to operate our water system. If you have questions about this report or our water utility, please contact Mr. Russ Bergman at the City of Huber Heights (233-1423), or Mr. Jeff VanMeter (Operator of Record) or Ms. Pam Whited (Utility Manager) at SUEZ (233-3292).

We encourage our valued customers to stay informed about their water utility. You're welcome to attend our regularly scheduled meetings, held every other month beginning in January at 6121 Taylorsville Rd., Huber Heights, in the Police Community Room at 6:00 p.m.

On behalf of the City of Huber Heights, SUEZ routinely monitors constituents in your municipal water according to Federal and State regulations. The tables in our full report show monitoring results from January 1st to December 31st, 2017. All municipal water, including bottled water, may reasonably contain at least trace amounts of some substances. The presence of these substances doesn't necessarily indicate a health risk.

Water for Huber Heights customers is supplied from two treatment facilities: the Needmore Road Water Treatment Plant (NRWTP) and the Rip Rap Road Water Treatment Plant (RRRWTP). Both plants supply water to the main system throughout the year.

Common Water Quality Questions

1. Where does our water come from?
   Typically, we're a "Surface Water" system. Our water comes from the Little Red River, specifically from the deep, cool bottom waters of the Greer's Ferry Dam discharge. Our utility maintains an impoundment dam creating a large reservoir on the Little Red River to ensure adequate source water even during drought conditions.
2. Is our water fluoridated?
   Yes. Following Act 197 passed in the 2010 legislative session (requiring certain water systems to maintain fluoride levels to prevent tooth decay), we maintain fluoride at approximately 0.7 mg/l (parts per million) as mandated by State law.
3. What is our water hardness level?
   Our water typically rates as "Soft" with an average value of about 25-30 mg/l or 1.5 grains per gallon. This means you'll need less soap or detergent compared to "harder" water. Water under 60 mg/l hardness is considered "Soft Water." Surface water generally has less mineral content that creates hardness because it has less contact time with rocks and soil.
4. Which neighboring utilities use our water?
   We provide wholesale water to surrounding utilities serving rural customers, including South West White County (SOWCO), South East White County (SEWCO), North East White County (NOWCO), Four-Mile Hill Water, Judsonia Water, Kensett Water, and North East White County Water Association (serving Bald Knob, Bald Knob North, and Russell). In total, we process and distribute municipal water for nearly 60,000 residents throughout the greater White County area.
5. What affects my home's water pressure?
   Water pressure is primarily determined by gravity. Your home's pressure depends on the elevation difference between water in the storage tank and your fixtures, minus friction losses from water traveling through pipes and demand on feeder lines. A good average is 50-60 psi, while state regulations require a minimum of 20 psi. If pressure exceeds 75 psi, a regulator may be needed to prevent plumbing damage. Water levels in service tanks fluctuate with demand but rarely enough for consumers to notice pressure changes. Please report any significant pressure fluctuations.
6. Is discolored water safe?
   While discolored water should be reported as it may indicate a service line issue, it's typically caused by flow disturbances from maintenance, high usage, or hydrant operation dislodging mineral buildup (primarily iron or manganese) from pipe walls. Another cause can be treatment process issues where dissolved manganese oxidizes from chlorine disinfection, forming tiny yellow particles visible in white fixtures at levels as low as 30 parts per billion. In both cases, the water remains safe with adequate disinfection, though it may stain laundry. We recommend waiting until water clears before washing clothes.
7. Why does my water taste different sometimes?
   Please report any significant taste changes immediately. Common causes include chlorine levels that are either too high (chemical/bleach taste) or too low (earthy taste) from our target range. Chlorine is added only at the treatment plant and degrades with time and temperature as water travels through the system and storage facilities. Occasionally, algae blooms or seasonal thermal inversions in our water source can cause temporary earthy tastes. We value your feedback as we strive to maintain high-quality, palatable water.