Frequently Asked Questions

SHOULD I PUT A BRICK IN MY TOILET TANK TO SAVE WATER?
Toilet flushing uses a lot of water (40% of a household's total water usage). Putting something in the toilet that takes up space, like a water filled jug, is a good idea. But, putting a brick in the tank is not a good idea, because bricks tend to crumble and might damage your toilet.

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY TOILET HAS A SILENT LEAK?
Place a dye tablet or a couple of drops of food coloring in the tank reservoir and don't flush the toilet for 15-30 minutes. If color appears in the toilet bowl, you have a leak.

IS SUNNYSLOPE COUNTY WATER DISTRICT PART OF THE SAN BENITO COUNTY WATER DISTRICT?
No. Sunnyslope County Water District is a Special District created by local residents to provide local service in accordance with the California State Water Code. The District is responsible directly to the customers of the District. Although the District participates and collaborates with the San Benito County Water District and the City of Hollister Water Department in specific projects and programs for efficiency purposes, it is not part of or under the jurisdiction of those water agencies.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF REPAIRING LEAKS?
The customer is responsible for any leaks on the customer's side of the meter. Sunnyslope County Water District is responsible for leaks on the street side of the meter.

Does a Leaky Faucet Really Use that Much Water?

Yes, it does. Drips waste a precious resource - WATER! And it can end up costing you money. As an example, if you have a faucet that drips every second, this adds up to as much as 2 gallons each day. Over the course of a year, that is over 700 gallons! Our water is billed for every 750 gallons so just a little drip can eventually start costing you.

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Is My Water Safe to Drink?

Water supplied by Sunnyslope County Water District meets strict state and federal health regulations. All drinking water, including bottled water, may contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. But the presence of such contaminants does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk.

How Hard Is My Water?

Most of our water is only moderately hard, similar to hardness experienced across most of California. Drinking water in and around Hollister is much softer than historically now that imported surface water is our primary water source. Our wells have hard water because of the geology and minerals in the groundwater basin. But our imported surface water has the same medium hardness as most…

Why Does My Water Sometimes Look Yellow?

This usually is NOT a health risk and the water is still safe to drink.

Why Does My Water Look Cloudy or Milky?

Your water is still perfectly safe to drink.

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What Makes My Water Taste or Smell Funny?

Taste comes from the dissolved minerals and compounds in the water. The two most common reasons for weird tasting or smelling water are:

Why Is There Chlorine in My Water?

A very small amount of Sodium Hypochlorite is added to the water at the District’s wells and the surface water treatment plants disinfect it. The chlorine kills bacteria and viruses that could otherwise make you sick. We measure the chlorine residual at various locations throughout our water distribution system daily to ensure your safety. We also do microbiological tests every week to make sure…

Is There Floride In My Water?

Sunnyslope does not add floride to any of the water. However, a tiny amount of fluoride does exist naturally in our groundwater and is thus present in the water supply between ND to 380 parts per billion. That fluoride level is much lower than health regulatory limit of 2000 parts per billion. Therefore it is very safe.

Why Shouldn't I Use a Self-Regenerating Water Softener?

Our water is a lot less hard than it used to be so you don’t need one. Also, self-regenerating water softeners can send up to 175 pounds of salt down the sewer. We cannot remove that salt so it pushes us over sewer treatment salinity regulations. District Regulations require any of our wastewater customers who want to install a water softener to use a “Replaceable Cartridge” type water softener…

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How Can I Check for a Small Leak?

First, make sure all faucets and water-using appliances in and around your home are turned off. Even a small drip will be detected by your water meter. Depending on the meter manufacturer, the meter will have a digital display, sweeping hand or a small dial. If you see any movement on the meter displays or dials water is flowing through the meter meaning these is a leak. Check for moisture or wet…

Why Do the Water Pipes in My Home Rattle or Vibrate?

Usually this is from something called water hammer. If water is turned off quickly, it sends a pressure spike through the plumbing making it rattle or shake for a moment. This is often from a faulty ball cock in one of the household toilet tanks or a faulty pressure regulator. Although it is generally not an emergency, if it happens often it can cause a leak. If necessary, contact a plumber for…

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