Q. Why is chlorine added to our drinking water?
A. Chlorine is added to water as a disinfectant to prevent the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever. The federal Safe Drinking Water Act requires the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to adopt standards for disinfection of all public water supplies. While the MDC filters its water, the Connecticut Public Health Code requires that chlorine be added to all reservoir supplies.

Q. Should I get a water filter?
A. The decision is up to you. The water that the MDC delivers to its customers is filtered, disinfected and, most importantly, meets all federal and state standards for quality. In other words, the water from your tap is safe to drink without further treatment.

If you are considering buying a home treatment unit (which could cost up to several hundreds of dollars) the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that you gather as much information as possible and that you shop carefully. If you purchase a unit, it is essential that you operate it and maintain it properly. Otherwise, the quality of the water could be degraded. The EPA has published an informative free pamphlet on home water treatment units. Contact the MDC to receive a free copy.

Q. What's the difference between tap water and bottled water?
A. Tap water is more regulated than bottled water, though bottled water is now required to meet the same standards as tap water. Bottled water is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which has adopted U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations for water quality -- the same federal regulations that the MDC must meet. In addition, water from the MDC also must meet stringent Connecticut Department of Public Health standards, which are often more strict than the federal standards.

Q. I'm concerned about the quality of my water. How can I get it tested?
A. First, you should know that water from the MDC meets all federal and state standards. If you would like to have your water tested, the State Department of Public Health has a list of laboratories in Connecticut that have been approved to analyze drinking water for a fee.

Q. Where does MDC's water come from?
A. Drinking water comes from either large, man-made lakes called reservoirs, or from underground sources known as aquifers. MDC water comes from the Barkhamsted and Nepaug reservoirs located in the hills of Northwestern Connecticut. When full, Barkhamsted holds more than 30 billion gallons while Nepaug holds 9 billion gallons.

Q. How does water get from the source to my house?
A. To make sure MDC reservoir water is always safe to drink when it reaches our customers, it first flows, by gravity, from the reservoirs through large pipes and tunnels to the West Hartford and Reservoir No. 6 water treatment facilities where it is filtered and chemically treated.

The MDC's slow sand filtration facility in West Hartford is the site of 22 underground filter beds. In the beds, water trickles down through more than 3 feet of sand and stones, where solids and microscopic bacteria are trapped. It's a tried and true method of filtering water. From there, the water flows through a network of nearly 1,400 miles of pipes to homes, schools, businesses and all others who use water.

Q. How can I reduce my water use?
A. You can conserve water by:

• Fixing any leaky faucets.
• Taking showers instead of baths.
• Watering your lawn and other landscaping before 8 a.m. to avoid excess evaporation.
• Making sure sprinklers water only your lawn, not the pavement.
• Not watering your lawn on a windy, rainy or very hot day.
• Making sure your hose has a shut-off nozzle. Hoses without a nozzle can spout 10 gallons or more per minute.
• Never using the hose to clean debris off your driveway or sidewalk. Use a broom. You can use 60 gallons each time you use the hose to wash your sidewalks and driveway.
• Using mulches, such as wood chips, pebbles and hay, to reduce natural moisture loss and prevent weed growth. Three to six inches should do the job. On a sweltering 90-degree day, a 3-inch mulch can keep the soil underneath up to 25 degrees cooler.
• Improving soil water retention by adding organic matter such as compost, rotted manure or peat moss when you prepare soil for a new planting.
• Installing low-flow aerators to faucets and replacing old style shower heads with newer models to reduce the flow of water.