FAQs

How is excessive water usage charged?: Excessive water usage due to a malfunctioning water softener, leaking toilet or faucet will be charged for water usage at the regular usage rate. If the utility bill is excessive and the resident is unable to pay the bill in full by the due date arrangements can be made to pay the bill over a period of time without penalty. The water department staff must confirm that there was a malfunction or leaking equipment and office staff will set up the repayment agreement with the resident.

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Water Department

1. Where does the city get its water?: The City of St. James uses ground water as its source of drinking water. The city has eight wells ranging from 45 feet deep to 201 feet deep located one to two miles north of town. These are located in a aquifer called Shallow Quaternary and Buried Quaternary. What this means is that they are located in a pocket of gravel.

2. What is the quality of our drinking water?: The City of St. James prepares an annual report called Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). This report is a detailed summary of our drinking water quality.
View the Consumer Confidence Report.

3. What is water hardness?: Water hardness is related to the amount of calcium, magnesium, or iron minerals in the water. The more of these minerals present in the water, the harder the water is. City of St. James water is considered moderately hard. It contains between 23-35 grains per gallon, or about 400-600 parts per million (ppm), of hardness. Water hardness of the city's finished water does not stay constant but may vary on a monthly basis depending on which wells are being used at the time.

4. What is the fluoride level in the drinking water?: Fluoride occurs naturally in ground water. The concentration in the raw water is usually low (less than .4 mg/I). Fluoride is added to the finished water at the St. James Treatment Plant to help prevent tooth decay. The average concentration of fluoride in the finished water is 1.2 mg/l.

5. How is excessive water usage charged?: Excessive water usage due to a malfunctioning water softener, leaking toilet or faucet will be charged for water usage at the regular usage rate. If the utility bill is excessive and the resident is unable to pay the bill in full by the due date arrangements can be made to pay the bill over a period of time without penalty. The water department staff must confirm that there was a malfunction or leaking equipment and office staff will set up the repayment agreement with the resident.

6. What will I see when the water department flushes fire hydrants?: When the City is flushing hydrants you could experience rusty colored water. It is not recommended that you wash clothes during this time. While this is occurring the water is safe to drink.