PHOENIX — All day, every day. In one year, that equals 57,000 tested water samples; that's roughly one thousand per week at the city of Phoenix Compliance Laboratory.
"It's all important just to keep the water safe and keep our community safe and everybody has safe, fresh drinking water," Water Services Project Coordinator Kristi McFarlin said.
The City of Phoenix has four water treatment plants that process water that comes from the Salt, Verde, and Colorado Rivers. McFarlin said," We are constantly monitoring the water that's being produced by water treatment plants to make sure they are in compliance with EPA's water drinking standards."
"We are using that water and treating it and turning it into safe, clean drinking water," said Chemist Allison Shepherd. "We are monitoring each step of the treatment process...as we bring the water in...as we settle it out...as we add chemicals to clarify it further...and then as we filter it and disinfect it to make it safe."
Shepherd also explained that currently the compliance lab is working on Advanced Water Purification. The City of Phoenix is working closely with the state of Arizona to explore how to best re-use all the water in a sustainable way; this will secure enough water for the community in the future.
Three hundred sixty-five days a year, lab technicians and chemists are constantly testing and monitoring your water to ensure it's safe and clean.
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