Tap Water - Davis Wiki

This is a chunk of water, not from the City of Davis system, but from a shallower local aquifer. It is 8" in diameter and consists of hard water that has flaked off the inside of the pipe and has been cemented together by additional deposits. To remove such a deposit from a water boiler it has been suggested that one can use vinegar or a product called CLR which removes calcium, lime and rust.)

You know the saying, "Don't drink the water?" Some people feel that Davis tap water is some of the hardest, most metallic-tasting, most “flavorful” water you may have ever tried. Yet Davis water is still much better than many of the water sources people are stuck with elsewhere in the world. So be grateful for what you have, filter it, buy bottled water or get some tea (which, incidentally, is what much of the rest of the world has to do).

City water comes from 22 wells at depths of 300-1800 feet, located throughout the city; the water is filtered naturally by sand and gravel as it passes through the aquifers. The only treatment administered by the city is the addition of sodium hypochlorite (chlorine) at .2ppm. If the Conaway Ranch Joint Powers Authority received ownership of the ranch by eminent domain, tap water would not have come from wells anymore, but from the Sacramento River to which the property owner has riparian rights. The university taps a deeper aquifer than most wells in the city and tastes a little bit better due to its having fewer contaminants.

Public water in the United States is guaranteed by the federal government to be the safest water available. It is checked against strict standards more than once per week at every water source feeding into the public system. Bottled water manufacturers are not subject to such strict regulations and the most popular brands of bottled water have been found in independent tests to contain several times the amounts of the most toxic chemicals found in United States federally regulated public water. If you are worried about adverse health effects from drinking water, please note:

The regulations noted above
Water consumption is necessary to continue human life
Bottling water uses the next two most valuable resources to western humanity less efficiently: petroleum and energy

What's in this stuff?

The City of Davis publishes statistics in the form of Annual Water Quality Reports on city drinking water annually and distributes these to every household within the city. The Annual Water Quality Report is broken down by regulated standards (health related), non-regulated standards (taste, odor & appearance), and unregulated substances. Davis water is well within regulations and does not even come close to violating ANY health standards. However, as far as the unregulated goes, some feel the ratings could use improvement. In summary, it's not the tastiest water around, but there are no known long term health consequences.

According to the City of Davis profile:

Generally, Davis groundwater is very hard and high in dissolved solids. Selenium and nitrates are two primary substances found in Davis tap water. Selenium is a natural element in the soil which may dissolve into groundwater and nitrates are chemicals that may occur from agricultural irrigation and cultivation of the soil due to fertilizers or leaching of water from septic systems. Both selenium and nitrate levels at all city wells are below the maximum standards set by federal and/or state agencies. Long term development of water wells over 1,500 feet deep is planned to improve the aesthetic characteristics of Davis water.

and in this page from a City of Davis/UC Davis Joint Water Supply Feasibility Study:

Water from the intermediate depth wells is generally very hard (high calcium level) and high in total dissolved solids. Nitrate levels are close to the drinking water limit in several wells and required abandonment of well 16. Boron levels are high enough to adversely affect sensitive plants, but not high enough to adversely affect human health. Arsenic and hexavalent chromium levels are relatively low, but may exceed future drinking water limits. Selenium concentrations are sufficiently high to cause problems at the City’s wastewater treatment plant, but are below drinking water limits.

Water from the deep aquifer has moderate levels of hardness and total dissolved solids. Available information indicates that boron, hexavalent chromium, and selenium are not problematic constituents. Arsenic levels do not exceed current drinking water limits, but may exceed future limits for this constituent.

Figure C and Figure D compare water quality of various water supply sources. In general, intermediate depth wells provide the lowest water quality for most parameters, and treated surface water from the Sacramento River is the highest water quality. Deep aquifer water quality generally lies between these two sources and represents an opportunity to improve system water quality in the near future.

But you don't need us to quote everything already posted on the city pages, right? Links are included so you can read all the most recent materials yourself! Suffice it to say that some people have no problems with the tap water and others have big issues with it. You'll have to make your own decision.

Comments:

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After a night of hard drinking, Davis water is downright wonderful. Relax and enjoy it. —ct

My geology teacher was pretty convinced that it was a pretty poor idea to drink Davis Tap Water... but my Nutrition teacher claims that it's not bad for you and possibly has minerals that are good for you. Personally I don't mind it that much. —MichaelGiardina

2005-07-02 20:48:59 I love it! I have drank filtered water in the Sierras on lots of backpacking trips and I always enjoy Davis water when I get home again. —NickSchmalenberger

2005-07-03 13:08:59 I think it's funny how people give hints to the quality of their other recommendations. You can always mentally qualify their other mental recommendations with, "Yeah, but he likes Davis tap water," or "Well, she might not have liked the other stuff, but she apparently is into "authentic" cuisine like chow mein, after all." —JaimeRaba

2005-07-04 10:20:54 No, fluoride really is toxic. It's not as toxic as lead, but is close in toxicity. It's basically banned throughout Europe. Ever wonder why fluoride toothpaste has all those warnings on it? —JaimeRaba

This isn't, and wasn't, accurate at all. It is _not_ banned in Europe, it's simply used differently. That's just a myth. Fluoride use has been universally shown to prevent tooth decay and help with cavity prevention. There's differing methods of treatment though, which Jaime only partially touched on. We mostly use iodized salt in the US to help prevent iodine deficiencies (which lead to goiter (thyroid), and mental retardation). Fluoridation of the water is pretty much the same thing, just done differently. And while isn't neccessarily done everywhere, in Europe many countries use fluoridated salt, specifically France and Germany. Likewise, Europe also had more readily available fluoridated toothpastes over the last few decades. (The idea being, super simplified, socioeconomic boundries were different in the US, prompting water as a better method to reach those in need). Interestingly enough many countries, even the UK, have fluoridated milk! It's aimed towards children. Many of the anti-fluoridation crowd (in general) spread fear based on toxicity, imo. I think the real issue for many people is whether it's intrusion; the safety and effectiveness isn't that controversial within the fields at all. And most people I think don't really understand the strength and amount of evidence (as opposed to disbelieving it). It flies in the face of science and all the practical effects and studies over decades, worldwide. Unfortunately, this type of thing usually happens "in the general public." -ES

2005-08-20 13:23:31 Maybe it's because I grew up in New Jersey and lived near Philly for a while - but I think Davis tap water is pretty tasty. No problems making bread with it. —BlancheNonken

2005-08-20 14:57:28 Whereas I grew up in Whitford, PA where we had our own local water supply. To me Davis water tastes foul. CLR and vinegar are acids and will indeed dissolve deposits; CLR will work faster but is a tad harsher. Wear gloves. If you use vinegar, use white vinegar. —JeffreyNonken

2005-08-20 18:38:25 Selenium in the groundwater below federal limits isn't bad for you - it's actually an antioxidant ;) http://www.exrx.net/Nutrition/Antioxidants/Antioxidants.html Also, to prevent your dishes from getting those deposits on them, you can use JetDry or the generic equivalent. —ScottRitchie

2005-09-20 13:43:30 Selenium concentrations at higher levels cause serious birth defects in raptors. I did a study on it in Meyer for a quarter, and saw some of the nastiest, most deformed poor creatures I've ever seen in my life. It's made me extremely hesitant to consumer more selenium than necessary. On the other hand, I read an article the other day saying dentists are seeing a higher incident of cavities in young people because people are using non-flouridated (bottled) water for drinking and cooking, and not getting the protective benefits. —AlexPomeranz

2005-12-30 22:15:48 The taste of the tap water definately changes depending on where you live. My South Davis and Russell Park tap water was undrinkable, but where I live now (near Pole Line and Loyola), it's really good —JanelleAlvstadMattson

2006-03-25 22:07:18 I wouldn't and don't put Davis water in my car radiator —GrumpyoldGeek

2006-03-30 12:41:16 Fluoride is toxic, but guess what? So is alcohol. They are both beneficial in moderation. Anyway, my friend who's lived in Davis his whole life has left a glass of tap water out some nights and found a nice buildup of minerals in the morning after the water evaporated. Personally I think the Davis water tastes fine. —TR

2006-03-30 14:39:41 Guess what? Alcohol is known for its low toxicity whereas fluoride is known to be very toxic. —JaimeRaba

This is absurd. As Tushar says, moderation is important. Too much of anything can kill anybody. Ever seen the fat guy in Monty Python and the Meaning of Life? -NickSchmalenberger

See a few comments up for a note on fluoride sources.

2006-10-24 16:51:18 Davis water is FTW... I can taste the filtration methods used in bottled water and they all have distinct after tastes etc —StevenDaubert

2006-11-27 08:36:04 I think it is funny how people will talk so much about whether or not the water is safe when it is a matter of public record. If you don't trust the government, fix it so you can. —NickSchmalenberger

2006-11-27 08:54:59 Well...government ideas of safety change, so I don't think it's actually funny. Clinton set a limit on the amount of arsenic in water, that Bush wanted to suspend. Clinton said 10 parts per billion...before him the EPA had it to 50.. Bush officials wanted to raise it to 20 and it caused quite some news back then ( I believe research showed that would >> cancer rates). And especially because WHO and stuff said 10 is the max as well. And this is just one chemical/compound out of very many. As JaimeRaba brought up above, the rest of the world differs on flouride as well (even banning it). So, was it potentially unsafe for the last 40 years before Clinton? According to public record: no. So, is it really safe just because this government says it's under some limit? —ES

2006-11-28 16:11:40 After growing up drinking it I really have come to enjoy it, besides it gives me all the vitamins and minerals that I need! ahahahah . —StevenDaubert

2007-01-22 17:26:10 mmmm davis water is yum yum good —LexiHudson

2007-05-12 22:47:07 On the first day of school one year, my Biology Professor brought out a huge enterolith. Basically it was like a giant white rock hard kidney stone like ball that was surgically removed from a dead cow that had drunk nothing but Davis Water. It was bigger than the guy's hands. From that day on I never drank Davis Tap Water again.

(However, the professor told us that the cow got the enterolith because cows only eat grass. Humans eat other foods which turn into acid and therefore we don't get enteroliths. Aren't you glad humans don't eat grass all day long?) —Jedron

2007-09-11 08:34:17 I just moved here 2 weeks ago and (like always) drink water religiously. A couple of things I will say:

1. I have not been fully hydrated since moving here, as evidenced by the color of my urine. This is a problem posed by the amount of dissolved solids in the water keeping my body from absorbing everything.

2. I just discovered a giant gaping cavity/crater in the side of one of my teeth. Granted, my family has a genetic history of teeth problems, I have no doubt that this is because there is no fluoride in the water and my body is adjusting to that change. I hope it will resolve itself because my student dental insurance doesn't start for a few weeks! I'm just gonna go to town on the listerine and try to stop consuming so much sugar... —sweetMeliss

I doubt that the small levels of dissolved solids will prevent you from absorbing the water. If you just discovered a cavity in your teeth, that couldn't possibly be due to the absence of fluoride in your drinking water after just 2 weeks. Cavities can take a long time to develop. You could always get one of those fluoride rinses from your dentist to use once every week or two, to go along with brushing and flossing. - KJM

I took fluoride pills when I was young till a certain age due to the lack of fluoride in the water. —StevenDaubert

This is good advice. I have a history of bad teeth and if I neglect them for even a few days I can notice the difference, so this was a special case for me. Also, my dad is a groundwater geologist and I consulted with him a few weeks after writing my comment above. He assured me that the water here is fine. I've been using a filter for drinking water just for my own peace of mind.

2007-11-01 16:10:16 i have to say, Davis water is pretty variable in taste and alkalinity/hardness/pH (i've noticed because i test the water for my fish tank regularly). that said, today my brita filtered water tastes like crap, though the past month it's been reasonably tasteless. but compared to my hometown it's great, where the water tastes as chlorinated as pool water. to each his or her own.

also i hope jedron's comment doesn't mean i'm gonna get huge enteroliths because i eat practically like a cow, being vegan and all :). —MiranPark

2008-05-17 20:00:03 Davis water tastes like DEATH. It's horrible going from nice SF water to Davis water :[ —WaylandLee

2008-05-19 21:57:36 Why is it that when I use Davis Water to make ice, the ice cubes end up growing ice spikes? —SunjeetBaadkar

2008-05-20 08:25:03 mmm..delicious. Besides being pretty gross and strange- I have never had my icecubes grow spikes, I would like to see that sometime. —MyaBrn

2008-08-28 00:43:50 davis water is crap! it smells like sweat, blood and a hint of soured milk. and pool water. —Lala

2008-08-28 02:43:09 I grew up spoiled, in a town with ultra-nice water. I can't bring myself to drink Davis water, so I use an alhambra-style water cooler. 30c a gallon, but oh-so-delicious! —JoePomidor

2008-08-28 11:26:28 if you bottle up some water and leave it there for a few house, you'll find some mysterious stuff in the button. just a head up, if cows got enterolith because cows only eat grass, probably so can vegetarian. I am vegetarian periodically, but still, i have my concern with the Davis water after seeing the weird content floating around in the bottle. —applepearpp

2008-09-05 10:39:16 Davis water is like 1942. When Rommel's tank columns first broke Montgomery's desert rats at El Agheila and hundreds of soldiers were overrun, finding themselves alone in a scorching desert behind enemy lines. The sounds of Tiger and Panzer tanks roaring through the desert, rarely seen, but potentially always over the next dune. Scampering from hole to hole, hoping that each time you won't be cut down by a Bavarian behind a pintle-mounted .30 machinegun. You finally find a oasis, having discarded everything but some ration bars, your canteen and your trusty .303. You plunge your canteen in the water and bring it to your sun-burned lips only to see that the Libyan irregulars Rommel has commandeered have machinegunned an entire captured platoon of your British brethren and left them to rot in the oasis for several days. You look at them. And then you drink. Because it is the only way to live. You never tell your wife when you get home, nor your children, nor your grandchildren, but it haunts you every night you sleep and every time you drink a glass of water, for the rest of your days. —DominicBulone

2008-09-06 16:16:13 I don't understand the hatred for Davis water. I like the water here; its clean and tastes fine. I am from a beach town that got its water from beneath the city; it always tasted slightly like the ocean (which, while a good scent, is not a good flavor). in comparison, Davis water is heaven: its clean, which is more than i can say about the water the majority of people in the world have to drink. so stop complaining. —ascapoccia

2009-02-24 13:12:34 The above cited Water Supply Feasibility Study says that "Arsenic and hexavalent chromium levels are relatively low, but may exceed future drinking water limits", and it looks like those higher limits may be coming soon. Results of recent research by the National Toxicology Program "clearly demonstrate" that hexavalent chromium in drinking water causes cancer.

2009-02-24 13:44:01 I understand that people elsewhere in the world have it worse than in Davis. However, the is the U.S. and we have laws regarding water quality and all that, and we can afford to have nice things like water that doesn't grow crystalline calcium deposits. Just because people elsewhere in the world equate 'sanitation' with 'pooping in a bucket' doesn't mean I shouldn't clean my toilet. —JoePomidor

2009-05-20 02:38:14 Sunlight causes more cases of cancer than any drinking water anywhere, but I don't see anyone trying to outlaw that... in other news. Davis water really isn't that bad. In Winters, for instance, there is a drinking fountain in the community theater off Main Street. I performed there many times as a child, and learned VERY quickly to bring my own water rather than drinking out of it. The water was so hard it made me thirstier! And actually, I've found that, perhaps out of force of habit, filtered water tends to slake my thirst less than good old Davis tap... I think I miss the taste. —KBathory

2009-07-09 01:04:11 when enough people will drink the water, all the calcium and selenium and fluoride will break down through the processes of our body and soon there will be nothing to contaminate the water. buahahahahahahah, the human body is the filter of water, dont you get it?! of course this does not scientifically make sense.

I was having this weird burping sickness where everytime I burped I felt like I was about to faint. I thought it might have been the water as I live in south davis. I switched to getting water by the gallon at the co-op and I dont have that problem anymore. but it could be a coincidence. does anyone know anything about what I had or if the water had anything to do with it? —chand3123k

2009-08-11 11:04:06 I bought a shower filter that works quite well and installation was so easy (it simply screwed on by hand). I think I may buy an under the sink filter system from the same company (Wetter Water). Check 'em out. —christiandsouza