Saturday, May 23, 2015

Drinking Water

After a few days of Project Wet, I was excited to come home and find the annual consumer confidence report (CCR) for Nashville's metro water supply in my mailbox.

I was happy to see that according to the EPA and TDEC guidelines, our drinking water here in Nashville is safe and meets or exceeds all federal and state requirements. Despite this vote of confidence from the CCR, I couldn't help but wonder, how much of the quality of our water is determined by the quality of pipes it is flowing through?

When looking at the Water Quality Table included in the report, I can see that water was tested at the consumer's tap. In the samples they received, the water quality was compromised due to the corrosion of household plumbing systems. Is there a type of material for piping that is better than another? What will stand the test of time?

I am so appreciative of modern plumbing, but what could we do to make it sustainable and more efficient?



I am interested to know how much these different levels change during different parts of the year. Are foreign substances more common in the summer or winter? How much does the temperature of water effect these numbers?

If you'd like to read the entire report:


Resource for water community education: 

Nashville Water Services

Thus begins an investigation into our local water system here in Nashville. What a great subject matter to involve students with their community. We can create change on a local level!


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