Councilman Claude Mattox
Arizona Republic - My Turn
March 7, 2008
City of Phoenix Water System
The Water Services Department’s top priority is to provide you and your family with excellent quality drinking water. Since the challenges of January 2005 at the Val Vista Water Treatment Plant and recent concerns of water quality in the Town of Paradise Valley, I’d like to update you on our progress. Phoenix Water Services staff have been working extra hard to produce high quality drinking water that meets and often exceeds all regulatory standards. Over the last three years, Water Services made a number of improvements to the Phoenix water system.
Staff implemented a proactive, preventative maintenance program, paying particular attention to critical equipment and process control instrumentation. Hard to get and custom spare parts are now stocked at the plants so staff can quickly respond and repair critical pieces of equipment. Staff at each plant have received additional training on proper maintenance of the equipment, emergency procedures and regulatory standards. Additionally, an outside engineering firm reviewed plant operations and made a series of recommendations that improve plant operations that have already been implemented.
The Department’s emergency and communications protocols have been reviewed, strengthened and practiced. Partnerships with Police and Fire have been reviewed, and regular workshops are held to discuss water demands, water production needs, water distribution challenges and other topics relating to ensuring water service. A Water Quality Committee also was formed and meets regularly to proactively address system impacts and regulatory concerns.
As the former chair of the City Council Environment and Natural Resources Subcommittee and current member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee, I am committed to the city’s continuing to provide high quality tap water to our residents. We regularly improve our water system in order to minimize any disruptions in service.
I am proud of the success of Phoenix Water Services Department’s staff. These efforts have already demonstrated they will work as we have experienced far worse raw water quality during our last storms than in 2005, without any effect on treated water quality or disruption in service.
For more information about the Water Services Department and water conservation tips, visit phoenix.gov/water.
Councilman Claude Mattox is a member of the City Council Transportation & Infrastructure Subcommittee and represents District 5 in west Phoenix. Call Councilman Mattox’s office at 602-262-7446 or send an e-mail to council.district.5@phoenix.gov.
