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Is Boise Tap Water Safe to Drink?

Yes! Generally Safe to Drink*

LAST UPDATED: 7:47 pm, August 4, 2022
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Table of Contents

Can You Drink Tap Water in Boise?

Yes, Boise's tap water is generally considered safe to drink as Boise has no active health based violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) that we are aware of. Other factors such as lead piping in a home, or low levels of pollutants on immunocompromised individuals, should also be considered, however. To find more recent info we might have, you can check out our boil water notice page, the city's water provider website, or Boise's local Twitter account.

According the EPA’s ECHO database, from April 30, 2019 to June 30, 2022, Boise's water utility, Suez, had 2 non-health-based violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act. For more details on the violations, please see our violation history section below. This assessment is based on the Suez water system, other water systems in the city may have different results.

While tap water that meets the EPA health guidelines generally won’t make you sick to your stomach, it can still contain regulated and unregulated contaminants present in trace amounts that could potentially cause health issues over the long-run. These trace contaminants may also impact immunocompromised and vulnerable individuals.

The EPA is reviewing if it’s current regulations around pollutant levels in tap water are strict enough, and the health dangers posed by unregulated pollutants, like PFAS.

Water Quality Report for Boise Tap Water

The most recent publicly available numbers for measured contaminant levels in Boise tap water are in its 2020 Water Quality Report. As you can see, there are levels which the EPA considers to be acceptable, but being below the maximum allowable level doesn’t necessarily mean the water is healthy.

Lead in tap water, for example, is currently allowed at up to 15ppb by the EPA, but it has set the ideal goal for lead at zero. This highlights how meeting EPA standards doesn’t necessarily mean local tap water is healthy.

EPA regulations continue to change as it evaluates the long term impacts of chemicals and updates drinking water acceptable levels. The rules around arsenic, as well as, lead and copper are currently being re-evaluated.

There are also a number of "emerging" contaminants that are not currently. For example, PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), for which the EPA has issued a health advisory. PFAS are called "forever chemicals" since they tend not to break down in the environment or the human body and can accumulate over time.

We recommend looking at the contaminants present in Boise's water quality reports, or getting your home's tap water tested to see if you should be filtering your water.

Boise Tap Water Safe Drinking Water Act Violation History - Prior 10 Years

Below is a ten year history of violations for the water system named Suez for Boise in Idaho. For more details please see the "What do these Violations Mean?" section below.

For the compliance period beginning Aug. 11, 2019, Boise had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring, Source Water (GWR) which falls into the Microbials rule code group, and the Groundwater Rule rule code family for the following contaminant code: E. COLI.

For the compliance period beginning May 26, 2019, Boise had 1 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring, Source Water (GWR) which falls into the Microbials rule code group, and the Groundwater Rule rule code family for the following contaminant code: E. COLI.

From Jan. 1, 2014 to Dec. 31, 2016, Boise had 29 non-health based Safe Drinking Water Act violations with the violation category being Monitoring and Reporting, more specifically, the violation code was Monitoring, Regular which falls into the Chemicals rule code group, and the Synthetic Organic Chemicals rule code family for the following contaminant codes: Endrin, BHC-GAMMA, Toxaphene, Dalapon, Diquat, Glyphosate, Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, Picloram, Dinoseb, Hexachlorocyclopentadiene, Carbofuran, Atrazine, LASSO, Heptachlor, Heptachlor epoxide, 2,4,5-TP, Benzo(a)pyrene, Total Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB), 1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE, Chlordane, Simazine, 2,4-D, HEXACHLOROBENZENE, Methoxychlor, Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate, Pentachlorophenol, OXAMYL, ETHYLENE DIBROMIDE, Endothall.

Is there Lead in Boise Water?

Based on the EPA’s ECHO Database, 90% of the samples taken from the Boise water system, Suez, between sample start date and sample end date, were at or below, 0.0 mg/L of lead in Boise water. This is 0% of the 0.015 mg/L action level. This means 10% of the samples taken from Boise contained more lead.

While Boise water testing may have found 0.0 mg/L of lead in its water, that does not mean your water source has the same amount. The amount of lead in water in a city can vary greatly from neighborhood to neighborhood, or even building to building. Many buildings, particularly older ones, have lead pipes or service lines which can be a source of contamination. To find out if your home has lead, we recommend getting you water tested.

No amount of lead in water is healthy, only less dangerous. As lead accumulates in our bodies over time, even exposure to relatively small amounts can have negative health effects. For more information, please check out our Lead FAQ page.

Are there PFAS in Boise Tap Water?

Currently, testing tap water for PFAS isn’t mandated on a national level. We do have a list of military bases where there have been suspected or confirmed leaks. There appears to be at least one military base - Gowen Field Boise/Airport Training Area - near Boise with suspected leaks.

With many potential sources of PFAS in tap water across the US, the best information we currently have about which cities have PFAS in their water is this ewg map, which you can check to see if Boise has been evaluated for yet.

Our stance is better safe than sorry, and that it makes sense to try to purify the tap water just in case.

Boise SDWA Violation History Table - Prior 10 Years

Compliance Period Status Health-Based? Category Code Code Rule Code Contaminant Code Rule Group Code Rule Family Code
08/11/2019 - Resolved No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Source Water (GWR) (34) Ground Water Rule (140) E. COLI (3014) Microbials (100) Groundwater Rule (140)
05/26/2019 - Resolved No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Source Water (GWR) (34) Ground Water Rule (140) E. COLI (3014) Microbials (100) Groundwater Rule (140)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) Endrin (2005) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) BHC-GAMMA (2010) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) Toxaphene (2020) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) Dalapon (2031) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) Diquat (2032) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) Glyphosate (2034) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (2039) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) Picloram (2040) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) Dinoseb (2041) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) Hexachlorocyclopentadiene (2042) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) Carbofuran (2046) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) Atrazine (2050) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) LASSO (2051) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) Heptachlor (2065) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) Heptachlor epoxide (2067) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) 2,4,5-TP (2110) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) Benzo(a)pyrene (2306) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) Total Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) (2383) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) 1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE (2931) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) Chlordane (2959) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) Simazine (2037) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) 2,4-D (2105) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) HEXACHLOROBENZENE (2274) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) Methoxychlor (2015) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (2035) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) Pentachlorophenol (2326) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) OXAMYL (2036) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) ETHYLENE DIBROMIDE (2946) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2016 Archived No Monitoring and Reporting (MR) Monitoring, Regular (03) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320) Endothall (2033) Chemicals (300) Synthetic Organic Chemicals (320)

What do these Violations Mean?

Safe Drinking Water Act Violations categories split into two groups, health based, and non-health based. Generally, health based violations are more serious, though non-health based violations can also be cause for concern.

Health Based Violations

  1. Maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) - maximum allowed contaminant level was exceeded.
  2. Maximum residual disinfectant levels (MRDLs) - maximum allowed disinfectant level was exceeded.
  3. Other violations (Other) - the exact required process to reduce the amounts of contaminants in drinking water was not followed.

Non-Health Based Violations

  1. Monitoring and reporting violations (MR, MON) - failure to conduct the required regular monitoring of drinking water quality, and/or to submit monitoring results on time.
  2. Public notice violations (Other) - failure to immediately alert consumers if there is a serious problem with their drinking water that may pose a risk to public health.
  3. Other violations (Other) - miscellaneous violations, such as failure to issue annual consumer confidence reports or maintain required records.

SDWA Table Key

Field Description
Compliance Period Dates of the compliance period.
Status Current status of the violation.
  • Resolved - The violation has at least one resolving enforcement action. In SDWIS, this indicates that either the system has returned to compliance from the violation, the rule that was violated was no longer applicable, or no further action was needed.
  • Archived - The violation is not Resolved, but is more than five years past its compliance period end date. In keeping with the Enforcement Response Policy, the violation no longer contributes to the public water system's overall compliance status. Unresolved violations are also marked as Archived when a system ceases operations (becomes inactive).
  • Addressed - The violation is not Resolved or Archived, and is addressed by one or more formal enforcement actions.
  • Unaddressed - The violation is not Resolved or Archived, and has not been addressed by formal enforcement.
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Health-Based? Whether the violation is health based.
Category Code
The category of violation that is reported.
  • TT - Treatment Technique Violation
  • MRDL - Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level
  • Other - Other Violation
  • MCL - Maximum Contaminant Level Violation
  • MR - Monitoring and Reporting
  • MON - Monitoring Violation
  • RPT - Reporting Violation
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Code A full description of violation codes can be accessed in the SDWA_REF_CODE_VALUES (CSV) table.
Contaminant Code A code value that represents a contaminant for which a public water system has incurred a violation of a primary drinking water regulation.
Rule Code Code for a National Drinking Water rule.
  • 110 - Total Coliform Rule
  • 121 - Surface Water Treatment Rule
  • 122 - Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
  • 123 - Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
  • 130 - Filter Backwash Rule
  • 140 - Ground Water Rule
  • 210 - Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule
  • 220 - Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule
  • 230 - Total Trihalomethanes
  • 310 - Volatile Organic Chemicals
  • 331 - Nitrates
  • 332 - Arsenic
  • 333 - Inorganic Chemicals
  • 320 - Synthetic Organic Chemicals
  • 340 - Radionuclides
  • 350 - Lead and Copper Rule
  • 410 - Public Notice Rule
  • 420 - Consumer Confidence Rule
  • 430 - Miscellaneous
  • 500 - Not Regulated
  • 111 - Revised Total Coliform Rule
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Rule Group Code Code that uniquely identifies a rule group.
  • 120 - Surface Water Treatment Rules
  • 130 - Filter Backwash Rule
  • 140 - Groundwater Rule
  • 210 - Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule
  • 220 - Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule
  • 230 - Total Trihalomethanes
  • 310 - Volatile Organic Chemicals
  • 320 - Synthetic Organic Chemicals
  • 330 - Inorganic Chemicals
  • 340 - Radionuclides
  • 350 - Lead and Copper Rule
  • 400 - Other
  • 500 - Not Regulated
  • 110 - Total Coliform Rules
  • 410 - Public Notice Rule
  • 420 - Consumer Confidence Rule
  • 430 - Miscellaneous
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Rule Family Code Code for rule family.
  • 100 - Microbials
  • 200 - Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule
  • 300 - Chemicals
  • 400 - Other
  • 500 - Not Regulated
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For more clarification please visit the EPA's data dictionary.

Boise Water - Frequently Asked Questions

HOW DO I CONTACT BOISE CUSTOMER SERVICE?
To contact customer service for the Boise water provider, Suez, please use the information below.
By Mail: 8248 W Victory Road
BOISE, ID, 83709
HOW TO PAY BILL FOR SUEZ
Already have an account?

Existing customers can login to their Suez account to pay their Boise water bill by clicking here.

Want to create a new account?

If you want to pay your Suez bill online and haven't made an account yet, you can create an account online. Please click here to create your account to pay your Boise water bill.

Want to pay without an account?

If you don't want to make an account, or can't remember your account, you can make a one-time payment towards your Boise water bill without creating an account using a one time payment portal with your account number and credit or debit card. Click here to make a one time payment.

HOW TO START & STOP BOISE WATER SERVICE
Starting Your Service

Moving to a new house or apartment in Boise means you will often need to put the water in your name with Suez. In order to put the water in your name, please click the link to the start service form below. Start service requests for water bills typically take two business days.

Start Service Form

Want to create a new account?

Leaving your house or apartment in Boise means you will likely need to take your name off of the water bill with Suez. In order to take your name off the water bill, please click the link to the stop service form below. Stop service for water bills requests typically take two business days.

Stop Service Form

Is Boise Tap Water Safe to Drink? Tap water & safety quality

The estimated price of bottled water

$1.84 in USD (1.5-liter)

USER SUBMITTED RATINGS

Boise tap water
  • Drinking Water Pollution and Inaccessibility 19% Very Low
  • Water Pollution 29% Low
  • Drinking Water Quality and Accessibility 81% Very High
  • Water Quality 71% High

The above data is comprised of subjective, user submitted opinions about the water quality and pollution in Boise, measured on a scale from 0% (lowest) to 100% (highest).

Related FAQS

Contaminants


Suez

EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, as well as information from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History database (ECHO). For the latest quarter assessed by the U.S. EPA (January 2019 - March 2019), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.

Utility details

  • Serves: 223154
  • Data available: 2012-2017
  • Data Source: Surface water
  • Total: 21

Contaminants That Exceed Guidelines

  • Arsenic
  • Chromium (hexavalent)
  • Nitrate
  • Radium%2C combined (-226 & -228)
  • Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene)
  • Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
  • Uranium

Other Detected Contaminants

  • 1%2C1-Dichloroethylene
  • 1%2C4-Dioxane
  • Barium
  • Chlorate
  • Chromium (total)
  • cis-1%2C2-Dichloroethylene
  • Ethylene dibromide
  • Fluoride
  • Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
  • Manganese
  • Molybdenum
  • Strontium
  • Trichloroethylene
  • Vanadium

Reminder

Always take extra precautions, the water may be safe to drink when it leaves the sewage treatment plant but it may pick up pollutants during its way to your tap. We advise that you ask locals or hotel staff about the water quality. Also, note that different cities have different water mineral contents.

Sources and Resources

Boise Tap Water

Boise, Idaho, is located on the beautiful Big Lagoon, which means you can expect to get great tasting, refreshing water all year round. The most popular water source in Idaho is the Big Lagoon and the Snake River and the Colorado Rivers. It is important to remember that although the rivers and lakes have been granted government protection, they are not public and are therefore not subject to the rules that pertain to public drinking water. Suppose you want the safest and purest tap water. In that case, it is best to purchase your water from the certified bottling centers provided by the Idaho Department of Agriculture.

By choosing to buy bottled water or filter your water, you can be assured that you are getting high-quality drinking water free from contaminants and harmful substances such as chlorine, herbicides, lead, and bacteria. To ensure that you are getting a high-quality filter system to suit your home, you should make sure that the method that you will choose is of the right size for your tap water. You can find these systems at any home improvement store, hardware store, or general home supply store.

If you want the healthiest water possible, then you need to filter your water. You do not need to pay extra money to have your water tested because you already know it is clean. With high-quality filters, you can be sure to enjoy delicious, fresh-tasting water at home, and you will never have to worry about it being contaminated or tainted again. Choose the right system for your home today and start enjoying the health benefits that come from filtering your tap water.

Boise Drinking Water

Boise is one of Idaho’s largest cities and is considered a “dry” city by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). However, some parts of Idaho are dependent on the Boise River to keep its aquifers full. When it comes to protecting the environment and preserving our groundwater, we have to take all appropriate steps. Studies suggest that the quantity of pesticides and herbicides used on a per-person basis in Idaho exceeds the safe levels set by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The drinking water that runs through our taps is often treated with chlorine or other chemicals. Recently, there was an investigation in Idaho by the AP, which revealed that the Idaho Department of Health had failed to meet the standards required by law to test chlorine and other chemicals in drinking water. The testing found that more than two million pounds of these chemicals had made their way into the Hetchaho River. These carcinogenic chemicals can cause neurological problems and a variety of respiratory illnesses.

Suppose the drinking water in Idaho is not treated. In that case, it can run directly into the ground and contaminate our underground aquifers, the life source for wildlife. This contaminated water cannot be used for bathing, drinking, or washing clothes. The right filtration system must be installed to remove all unsafe contaminants from our water.

Boise Water Treatment

Located in Idaho’s capital of Boise, the Boise water treatment facility is one of the state’s most technologically advanced. With over five decades of experience and a reputation for innovation, the Boise water treatment plant has set an example for cities looking to provide the highest quality public drinking water. Offering a more comprehensive range of services than other treatment plants, every community must have a water treatment facility to provide quality municipal water to its residents.

The City of Boise has committed to providing quality water for its citizens and tourists alike. The water treatment plant ensures that every person has clean, drinkable water available at any time of the day. Offering free shut-off valves for domestic and commercial water usage ensures that the amount of wastewater and chemicals being disposed of is kept to a minimum. This also decreases the chance of adverse health effects from improper water usage. Besides, the water treatment plant uses the latest ultraviolet technology to kill bacteria and ensure quality purity.

By providing quality water to the residents of Idaho’s second-largest city, the water treatment facility has not only helped increase city revenue but has also helped increase tourism. With a rich, sandy, and beautiful climate, Idaho’s capital is a popular travel destination for visitors from around the country and world. With an emphasis on environmental protection and conservation efforts, the city strives to protect natural resources while ensuring that they are preserved for future generations. For these efforts to be successful, each resident must take responsibility for maintaining his or her water consumption by taking advantage of the many water treatment options available to them.

Boise Water Quality

Boise has long been known as a leader in tap water quality improvement work. With a population of just over ten million, the city prides itself on its water supply quality. It is home to the Idaho State Museum of Natural History, one of the country’s most important natural history museums. Its beautiful downtown scene, high-rise buildings, and artsy flair make it an exciting place to live.

Unfortunately, like many cities worldwide, the quality of the city’s water supply isn’t perfect. The city must take specific steps to protect itself from bacteria and other harmful microorganisms that can find their way into the reservoir. While these measures are essential, no matter what efforts are taken, there is no guarantee that the water quality will stay constant. This is why regular testing is so important.

Every household in Idaho is required by law to test their drinking water for contamination once every year. Those who use treated well water should test their supplies as well. Doing so at this time provides the peace of mind necessary in the face of any potential emergency. It also helps ensure that you receive the highest quality water available.

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