Properly apply fertilizer and herbicides to agricultural crops, pastures, and home lawns. Improper application can find its way into our water supply, particularly as part of storm water runoff. If you have your own well, test the water for coliform bacterial and nitrate nitrogen. A coliform test should be done every year, yet only about 5 percent of private wells are tested each year. Inspect septic systems annually and pump them out regularly.
Septic tanks can leak nitrates, bacteria, and chemicals into ground water.
If everyone does a little, we as a whole will be doing a lot to preserve our water resources for ourselves and for future generations. Providing the best quality water in today s regulatory environment and limiting the impact that natural or other disasters might have on distributing water to thousands of customers produces a challenge for any water utility. Because of this commitment, CWA officials are announcing the Authority s first rate increase in 40 months. This rate increase was necessary, CWA officials explain, in order to maintain the high level of customer service for which the Authority has been historically recognized. When the ice storms of a few years ago knocked out power in much of Philadelphia, again, CWA was prepared, and consumers could breathe a collective sigh of relief over water service concerns.