Our goal is to provide you with a safe and dependable supply of drinking water. The highly-trained, state-certified staff at our Water Treatment Plant continuously monitors the treatment process to ensure our water meets regulatory requirements. More than 100,000 tests are performed on hundreds of substances each year to ensure that your drinking water is safe.
Each year, we produce a Water Quality Report that contains important information about the high quality water Greenville Utilities treats and delivers to our customers. There is also a report available for our Bethel Customers.
Please contact us at 252-551-1551 for additional information or to request a printed copy of the report. You may also request a copy of the report by emailing us.
Air typically enters the water system in one of two ways:
Plumbing work. Did you recently have plumbing work that required the plumber to turn
the water off? Plumbing work can cause air to get trapped in the water pipes.
Temperature changes. Because cold water contains more dissolved air, this concern is
most frequently seen during the winter months. The water in the distribution system is
chilled by the cold outdoor temperatures. As the water comes through the pipes into the
home, it warms up and can no longer hold the air. The result is very tiny bubbles.
The presence of a black jelly-like substance in moist areas of the kitchen or bathroom is likely a mixture of bacteria and/or fungi
that are naturally found in air and water. Given the right growth conditions, they will colonize and produce a black slime.
WHERE YOU MIGHT FIND IT:
Constantly damp surfaces where the water stands
for long periods of time serve as prime growth sites
for black slime. It can commonly be found growing
in the following locations:
• Kitchen and bath faucets (aerators)
• Washing machines
• Toilet tanks and bowls
• Shower heads
• Bathroom tiles
• Shower curtains or towels
• Drains
• Inside pipes
• Water heaters
Kitchens and bathrooms are the most common sites for black slime because these areas tend to have a warmer, more humid atmosphere. They also provide a source of organic nutrition, including shampoos, soaps, conditioners, hairspray, liquid dish detergent, and food particles.
Black specks in your water could be caused by deteriorating rubber somewhere in your home or business’ plumbing. The particles typically smear when you touch them and leave a pencil-like mark on your fingers.
Learn more about where the deterioration occurs in your plumbing system.
Rotten egg or sulfurous odors in the drinking water are typically caused by organics degrading in the P-trap of the sink drain, sewer gases escaping from the sink drain, or stagnant water in the water tank.
“Pink stuff” is most frequently observed in toilet bowls, on surfaces in shower stalls and bathtub enclosures, showerheads, shower curtains, sinks, on tiles, and in pet water dishes. It is caused by Serratia marcescens, an airborne bacterium that does not enter the home via Greenville Utilities water system.
Once established, Serratia bacteria usually cannot be eliminated entirely. However, periodic and thorough cleaning of the surfaces where the pink slime occurs, followed by disinfection with chlorine bleach appear to be the best way to control it. To clean pet water bowls, bathroom and kitchen surfaces:
• Scrub the surfaces with a brush and a household cleanser. Use care with abrasives to avoid scratching the fixtures, which will make them even more susceptible to the bacteria.
• Disinfect the surfaces with chlorine bleach
• Leave the disinfectant solution on the affected surface(s) for 10-20 minutes before thoroughly rinsing away with clean water.
Learn more about the "pink stuff" and cleaning recommendations.