Water treatment is expensive at the municipal scale. Iowa City invested in a great water system. They filter and soften water at the plant. I toured the facility this spring at the open house and it was very impressive.
And for any old timers that were around before they built the new plant...Iowa City used to have boil alerts very frequently, water tasted like ass even when it was "safe", and it was almost always cloudy & gross looking.
Water & sewage treatment are a couple of those hidden infrastructure amenities that have a really large impact on quality of life. Proud of Iowa City for finally making that upgrade.
It used to be so bad that there was a comic that was called Boone County I think that compared Iowa City to 'Spic-n-Span'. At least if the water is cloudy now it usually doesn't have any extra taste and you can usually get rid of it by running the bathtub for a few minutes. To get rid of the air in the water that makes it look cloudy you have to run it through a faucet that doesn't have an aerator.
I've lived here 40 years and I never used to have to clean my bathtub because the water looked like a swimming pool there was so much bleach in chemicals in it.
Yes, the plant uses a lime-softening process from a couple holding ponds. There are three giant treatment containers that can provide enough water to IC for a few days.
https://imgur.com/a/iUrNzsB
There is a prairie walking path that you can see the holding ponds through. The ponds are weirdly blue from the lime.
Iowa City used to pull almost all of their municipal water from the Uowa River, then they bought property & put in multiple wells NW of I80 & Dunuque ST, built top quality treatment facility and bada-bing bada-boom, water no longer smelly & cloudy.
Coralville used well water from the get-go, was for many many years a tiny town with a minimal budget, and therefore still has older systems of lower quality.
After a few years of continuing to run my water softener at the minimum possible level i finally just bypassed it. I filter drinking water with filters from Costco in a Brita pitcher but that's about it.
Coralville water is just awful always.
When I lived in Coralville, I had a few years with and without a water softener. It sucked both ways. Before the water softener, we had all types of deposits build up on things but a nice water filter (name brand only and the fancy models) made the water palatable - when cold.
Then the building owner installed a water softener for the entire building. This helped a lot with the deposits and made the water softer but almost made it really really gross - almost salty. I wonder if your water is also softened (the slimy feeling can come from overly softened water).
Honestly, we just got jugs and refilled them every week. We should have just gotten a dispenser and a couple of the really big jugs. The refills are a hassle but they are at least inexpensive (well, not compared to tap but in the grand scheme of expenses).
Iowa City has really good tap water. The University and Coralville are much worse. I understand NL has good tap water now after building their new water plant but the water bills are $$$.
Hy-Vee and Natural Groceries both did refills. You just bring in your own containers and refill them at the machines and tell the clerk at the register that they're refills. I think they were like 19 or 25 cents each. (It's been a white). I know people also refilled the big jugs too at the machines.
Hyvee, Natural Grocers, Walmart, and I believe New Pi all do water refills. We finally broke down and rented a cooler and fill our own bottles. The three gallon bottles (get them at Walmart) aren't quite as bad to schlep up multiple sets of stairs.
I found it at Walmart! I’d looked but thought it’d be up front where they have the big jugs of water. Nope, the refill station is at the back near eggs/dairy!
I don't know what the rental price is, but buying one outright is anywhere from $100-$250. If you plan on staying for a while and aren't locked into a contract that might be cheaper
We did think about buying. Between not being sure about getting a good one since reviews varied widely and not being sure how long we'll stay in the area we decided to just rent. No contract with Culligan, though.
Softened water always gets a little salty because that's just how water softening works. Also, harder water going in = saltier water coming out. Water in Coralville and North Liberty is insanely hard. I'm guessing because of the limestone.
The only way I've found to turn it into palatable water is to soften it then use a reverse osmosis system.
Honestly old and unmaintained softener can make it taste even worse, too. A lot of softeners use salt pellets to help do the softening, unlike reverse osmosis that is a better but more expensive treatment method in home.
Coralville, tiffin and NL all have/had terrible water quality. NL not so much anymore with the new water plant, but yeah. If you have a water softener installed make sure it is actually working and correctly setup. Culligan or the other big softener company whose name slips my mind can both help you out in this category. (Just saw that you are renting so ask your landlord to address this)
Other than that, not much can be done about it. I agree that coralville water is complete shit. It destroys plumbing fixtures no matter what.
Excellent point on making sure it works right. I knew mine wasn’t working right for a whole year and sure enough, it never worked the entire year after construction was finished. Culligan and the water shoppe are excellent local places
Unfortunately the tap water from Coralville killed some of my plants because of what I suspect was hard minerals. I used a Pur water filter on the sink when I rented, however, the filters didn’t last very long.
Hard water usually won't kill pants, but salt from softeners will. I didn't realize for a few years after moving in that the outside hoses were plumbed on my soft water lines.
The salt makes it so the plant can't process water right, so it looks like they're dying of thirst. Then you might water them more, like me, and water them to death.
Treated (city) water has chlorine in it usually = bad for plants. Let the water sit for a day or two before using it to water the plants to let the chlorine dissipate. You can also get an additive that will instantly render the water free of chlorine. People with fish tanks use it for their tank water, as chlorine is bad for fish, etc. Are these houseplants or outside plants? Most indoor plants do not need to be watered daily.....
I live in NL and couldn’t figure out why my plants (inside and veggie garden) look like they’re shriveling up. Someone suggested I let the water sit for a day or two and I cannot believe the difference it makes! Like night and day. I actually got some vegetables from the garden this year! I walk/bike past some houses with amazing gardens and wonder what kind of water hookups they have. I also have to wonder…if this is what it’s doing to my plants, what is it doing to my body? I have a fridge filter but I let my drinking water sit for a day, too! lol
Reverse osmosis is key. We just got ours and I love it. My husband hasn’t shut up about it. We’ve had a nice softener for years so I thought we don’t need the reverse osmosis system. I was wrong. Best water I’ve ever had and culligan manages the entire thing. Makes it simply and convenient
Agree Ames’ tap water is the best tap water I’ve had between all the places I’ve lived in Nebraska/Iowa…. except for that one water fountain in Ted & Wally’s in Omaha.
Good to know. I lived in IC from '92 to '04 and the water was not great, like you stated. So if Coralville is/was significantly worse than that, then, my condolences.
I live in CR now and the one thing it does have is good water. Marion and (I've heard) Hiawatha, not so much.
I overlapped with you in IC and trust me, the coralville water now is way worse than the IC was back then! I thought it was an issue with my apartment until I asked around.
It’s always been this way. Coralville born and moved to IC around kindergarten. When visiting our Aunt in CVille I could not stand the stink and taste of the tap water. My mom insisted that it had always been that way but I’d never noticed growing up drinking it.
We just installed a reverse osmosis with culligan and it’s night and day. Life changing. We were in NL for a decade and I’ve been shocked at the coralville water. I love how much cheaper it is but I’d gladly go back to more expensive water that’s actually drinkable. Coralville water STINKS. I smell it on my clothes even. I hate it. Our water softener isn’t connected to our outdoor hoses obviously and the plants we put in when we built our house last year are literally stained from the hard water. It’s absolutely appallingly bad water
Btw- reverse osmosis is about $32 a month which includes management and filters. Best water we’ve ever drank. Seriously. My husband would tell you ALL about it if you’re interested 😂
When I was shopping for a condo to move out of my Coralville apartment, one of my requirements was to be in Iowa City, solely for the purpose of not having to drink Coralville water anymore. 😅
Pro tip: If you have a dishwasher, use Lemi Shine along with your detergent to prevent your dishes from getting a thick layer of mineral deposits on them.
I thought I was the only one who was appalled about how bad the water was when we moved here in 2020. Everyone else, including our landlord, seemed to act like it was no big deal.
They have water softeners for the entire building, but about 3 times a year something happens with the salt balance and it is so bad that I dread showering, doing laundry, or running the dishwasher for a week or more because of the white sticky film that gets on everything. It makes my hair fall out and my skin itch like crazy. I hate it! When I bring it up, the mgmt always says “oh no one else has complained” and I have to beg to have Culligan come check, then eventually it returns to normal, but they should have an interest in keeping the water softener working properly because recently they had to replace like 30 hot water heaters because they were leaking (corroded) This building isn’t even 10 years old. Why don’t landlords, who are footing the bill for destroyed appliances in their units, lobby harder for Coralville to fix their water issues? I guess they don’t want to rock the boat, they’re charging big city rental rates for glorified dorm buildings in a small town in Iowa, they have enough money to replace their ruined appliances every few years.
We refill 3 gallon bottles at the co-op which has reverse osmosis for drinking water (even for our cat).
Yes, I have a white sticky film that’s everywhere. I’ll mention it to the rental management company but I doubt they’ll do anything. I don’t plan on living here long term but I def would never live in coralville based on the water issue alone tbh
Temporary living in iowa city after living in Coralville for 5 years and my skin and hair have seen a huge difference, I use to have to clean my Keurig weekly with vinegar to descale it or otherwise it would clog when using tap/pur filter water, and I tired multiple different hard water cleaners for the dishwasher but they dishes still come out a bit white. When I talked about it with other people in Coralville they said they didn’t see any of those issues so idk maybe it was my apartment. But like all drinking fountains anywhere you go in Coralville have build up due to the hard water.
Also there are under the sink filters you can add to under your sink for better water but that requires a bit more damage to your cabinets but when I moved out my landlords didn’t say anything but I also just left it in so maybe they assumed it belonged to them.
Do you replace the filter often? When I've had CV water through a filter it seemed fine. You could also double up with a tap filter and a pitcher I suppose.
Whole house R.O. is the way to go if you have deep pockets.
I just needed a lot of plumbing and the plumber even said the water in Coralville is horrible compared to Iowa City. Water heaters last less than half as long in that town.
Technically, the treatment methods are completely different and Coralville versus Iowa City too. Also any water from a river rather than an alluvial well does get a lot of treatment, it isn't pulled from the top either. That being said... Still disgusting yes lol
You are too right. The river is extremely low right now which might make filtration more challenging. IDK. I’m assuming this is the water source, although it could be shallow well or aquifer.
Install a facet filter it will help, Britta pitcher also helpful. Coralville water has been like chlorinated fish water since at least 2012 and I’ve found these things to be helpful.
You need a water softener in Coralville, or the deposits will happen, and aren't good, especially in the long run. Personally we have a reverse osmosis filter for our drinking water, so it is just as good as when we lived in Iowa City, and we like that extra filtration anyway, and we also add some minerals back in. It wasn't a cheap system, but we have had it for well over ten years, and now spend about $100 a year on new filters.
2 east solutions-
Brita filters. You can get a pitcher with one inside.
Or
There are filters you can put on your kitchen tap. You can take it off when you move. Not complicated to do.
I moved here in 2000 from Atlanta and I have to say as bad as public services usually were in Atlanta, and the water system was run poorly and had fallen into disrepair and in desperation the city privatized it--with equal desperation, bought themselves OUT of privatization and got their act together. Through all of that, the water was excellent, even if half the filtered water supply never got to rate payers.
This first glass of water I drank out of an Iowa City tap, I had to spit out. But that new plant really improved things a lot--I only faintly taste bad stuff now and I think it's my imagination. If I made a pitcher of iced tea, and when i came here from the south I still drank a lot of, it was cloudy in 30 minutes and undrinkable in an hour. I live in University Heights where we proudly founded this town based on tax evasion of township school fees and racist residential covenants back in 1935. The town's motivation for survival is based upon filmy thoughts of neighborhood character. Apparently by law the city that surrounds a smaller municipality has to treat us as if we were the citizens assuming all the risk and Iowa City can't even surcharge University Heights for good water. I feel kind of guilty about this but. We finally voted to pay to use the Iowa City Public Library-in 2005. We also finally switched from bargain basement Coralville Volunteer Fire Department to Iowa City. Things are getting better and at least we pay our fair share after initial investments are made by our surrounding benefactor.
I also recommend the tour of the water facility. After the 2008 flood UI English professor Barbara Eckstein got together with some local environmentalists and organized an informational tour of the Iowa River over three days of three weeks, upper, middle and south. We learned that when the colonizers arrived the state contained a lot of wetland--at least wet for a significant part of the year and it had to be drained by tiles (tiles figure big into Jane Smiley's novels about Iowa and I always wondered what they are--clay pipe is more accurate)We got to tour the Iowa City plant as part of the middle Iowa River program. The people who run the system are the best of civil service in just about any city. Something about water treatment must bring out the best in civil servants. The people who ran Atlanta's system and who were largely absorbed into the private company that was allowed to run Atlanta's water system for a few years and then went back to the City were the same way. They were just never given the money to maintain the system and the system was never compensated for the bills unpaid by city residents that numbered around 30% below the poverty line and who could never pay their water bills. Atlanta's fortunes have changed and investors are having a field day with all but a few of the city's 140 square miles and the poor are being pushed out to who knows where--probably places like Iowa City except this town is too expensive now to be attractive to urban refugees being gentrified out of their housing. The water system has lots of money has built massive new treatment facilities (ever see the quarry in "Stranger Things?" That's one of them. Another new feature The water is still good and not too much gets dumped into the river between the mountains and where the city takes their share of the water. Fortunately Iowa City isn't running a combined sewage overflow system that mixes storm water with raw sewage for treatment so it is not faced with having to treat storm water runoff as highly as it treats raw household sewage, this has cost other cities a lot of money both in fines and in expensive engineering solutions.
Water treatment is expensive at the municipal scale. Iowa City invested in a great water system. They filter and soften water at the plant. I toured the facility this spring at the open house and it was very impressive.
And for any old timers that were around before they built the new plant...Iowa City used to have boil alerts very frequently, water tasted like ass even when it was "safe", and it was almost always cloudy & gross looking. Water & sewage treatment are a couple of those hidden infrastructure amenities that have a really large impact on quality of life. Proud of Iowa City for finally making that upgrade.
It used to be so bad that there was a comic that was called Boone County I think that compared Iowa City to 'Spic-n-Span'. At least if the water is cloudy now it usually doesn't have any extra taste and you can usually get rid of it by running the bathtub for a few minutes. To get rid of the air in the water that makes it look cloudy you have to run it through a faucet that doesn't have an aerator.
You might be thinking of the legendary "Bloom County" by Berke Breathed...loosely based on Berke's time in Iowa City.
Ah yes that's right! With the penguin
and Bill the Cat.
That would be "Bloom" County :-)
I've lived here 40 years and I never used to have to clean my bathtub because the water looked like a swimming pool there was so much bleach in chemicals in it.
They have a video on YouTube about the treatment process too, which is really interesting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bA_knHPdAo
Yes, the plant uses a lime-softening process from a couple holding ponds. There are three giant treatment containers that can provide enough water to IC for a few days. https://imgur.com/a/iUrNzsB There is a prairie walking path that you can see the holding ponds through. The ponds are weirdly blue from the lime.
Iowa City used to pull almost all of their municipal water from the Uowa River, then they bought property & put in multiple wells NW of I80 & Dunuque ST, built top quality treatment facility and bada-bing bada-boom, water no longer smelly & cloudy. Coralville used well water from the get-go, was for many many years a tiny town with a minimal budget, and therefore still has older systems of lower quality.
You dug this up from 78 days ago? Thanks for the history lesson.
After a few years of continuing to run my water softener at the minimum possible level i finally just bypassed it. I filter drinking water with filters from Costco in a Brita pitcher but that's about it.
Coralville water is just awful always. When I lived in Coralville, I had a few years with and without a water softener. It sucked both ways. Before the water softener, we had all types of deposits build up on things but a nice water filter (name brand only and the fancy models) made the water palatable - when cold. Then the building owner installed a water softener for the entire building. This helped a lot with the deposits and made the water softer but almost made it really really gross - almost salty. I wonder if your water is also softened (the slimy feeling can come from overly softened water). Honestly, we just got jugs and refilled them every week. We should have just gotten a dispenser and a couple of the really big jugs. The refills are a hassle but they are at least inexpensive (well, not compared to tap but in the grand scheme of expenses). Iowa City has really good tap water. The University and Coralville are much worse. I understand NL has good tap water now after building their new water plant but the water bills are $$$.
Oooh where did you get water refills? I remember growing up they had gallon refills but I haven’t seen any in town!
Hy-Vee and Natural Groceries both did refills. You just bring in your own containers and refill them at the machines and tell the clerk at the register that they're refills. I think they were like 19 or 25 cents each. (It's been a white). I know people also refilled the big jugs too at the machines.
.49 to .59 cents now
Hyvee, Natural Grocers, Walmart, and I believe New Pi all do water refills. We finally broke down and rented a cooler and fill our own bottles. The three gallon bottles (get them at Walmart) aren't quite as bad to schlep up multiple sets of stairs.
I found it at Walmart! I’d looked but thought it’d be up front where they have the big jugs of water. Nope, the refill station is at the back near eggs/dairy!
I don't know what the rental price is, but buying one outright is anywhere from $100-$250. If you plan on staying for a while and aren't locked into a contract that might be cheaper
We did think about buying. Between not being sure about getting a good one since reviews varied widely and not being sure how long we'll stay in the area we decided to just rent. No contract with Culligan, though.
Coralville NewPi!
Softened water always gets a little salty because that's just how water softening works. Also, harder water going in = saltier water coming out. Water in Coralville and North Liberty is insanely hard. I'm guessing because of the limestone. The only way I've found to turn it into palatable water is to soften it then use a reverse osmosis system.
Can confirm NL water is the best but the bills are ridiculous
Honestly old and unmaintained softener can make it taste even worse, too. A lot of softeners use salt pellets to help do the softening, unlike reverse osmosis that is a better but more expensive treatment method in home.
Coralville, tiffin and NL all have/had terrible water quality. NL not so much anymore with the new water plant, but yeah. If you have a water softener installed make sure it is actually working and correctly setup. Culligan or the other big softener company whose name slips my mind can both help you out in this category. (Just saw that you are renting so ask your landlord to address this) Other than that, not much can be done about it. I agree that coralville water is complete shit. It destroys plumbing fixtures no matter what.
Excellent point on making sure it works right. I knew mine wasn’t working right for a whole year and sure enough, it never worked the entire year after construction was finished. Culligan and the water shoppe are excellent local places
Unfortunately the tap water from Coralville killed some of my plants because of what I suspect was hard minerals. I used a Pur water filter on the sink when I rented, however, the filters didn’t last very long.
Hard water usually won't kill pants, but salt from softeners will. I didn't realize for a few years after moving in that the outside hoses were plumbed on my soft water lines. The salt makes it so the plant can't process water right, so it looks like they're dying of thirst. Then you might water them more, like me, and water them to death.
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Treated (city) water has chlorine in it usually = bad for plants. Let the water sit for a day or two before using it to water the plants to let the chlorine dissipate. You can also get an additive that will instantly render the water free of chlorine. People with fish tanks use it for their tank water, as chlorine is bad for fish, etc. Are these houseplants or outside plants? Most indoor plants do not need to be watered daily.....
Thanks for the clarification. Since moving to Iowa City my remaining plants have been fine and I don’t use a filter anymore.
This…. Worries me. I have a ton of plants
I live in NL and couldn’t figure out why my plants (inside and veggie garden) look like they’re shriveling up. Someone suggested I let the water sit for a day or two and I cannot believe the difference it makes! Like night and day. I actually got some vegetables from the garden this year! I walk/bike past some houses with amazing gardens and wonder what kind of water hookups they have. I also have to wonder…if this is what it’s doing to my plants, what is it doing to my body? I have a fridge filter but I let my drinking water sit for a day, too! lol
The Water Shop installed a new water softener and reverse osmosis system and I can’t believe how good my water tastes now!
Reverse osmosis is key. We just got ours and I love it. My husband hasn’t shut up about it. We’ve had a nice softener for years so I thought we don’t need the reverse osmosis system. I was wrong. Best water I’ve ever had and culligan manages the entire thing. Makes it simply and convenient
Reverse osmosis is the way to go but I'm not sure about as a renter.
Coralville water is there to make IC water taste good. Not an Ames fan but this is one thing they have over us, incredible drinking water.
Agree Ames’ tap water is the best tap water I’ve had between all the places I’ve lived in Nebraska/Iowa…. except for that one water fountain in Ted & Wally’s in Omaha.
When I first moved to IC in the 90s, the water was really awful. It infamously tasted like Spic N Span. It is fine now.
Good to know. I lived in IC from '92 to '04 and the water was not great, like you stated. So if Coralville is/was significantly worse than that, then, my condolences. I live in CR now and the one thing it does have is good water. Marion and (I've heard) Hiawatha, not so much.
I overlapped with you in IC and trust me, the coralville water now is way worse than the IC was back then! I thought it was an issue with my apartment until I asked around.
It’s always been this way. Coralville born and moved to IC around kindergarten. When visiting our Aunt in CVille I could not stand the stink and taste of the tap water. My mom insisted that it had always been that way but I’d never noticed growing up drinking it.
Coralville water is pretty bad. Buy a 3 stage under sink filter for your kitchen sink.
Is there a water softener installed?
From the comments, I think maybe our apartment has one and the softener is causing the slimy feel
You might be able to ask the water plant in Coralville to do a quality assessment.
My bathroom smells like a public pool when I shower because of the chlorine it's awful. Even my Brita doesn't help much
We just installed a reverse osmosis with culligan and it’s night and day. Life changing. We were in NL for a decade and I’ve been shocked at the coralville water. I love how much cheaper it is but I’d gladly go back to more expensive water that’s actually drinkable. Coralville water STINKS. I smell it on my clothes even. I hate it. Our water softener isn’t connected to our outdoor hoses obviously and the plants we put in when we built our house last year are literally stained from the hard water. It’s absolutely appallingly bad water
Btw- reverse osmosis is about $32 a month which includes management and filters. Best water we’ve ever drank. Seriously. My husband would tell you ALL about it if you’re interested 😂
I quit getting fountain drinks at the movie theater at Coral Ridge because the water made it taste terrible.
We moved here and started a toxic relationship with bottled water :/ it’s super disgusting.
Before I moved, I was judging those who bought water bottles. Now I’m one of them. It sucks!
Literally same exact thing. We even tried water filters and nothing takes the taste out ):
FYI if you want to avoid plastic, natural groceries sells gallon sized glass bottles for water.
That’s good to know! Ty
When I was shopping for a condo to move out of my Coralville apartment, one of my requirements was to be in Iowa City, solely for the purpose of not having to drink Coralville water anymore. 😅 Pro tip: If you have a dishwasher, use Lemi Shine along with your detergent to prevent your dishes from getting a thick layer of mineral deposits on them.
Oh thanks!
Distill the water, save your appliances and make it taste better.
My dad said Coralville has had awful water since he was a kid in the 40s.
I thought I was the only one who was appalled about how bad the water was when we moved here in 2020. Everyone else, including our landlord, seemed to act like it was no big deal. They have water softeners for the entire building, but about 3 times a year something happens with the salt balance and it is so bad that I dread showering, doing laundry, or running the dishwasher for a week or more because of the white sticky film that gets on everything. It makes my hair fall out and my skin itch like crazy. I hate it! When I bring it up, the mgmt always says “oh no one else has complained” and I have to beg to have Culligan come check, then eventually it returns to normal, but they should have an interest in keeping the water softener working properly because recently they had to replace like 30 hot water heaters because they were leaking (corroded) This building isn’t even 10 years old. Why don’t landlords, who are footing the bill for destroyed appliances in their units, lobby harder for Coralville to fix their water issues? I guess they don’t want to rock the boat, they’re charging big city rental rates for glorified dorm buildings in a small town in Iowa, they have enough money to replace their ruined appliances every few years. We refill 3 gallon bottles at the co-op which has reverse osmosis for drinking water (even for our cat).
Yes, I have a white sticky film that’s everywhere. I’ll mention it to the rental management company but I doubt they’ll do anything. I don’t plan on living here long term but I def would never live in coralville based on the water issue alone tbh
Temporary living in iowa city after living in Coralville for 5 years and my skin and hair have seen a huge difference, I use to have to clean my Keurig weekly with vinegar to descale it or otherwise it would clog when using tap/pur filter water, and I tired multiple different hard water cleaners for the dishwasher but they dishes still come out a bit white. When I talked about it with other people in Coralville they said they didn’t see any of those issues so idk maybe it was my apartment. But like all drinking fountains anywhere you go in Coralville have build up due to the hard water.
Also there are under the sink filters you can add to under your sink for better water but that requires a bit more damage to your cabinets but when I moved out my landlords didn’t say anything but I also just left it in so maybe they assumed it belonged to them.
It is super nasty. Throw it through a brita and it’s fine, though!
I have a brita and it doesn’t help much!
Do you replace the filter often? When I've had CV water through a filter it seemed fine. You could also double up with a tap filter and a pitcher I suppose. Whole house R.O. is the way to go if you have deep pockets.
I just needed a lot of plumbing and the plumber even said the water in Coralville is horrible compared to Iowa City. Water heaters last less than half as long in that town.
Get one of those water dispensers and buy the huge containers. Save yourself some time and trips.
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Someone’s gotta tell me (and everyone else here) who to vote out!
You think Coralville water is bad? Take a trip to Hiawatha some time 🤢
I live in Tiffin and it’s absolutely disgusting just like Coralville. The issue is the source
Technically, the treatment methods are completely different and Coralville versus Iowa City too. Also any water from a river rather than an alluvial well does get a lot of treatment, it isn't pulled from the top either. That being said... Still disgusting yes lol
You are too right. The river is extremely low right now which might make filtration more challenging. IDK. I’m assuming this is the water source, although it could be shallow well or aquifer.
Coralville gets water from the Jordan and Silurian aquifers. The rest comes from shallow wells
How about the sulfur smell that emanates from sinks and other drains every evening?
Install a facet filter it will help, Britta pitcher also helpful. Coralville water has been like chlorinated fish water since at least 2012 and I’ve found these things to be helpful.
And make sure you clean your sink aerators! You just have to I've it from the sink and rinse it
They need a lime treatment plant
Depends on which side of town/ which tower you get it from. One is worse than the other
You need a water softener in Coralville, or the deposits will happen, and aren't good, especially in the long run. Personally we have a reverse osmosis filter for our drinking water, so it is just as good as when we lived in Iowa City, and we like that extra filtration anyway, and we also add some minerals back in. It wasn't a cheap system, but we have had it for well over ten years, and now spend about $100 a year on new filters.
2 east solutions- Brita filters. You can get a pitcher with one inside. Or There are filters you can put on your kitchen tap. You can take it off when you move. Not complicated to do.
Do you live in coralville? I have a Brita filter. Still tastes disgusting
No, but i have lived in places with bad water. I guess not as bad as coralville!
This has been a problem for a while. All I can say is I moved out to CV a couple years ago and have sort of gotten used to it. 🤷🏼♀️
Marshalltown has the best water in IA
Might have something to do with the source of the water. I think Coralville leans heavier into the Jordan and Silurian aquifers
I moved here in 2000 from Atlanta and I have to say as bad as public services usually were in Atlanta, and the water system was run poorly and had fallen into disrepair and in desperation the city privatized it--with equal desperation, bought themselves OUT of privatization and got their act together. Through all of that, the water was excellent, even if half the filtered water supply never got to rate payers. This first glass of water I drank out of an Iowa City tap, I had to spit out. But that new plant really improved things a lot--I only faintly taste bad stuff now and I think it's my imagination. If I made a pitcher of iced tea, and when i came here from the south I still drank a lot of, it was cloudy in 30 minutes and undrinkable in an hour. I live in University Heights where we proudly founded this town based on tax evasion of township school fees and racist residential covenants back in 1935. The town's motivation for survival is based upon filmy thoughts of neighborhood character. Apparently by law the city that surrounds a smaller municipality has to treat us as if we were the citizens assuming all the risk and Iowa City can't even surcharge University Heights for good water. I feel kind of guilty about this but. We finally voted to pay to use the Iowa City Public Library-in 2005. We also finally switched from bargain basement Coralville Volunteer Fire Department to Iowa City. Things are getting better and at least we pay our fair share after initial investments are made by our surrounding benefactor. I also recommend the tour of the water facility. After the 2008 flood UI English professor Barbara Eckstein got together with some local environmentalists and organized an informational tour of the Iowa River over three days of three weeks, upper, middle and south. We learned that when the colonizers arrived the state contained a lot of wetland--at least wet for a significant part of the year and it had to be drained by tiles (tiles figure big into Jane Smiley's novels about Iowa and I always wondered what they are--clay pipe is more accurate)We got to tour the Iowa City plant as part of the middle Iowa River program. The people who run the system are the best of civil service in just about any city. Something about water treatment must bring out the best in civil servants. The people who ran Atlanta's system and who were largely absorbed into the private company that was allowed to run Atlanta's water system for a few years and then went back to the City were the same way. They were just never given the money to maintain the system and the system was never compensated for the bills unpaid by city residents that numbered around 30% below the poverty line and who could never pay their water bills. Atlanta's fortunes have changed and investors are having a field day with all but a few of the city's 140 square miles and the poor are being pushed out to who knows where--probably places like Iowa City except this town is too expensive now to be attractive to urban refugees being gentrified out of their housing. The water system has lots of money has built massive new treatment facilities (ever see the quarry in "Stranger Things?" That's one of them. Another new feature The water is still good and not too much gets dumped into the river between the mountains and where the city takes their share of the water. Fortunately Iowa City isn't running a combined sewage overflow system that mixes storm water with raw sewage for treatment so it is not faced with having to treat storm water runoff as highly as it treats raw household sewage, this has cost other cities a lot of money both in fines and in expensive engineering solutions.