Show All Answers

1. How do I know that the water is safe to drink?

We perform many tests of the water to ensure that it meets all of the State and Federal standards. These tests are performed hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly from the source waters, the in-plant water, and throughout the distribution system. If you have any questions or concerns, please call Public Works at 208-746-1316 extension 0 or email us at publicworks@cityoflewiston.org.

2. My water is discolored. Why is it brownish in color? Why is it whitish color?

Brownish Tint

A brownish tint in your water could be caused by several things but is normally attributed to iron in the water. This normally comes from the piping within the building itself, such as from old galvanized lines.

White / Milky Color

A white or milky color in the water would normally be caused by a release of oxygen in the water after it is drawn from the faucet. To determine this, draw a glass of water and let it sit for a few minutes. Watch to see if the color slowly disappears from the bottom to the top.

Contact Information

Should you have any problems associated with color, please call Public Works at 208-746-1316 extension 0 or email us at publicworks@cityoflewiston.org. We will be glad to investigate any problem and attempt to determine a solution.

3. My water pressure has dropped off and seems to fluctuate. What could this be?

The water distribution system has various pressure zones. Your water pressure will normally vary only slightly within each zone. If you are seeing a drop or increase in your water pressure, there could be a problem in your building. Most buildings are required to have a pressure-reducing valve installed. These valves maintain a set pressure and when they fail can cause either an increase or a decrease in pressure. Call Public Works at 208-746-0593 to assist in determining your problem.

4. How can I save water?

For more helpful information on water savings visit the WaterSense website.

5. What is the hardness of the water?

The hardness of the water is normally between 25 to 35 milligrams per liter (mg/l ) or parts per million (ppm). Various levels of hardness in terms of calcium carbonate can be described as follows:

• Extremely soft to soft 0 to 45 mg/l
• Soft to moderately hard 46 to 90 mg/l
• Moderately hard to hard 91 to 130 mg/l
• Hard to very hard 131 to 170 mg/l
• Very hard to excessively hard 171 to 250 mg/l
• Too hard for ordinary domestic use over 250 mg/l

Please note: Most manufacturers of dishwashers maintain that after about 120 mg/l of hardness that some means of softening or removal of hardness should be used to ensure no spotting of the dishes.

6. Where do we obtain our water? How much is produced daily? Do we have any reserves?

About 85% of the potable water in the Lewiston system comes from the Clearwater River. It is then treated in a conventional water treatment plant. This consists of clarifying the raw or river water by adding chemicals that coagulate the impurities and then these are settled in a basin. Finally, the water is passed through a mixed media filter. Sodium Hypochlorite is added for disinfection and to maintain a residual in the distribution system. 

Fluoride is added to the water as an aid to dental decay. The pH is adjusted to be more neutral to prevent mineral depletion from the piping.

Wells

The remainder of our water comes from wells. Lewiston has six wells. Three are used primarily for irrigation of parks, the cemetery, and a golf course. Three are utilized for domestic needs.

Daily Production

The average daily production annually is 4.1 million gallons per day (mgd). This may peak in the summer months to about 7.5 to 8.5 mgd. The average flow in the winter months is about 1.5 mgd.

Reservoirs

Our system contains six reservoirs and two clear wells that have a capacity of about fifteen million gallons. This is in reserve on a continual basis for domestic, commercial and fire flow use as each day the reservoirs are filled.

7. Will the City test my water for bacteria, chemicals, or other materials?

Yes. The City will perform testing of customers’ water for identified problems or concerns. We have a routine testing program in the distribution system to test for bacteria and chlorine residuals. Daily testing is performed for a variety of other parameters. Other chemical testing is performed quarterly and annually. (See the annual "Water Quality Report").

8. What do I need to do in order to connect to the City's water system?

Public Works can put together a quote for equity buy-in fees which are required when connecting to the City's water and wastewater system. If you would like to obtain an EBI quote, please complete this form or contact our office with the following information:

1. Property address
2. What kind of structure you are building e.g. single family home, duplex, apartment complex (please include the total number of units), commercial building, etc. 

Staff may require additional information from you in order to better tailor the equity buy-in quote to your property. Please provide a name, phone number, and email address so that our staff can effectively communicate with you. Contact us by calling 208-746-1316 extension 0, by emailing us at publicworks@cityoflewiston.org, or in person at 215 D Street, Suite B in downtown Lewiston.

9. What is an equity buy-in fee?

Equity buy-in (EBI) fees are one-time charges for new customers desiring to connect to the City’s water and/or sewer systems. These charges are assessed to recover costs over and above the direct costs associated with connecting a new service to the system.

The EBI charge reflects the expected demand that a new customer will place upon that system and the current depreciated value for the replacement of the system. The charges are reviewed and updated per the annual audit of the system and represent the reasonable prorated share of the value of the system that has been constructed and maintained for the new customer’s use.

All EBI fees collected are deposited in a specific revenue account and are to be used only for the replacement of the capacity of the water and sewer system and not for any other use.

If you would like to obtain an EBI quote, please complete this form or contact Public Works by calling 208-746-1316 extension 0 or by emailing publicworks@cityoflewiston.org.