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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08 Water Quality Report 2008 CONSUMER CONFIDENCE REPORT CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS 1.1168 Oak Park Blvd N.• Box 2007 • Oak Park Heights. MN • (6� 1(-139 -44 39 • Fax 439-0 74 PW SID: 18 - 2008 Drinking Water Report The City of Oak Park Heights is issuing the results of monitoring done on its drinking water for the period from January 1 to De- cember 31, 2008. The purpose of this report is to advance consumers' understanding of drinking water and heighten awareness of the need to protect precious water resources. Source of Water The City of Oak Park Heights provides drinking water to its residents from a groundwater source: two wells ranging from 29() to 310 feet deep, that draw water from the Jordan aquifer. The water provided to customers may meet drinking water standards, but the Minnesota Department of Health has also made a determination as to how vulnerable the source of water may be to future contamination incidents. If v ou wish to obtain the entire source water assessment regarding ) drinking water, please call 651 -20 14700 or 1- 800 - 818 -9318 ( and press 5) during normal business hours. Also, v ou can view it on line at iii .health.state.mn.us /diN /eh/ii ater /sivp /sii a. Call Tom Ozzello, Public Works Director, at 651- 439 -4439 if v ou have questions about the City of Oak Park Heights drinking water or would like information about opportunities for public participation in decisions that may affect the quality of the water. Results of Monitoring No contaminants were detected at levels that violated federal drinking water standards. However, some contaminants were de- tected in trace amounts that were below legal limits. The table that follows shows the contaminants that were detected in trace amounts last rear. ( Some contaminants are sampled less frequently than once a rear: as a result, not all contaminants were sam- pled for in 2008. If any of these contaminants were detected the last time they were sampled for, they are included in the table along with the date that the detection occurred.) key to abbreviations: MCLG— Maximum Contaminant Level Goal: The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or ex- pected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety. MCL— Maximum Contaminant Level: The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology. AL— Action Level: The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirement which a water system must follow. 90th Percentile Level—This is the value obtained after disregarding 10 percent of the samples taken that had the highest levels. (For example, in a situation in which 10 samples were taken, the 90th percentile level is determined by disregarding the highest result, which represents 1) percent of the samples. ) Note: In situations in which only 5 samples are taken, the average of the two with the highest levels is taken to determine the 90th percentile level. pCi /1— PicoCuries per liter (a measure of radioactivity). ppb —Parts per billion, which can also be expressed as micrograms per liter (µg /1). ppm —Parts per million, which can also be expressed as milligrams per liter (mg 11). N/A —Not Applicable ( does not apply). Level Found Contaminant (units) MCLU MCL Range Average/ Typical Source of Contaminant (- ()()8) Result* i Fluoride (ppm) 4 4 1.2 -1. 1.;; State of Minnesota requires all municipal water sv stems to add fluoride to the drinking water to promote strong teeth: Erosion of natural deposits: Discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories. Nitrate (as Nitro- 10 10 N/A 2.7 Runoff from fertilizer use: Leaching from gen) (ppm) septic tanks, sewage: Erosion of natural deposits. Total Coliform Bae- O present >1 present N/A 1 • Naturally present in the environment. teria Follow-up sampling showed no contamination present. Level Found Contaminant (units) Range Average/ Typical Source of Contaminant (- ()()8) Result* Radon ( pCi /1) (10/04/2005) N/A ;17 Erosion of natural deposits. *This is the value used to determine compliance with federal standards. It sometimes is the highest value detected and sometimes is an average of all the detected values. If it is an average, it may contain sampling results from the previous rear. Radon is a radioactive gas which is naturally occurring in some groundwater. It poses a lung cancer risk when gas is released from water into air (as occurs during showering, bathing, or washing dishes or clothes) and a stomach cancer risk when it is ingested. Because radon in indoor air poses a much greater health risk than radon in drinking water, an Alternative Maximum Contaminant Level (AMCL) of 4,000 picoCuries per liter may apply in states that have adopted an Indoor Air Program, which compels citizens, homeowners, schools, and communities to reduce the radon threat from indoor air. For states without such a program, the Maxi- mum Contaminant Level (MCL) of ,00 pCi /1 may apply. Minnesota plans to adopt an Indoor Air Program once the Radon Rule is finalized. Contaminant 90% Level # sites over (units) MCLU AL AL Typical Source of Contaminant Copper (ppm) N/A 1. .1; 0 out of _ Corrosion of household plumbing systems-1 Erosion of natural deposits. Lead (ppb) N/A 15 4 0 out of _ Corrosion of household plumbing systems-1 Erosion of natural deposits. If present, infants and children who drink water containing lead in excess of the action level could experience delays in their physi- cal or mental development. Children could shoe slight deficits in attention span and learning abilities. Adults who drink this N a- ter over mangy rears could develop kidney problems or high blood pressure. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. City of Oak Park Heights is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sit- ting for several hours, v ou can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing y our tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooping. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may Nish to have your water tested. In- formation on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can tape to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at http: / /N\ N\ N\ .epa. go\ /safeNN ater /lead. Some contaminants do not have Maximum Contaminant Levels established for them. These unregulated contaminants are as- sessed using state standards known as health risk limits to determine if they pose a threat to human health. If unacceptable levels of an unregulated contaminant are found, the response is the same as if an MCL has been exceeded: the N ater sv stem must inform its customers and tape other corrective actions. In the table that follows are the unregulated contaminants that Were detected: Level Found Contaminant (units) Range Average/ Typical Source of Contaminant (2()()8) Result Sodium (ppm) (09/04/2007) N/A 6 Erosion of natural deposits. Sulfate ( ppm) ( 09/04/2007) N/A 732 Erosion of natural deposits. Compliance with National Primary Drinking Water Regulations The sources of drinking N ater ( both tap N ater and bottled N ater) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and N ells. As N ater travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally ❑ occurring minerals and, ii some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity. Contaminants that may be present in source N ater include: _Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from seN age treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife. Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally ❑ occurring or result from urban stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming. PE stickle s aml hE rhicitle s. which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormw ater runoff, and residential uses. Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by ❑ products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban stonin ater runoff, and septic systems. Rathoactive contaminants, which can be naturalh ❑ occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining ac- tivities. In order to ensure that tap N ater is safe to drink, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA) prescribes regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in N ater provided by public N ater systems. Food and Drug Administration regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled N ater which must provide the same protection for public health. Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that N ater poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1 ❑ 80011426114791. Some people nuiy be more vithteruble to contaoninants in drinking )rater thin the general population. Immuno- compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV /AIDS or other innnune , system disorders, some elderh•, and infants can be pa ticularty at risk from infections. These people ,should ,seek advice about drinking waterfront their health care providers. EPAICI)C guidelines on appropriate meanrs to lessen the risk of infection bt• Crtptosporidirmt are available from the Safe Drinking iVuter Hotline at 1 ❑ 80011 426114791.