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Did You Know?
Water is the only substance that naturally occurs in all three states of matter - a solid, a liquid and a gas:
- As a solid, water is found as glaciers and ice; on water surfaces as snow, hail and frost; and as clouds formed of ice crystals.
- Water occurs in the liquid state as rain and dew.
- As gas, or water vapor, it occurs as fog, steam and clouds.
Water is Precious
Little of it is available to drink Of the earth's water supply:
| Salt water |
97.2 % |
| Fresh Water |
2.8 % |
| Groundwater |
0.6 % |
| Lakes and Streams |
0.01% |
| Glaciers and Ice Caps |
2.1 % |
| Water Vapor |
0.001 % |
It is important for us to care for our precious water supplies and not to pollute or lakes, streams, or groundwater.
Water Has Many Properties
- Water is an odorless, tasteless liquid. It has a bluish tint, which may be detected only in layers of considerable depth.
- The freezing point of water is 0 degrees C (32 degrees F) and its boiling point is 100 degrees C (212 degrees F). Water's maximum density is at 4 degrees C (39 degrees F) and it expands upon freezing.
- Like most other liquids, water can exist in a super-cooled state; that is, it may remain a liquid although its temperature is below its freezing point. Water can be cooled to about -25 degrees C (-13 degrees F) without freezing. Super-cooled water will freeze if it is disturbed, if the temperature is lowered further or if an ice crystal or other particle is added.
- Water's physical properties define the calorie, specific and latent heat, and the metric system's unit of mass-the gram.
- Water is frequently called the universal solvent.
- Water combines with certain salts to form hydrates, it reacts with metal oxides to form acids, and it acts as a catalyst in many important chemical reactions.
Surface Water
Surface water is obtained from lakes, streams (such as the Lower American River and the Sacramento River), rivers or ponds. Reservoirs (such as Folsom Lake) hold rain runoff and snowmelt for later use, or release water when danger from floods has passed. Water supplies may be taken directly from reservoirs or from diversions downstream of the dams. Reservoirs may serve other purposes in addition to water supply, such as flood protection, hydroelectric power generation and recreation.
To some degree, many of the Sacramento Area water suppliers use surface water sources. They include: the City of Sacramento, Carmichael Water District, Placer County Water Agency, City of Roseville, San Juan Water District, Citrus Heights Water District, City of Folsom, Orange Vale Water Company, Fair Oaks Water District, and Sacramento Suburban Water District.
Groundwater
 Groundwater comes to us from natural springs, as discharges into rivers and lakes, or is extracted by wells. Most of North America's small water systems, as well as many large ones, use groundwater as their source of supply. Groundwater may be drawn from porous spaces in sand and gravel, sedimentary rocks, or a combination of these.
Many of the Sacramento area water suppliers are solely dependant upon groundwater, or use groundwater as well as surface water: These include: the City of Sacramento, Carmichael Water District, Placer County Water Agency, City of Roseville, Citrus Heights Water District, Fair Oaks Water District, Cal American Water Co., City of Lincoln, Arden Arcade Water Service, Sacramento Suburban Water District, Fruitridge Vista Water Company, Del Paso Manor Water District and Sacramento County Water Agency.
Water Quality
The quality of different types of water varies greatly. Surface water generally has more turbidity (cloudiness) and bacteria than groundwater, but groundwater contains dissolved chemicals and some microscopic organisms as well. Because of such variability, the US Environmental Protection Agency and California Department of Health Services establish standards for drinking water. Similar water quality standards have been adopted by all the states and by the World Health Organization.
Treatment
The water you drink goes through an extensive purification process before reaching the tap. Water pulled from rivers and lakes is delivered to a treatment facility where it undergoes a series of filtration, disinfection and testing processes. These processes remove any bacteria, taste or odor and guarantee the water you drink meets or exceeds state and federal safe drinking water standards. Your local water provider distributes an annual Consumer Confidence Report about the quality of its drinking water. Please contact your local water provider directly for additional information or a copy of the current report.
Water and Energy
When we use water, we use energy. Every time the tap is turned on, electricity is being used. A tremendous amount of electricity is needed to run the many pumps that obtain, purify and transport water to homes and businesses. Inside our homes and businesses we use energy to heat and cool water as well as moving water from one place to another. Water pumping is the single most significant use of electricity in the state. By using water efficiently, we can conserve both water and energy.
Meter Face
The meter face contains all the information required to accurately read your water meter.
Your water utility reads your meter every month or every other month, but not always on the same day of the month. Here's how water use is calculated:
- Water meters are read from left to right in units of 100 cubic feet.
- Read only the numbers (of similar color) on the far-left side of your meter. These represent whole units. One unit represents 100 cubic feet or 748 gallons.
- The amount of water used is the difference between the current meter reading and the prior meter reading. Example:
| If the current reading is |
2345 Hundred Cubic Feet |
| The prior reading was |
2331 Hundred Cubic Feet |
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| The usage is: |
14 Hundred Cubic Feet |
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