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[The following is information on Beware of Fraudulent Officials.]

Beware of Fraudulent Officials

Recently, there have been numerous cases of individuals visiting private homes pretending to be Waterworks Bureau personnel, or pretending to have been requested by the Waterworks Bureau, purportedly to examine water quality or to repair or clean water pipes, etc., or illicitly selling high-priced water purifiers.

The Waterworks Bureau does not test for water quality or repair/clean pipes without prior permission or upon the request of the customers, nor does it sell or contract others to sell water purifying equipment.

Waterworks Bureau employees always bring their identification when visiting the homes of customers. If you are suspicious of an individual claiming to be from the Waterworks Bureau, have them show their ID card, contact the Waterworks Bureau service office near you, or call the police.

Customers will be notified in writing in advance when meters need to be replaced. Either the appropriate person in charge at a service office or someone from the Osaka Pipe Equipment Cooperative (contracted by the Waterworks Bureau) will come to replace the meter.

[Information on Beware of Fraudulent Officials ends here.]

[The following is information on Beware of Fraudulent Waterworks Repair Operators.]

Beware of Fraudulent Waterworks Repair Operators

Recently, there have been cases where people contacted 24-hour-service repair businesses for emergency repairs on water leaks caused by problems with water supply equipment such as pipes. Many affected individuals were charged exorbitant amounts for the repairs, or were billed high amounts for repairs that did not need to be done in the first place. If you are in need of emergency due to water leaks, etc., observe the following points.

• 1) The correct emergency response to water leaks is to close the stopcock or fixture valves.
• When you put in a request for repairs, be sure to obtain an estimate for the repair fees prior to the repairs.
• For repairs of water supply equipment, contact a plumber designated by the city of Osaka.

To confirm whether a plumber is designated by the city or not, contact your local Waterworks Bureau service office.

[Information on Beware of Fraudulent Waterworks Repair Operators ends here.]

[The following is information on Important Notice to Tap Water Users in Condominiums and Office Buildings.]

Important Notice to Tap Water Users in Condominiums and Office Buildings

In response to a partial amendment to the Water Supply Law, Osaka City’s Water Service Regulations were partially amended effective March 31, 2003. The amendment to the regulations constitutes a significant improvement in the city’s management of water storage tanks and conduits in condominiums and office buildings (water supply facilities installed to connect each faucet to a water tank).

The amendment enables the Waterworks Bureau to offer, as the occasion demands, guidance and advice to those who have installed such water storage tanks and conduits.

Information on such water supply facilities is readily available from the Waterworks Bureau. You are also welcome to direct your inquiries about tap water quality in condominiums and office buildings to the Osaka Municipal Waterworks Service Association’s “Water Quality Desk. E/a> (link will open in a new window)

For details, contact your nearest Water Bureau service office.

[Information on Important Notice to Tap Water Users in Condominiums and Office Buildings ends here.]

[The following is information on Keep Receiving Tanks and Elevated Water Storage Tanks Clean.]

Keep Receiving Tanks and Elevated Water Storage Tanks Clean

Water storage tanks and conduits in condominiums and office buildings are the responsibility of the building’s owner or users. They must be kept clean at all times.

• Clean receiving tanks and elevated water storage tanks once a year.
• Always keep the area around receiving tanks and elevated water storage tanks clean at all times.
• Inspect ball taps, alarms and pumps periodically to make sure that they are operating properly.

According to the Water Supply Law, buildings with receiving tanks with an effective capacity of more than 10m³ are considered as a small scale private water supply, and these must be cleaned once a year.
Even small water storage tanks and conduits with an effective capacity of 10m³ or less must be managed in accordance with the Water Supply Law, in compliance with Osaka’s official instructions.
For details on how to manage the hygiene of receiving tanks and elevated water storage tanks, contact your nearest Waterworks Bureau service office, health center, or Osaka Municipal Waterworks Service Association (website will open in a separate window).

[Information on Keep Receiving Tanks and Elevated Water Storage Tanks Clean ends here.]

[The following is information on Don’t Drink the Water That First Comes Out of the Tap Each Morning.]

Don’t Drink the Water That First Comes Out of the Tap Each Morning

The water that you draw first in the morning, or when you come back from a long holiday, has been sitting in the water supply pipes to your house for a long time. This water has often lost the residual chlorine that is added for the water’s safety. In some cases, the lead used in the water supply pipes may have dissolved into the water.

This causes no problems for most ordinary uses, but to be safe you should draw about a bucket full of this “first Ewater for other purposes and not use it for drinking. At the Waterworks Bureau, we treat tap water to render it mildly alkaline in order to suppress lead dissolution.

[Information on Don’t Drink the Water That First Comes Out of the Tap Each Morning ends here.]

[The following is information on Is Your Meter Readily Accessible?.]

Is Your Meter Readily Accessible?

Keep Your Water Meter in Good Condition and Easy to Access

We inspect meters regularly and replace them with new ones whenever necessary.

• Do not place potted plants or other items on the meter box.
• Always keep the inside of the meter box clean.
• Keep your dog leashed.
• When you renovate your house or build an extension, don’t allow the meter to be placed under the floor or in a location that is difficult to access.

If the meter is inaccessible, move it to a place where it can be easily accessed. To apply for this, contact a plumber designated by the City of Osaka or a Waterworks Bureau service office.

sing Your Meter to Find Water Leaks

We inspect water meters regularly and replace them with new ones whenever necessary.

If you find that the water rates are much higher than usual, turn all your water faucets (taps) off and check the pilot mark on the meter. If this pilot mark is going round even though you aren’t using any water, you have a water leak. If this happens, immediately call a plumber designated by the City of Osaka or a Waterworks Bureau service office.

[Information on Is Your Meter Readily Accessible? ends here.]

[The following is information on Taking Care of Your Water Supply.]

Taking Care of Your Water Supply

Remember to Keep the Inside of Your Receiving Tanks and Surrounding Areas Clean at All Times!

Most structures that have more than three stories such as condominiums and office buildings temporarily store water in a receiving tank, and then pump up the water to an elevated water storage tank on the rooftop from where it is supplied to each floor. The Waterworks Bureau supplies you with clean and safe water at all times. However, even clean water becomes dirty if the water supply facility beyond the receiving tank is not hygienic

Maintenance of the water supply facilities beyond the receiving tank is the responsibility of the owner or the customer. Keep these facilities clean at all times by paying attention to the following points:

• Decide on who is going to manage the facilities.
• Key points in managing water supply facilities
• 1)Keep the area around receiving tanks and elevated water storage tanks clean at all times.
• 2)Clean receiving tanks and elevated water storage tanks once every year.
• 3)Periodically inspect ball taps, alarms and pumps to make sure that they are working properly.
• 4)Pay attention to the water quality at all times.

In order to resolve sanitation issues related to small receiving tanks, and to improve the level of water services, Osaka City is working to increase the number of direct water supply facilities that bypass receiving tanks.
There are two kinds of direct water supply: water service system without receiving tank and booster-pump water supply system without receiving tank. For details on applicable conditions, see the section on Expanding Direct Water Supply Facilities.
All costs related to the construction and maintenance of the direct water supply are the responsibility of users.

Be Prepared for the Unexpected

• For repairs to water supply facilities beyond the receiving tank, either apply to the original installer or to your nearest plumber designated by the City of Osaka. It is helpful to decide on a plumber in advance.
• Always keep the blue prints for water piping close at hand so that you can bring them out whenever needed.
• For questions about water quality beyond the receiving tank, feel free to consult the “Water Quality Desk E/a> (website will open in a separate window) of the Osaka Municipal Waterworks Service Association, or the public health centers of the Health and Welfare Bureau which is the national supervisory body.

[The following is information on Taking Care of Your Water Supply.]

Information for People Using a Private Water Supply Such as Groundwater

Water Service Regulations Revised on April 1, 2008

　The Waterworks Bureau has revised Osaka City’s Water Service Regulations with the aim of implementing even more appropriate water quality management of private water supplies that mix tap water with treated water such as groundwater, and since April 1, 2008 offers guidance and other advice to people installing a private water supply that uses groundwater or another such source.
　 People installing a private water supply that uses groundwater or another such source are required under Osaka City’s Water Supply Regulations to submit a notice of installation to the Waterworks Bureau in advance. People who installed a private water supply that uses groundwater or another such source on or before March 31, 2008 must submit a notice of installation to the Waterworks Bureau by September 30, 2008.

[Information on Taking Care of Your Water Supply ends here.]

[Page Notices and Requests under For Customers on the Osaka City Waterworks Bureau Website ends here.]

Contact: Water Service Installation, Engineering Division

Tel: 06-6616-5483