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ANNUAL WATER QUALITY REPORT
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Water Treated in 2001: 95 Billion Gallons

2001 was yet another outstanding year for the City’s Water System (PWSID: 0300002) and the dedicated Click for full image - Boy and GirlCity personnel who help bring this most precious of resources into your homes and businesses.  The City’s drinking water quality consistently ranks highly among water supplies in the country.  This is the fourth edition of our annual water quality report that we are pleased to make available to our customers.  This report contains information regarding the quality of the water you drink, as well as educational and important public health notices and contacts.  The information in this Drinking Water Quality Report is being provided to you in addition to other notices that may be required by law.  Questions about this report and requests for additional copies should be directed to one of the City’s Water Quality Laboratories (Ashburton - 410-396-0150 or Montebello - 410-396-6040).  Additionally, tours of the treatment plants can be arranged by phoning the respective numbers provided. 

CartoonDuring the year 2001 the City performed approximately 150,000 water quality analyses, as part of a continuous effort to assure the water you drink meets or exceeds regulatory standards.  The water is analyzed for over 90 different drinking water contaminants. A summary of the finished quality results is provided below. The data presented below represents the most recent testing done in accordance with the requirements of EPA’s Water Testing Regulations and were the only regulated substances found in your drinking water.

 

Microbiological Contaminants  

Substance

MCLG (ppm)

MCL (ppm)

Ashburton Plant

Montebello Plants

Source

 

Total Coliforms

 

0

< 5% of monthly samples positive

Highest monthly percentage of positive samples – 1.75%

Highest monthly percentage of positive samples – 0.69%

Naturally present in the environment.

 

TURBIDITY

Substance

MCLG (ppm)

MCL (ppm)

Ashburton Plant

Montebello Plants

Source

 

 

 

HLD

Lowest %

HLD

Lowest %

 

Turbidity1

None

TT- Filtration

0.39 NTU

100

0.41 NTU

100

Natural sediment run-off and algae.
  1.Turbidity cannot exceed 5 NTU and must be less than or equal to 0.5 NTU in at least 95 percent of the measurements taken each month.  Lowest % is the lowest percentage of monthly turbidity samples less than 0.5 NTU. Next year’s report will reflect new turbidity requirements effective 1/1/02.

Lead and Copper Testing

Substance

Action Level

90th Percentile Value

Number of Samples Greater than Action Level

Lead

15 ppb

11 ppb

3

Copper

1300 ppb

194 ppb

0

 

 To minimize your exposure to lead and copper, if the tap has not been used for several hours, it is recommended that you flush your tap for at least 30 seconds before using water for drinking or cooking and don’t consume hot water from the tap. To conserve water, consider keeping a container of drinking water in your refrigerator.

Inorganic Contaminants

Substance

MCLG (ppm)

MCL (ppm)

Ashburton Plant

Montebello Plants

Source

 

 

 

HLD

Range

HLD

Range

 

Barium

 

2

2

< 0.02

< 0.02

0.03

< 0.02 - 0.03

Erosion of natural deposits.

Nitrate (as Nitrogen)

10

10

1.69

1.26 - 1.69

2.56

1.02 - 2.56

Run-off from fertilizer use; Leaching from septic tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits.

 

FLUORIDE

Substance

MCLG (ppm)

MCL (ppm)

Ashburton Plant

Montebello Plants

Source

 

 

 

HLD

Average

Range

HLD

Average

Range

 

Fluoride

4

4

1.45

0.91

< 0.1 - 1.45

2.18

0.91

0.07 - 2.18

Water additive that promotes strong teeth.

ARSENIC

Substance

MCLG (ppb)

MCL (ppb)

Ashburton Plant

Montebello Plants

Source

 

 

 

HLD

Average

Range

HLD

Average

Range

 

Arsenic

0

50 ppb1

10 ppb2

< 2 ppb

< 2 ppb

   < 2 ppb

< 2 ppb

< 2 ppb

< 2 ppb

Naturally occurring mineral sometimes associated with industrial activities, arsenical pesticides and smelting operations.
1. Current  (2001) MCL for Arsenic.
2.  Arsenic MCL effective February 22, 2002.  Compliance required by January 23, 2006.

VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

Substance

MCLG (ppb)

MCL (ppb)

Ashburton Plant

Montebello Plants

Source

 

 

 

HLD

Average

Range

HLD

Average

Range

 

Total THMs

 

 HAA(5)

N/A1

 

N/A

100

 

 602

68

 

56

36

 

39

20 - 68

 

10 - 56

100

 

57

38

 

34

22 - 100

 

7 - 57

By-product of drinking water chlorination.

 

 

 

1. not applicable because there are individual MCLGs for individual THMs and HAAs.
2. MCL under Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (D/DBP Rule).  Compliance required by January 2002.

 

SYNTHETIC ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (SOC’s)

Substance

MCLG (ppb)

MCL (ppb)

Ashburton Plant

Montebello Plants

Source

 

 

 

HLD

Average

Range

HLD

Average

Range

 

DBCP

2,4-D

Picloram

0

70

500

0.2

70

500

<0.02

0.58

3.5

<0.02

0.58

3.5

<0.02

0.58

3.5

0.05

0.53

3

0.05

0.53

3

0.05

0.53

3

Run-off/leaching from soil fumigant.
Run-off from herbicide use.
Herbicide run-off.

 

RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINANTS

Substance

MCLG

MCL

Ashburton Plant

Montebello Plants

Source

 

 

 

HLD

HLD

 

Beta/photon emitters (mrim/yr)

Alpha emitters (pCi/L)

Combined radium (pCi/L)

 

 0


0

0

4


15

5

3+/-2 pCi/L


< 1pCi/L

< 1pCi/L

  3+/-2 pCi/L


1+/-1 pCi/L

 < 1pCi/L

Decay of natural and man-made deposits.

Erosion of natural deposits.

Erosion of natural deposits.
Sampling conducted by the Maryland Department of the Environment at a frequency of 4 quarters every 4 years.

ARSENIC

The effective date of the Arsenic Rule was February 22, 2002. During the current reporting period, the finished water arsenic level was below the detection limit of 2 parts per billion (< 2 ppb) at both of our water treatment facilities. The Arsenic Standard originally published January 22, 2001 was the subject of much public debate. Consequently, additional studies were performed before a final determination of the regulatory limit for this contaminant. All facilities will be required to comply with the revised MCL of 10 ppb for arsenic by January 23, 2006.

Important Health Information

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immunocompromised people such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly citizens, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their healthcare providers.  EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791). 

CRYPTOSPORIDIUM

Cryptosporidium (crip-toe-spor-ID-ee-um) is a protozoan, a single-celled parasite that can invade and reside in the intestines of animals and people.  This organism is found in some surface water (lakes, reservoirs, rivers, etc.) and groundwater. Infection of healthy individuals by this organism can cause a gastrointestinal illness referred to as cryptosporidiosis (crip-toe-spor-id-ee-O-sis), which may produce symptoms including diarrhea, headache, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting and low-grade fever.  The symptoms usually last one to two weeks.  For immunocompromised people, however, the infection can continue and last for several months.  Because there are no effective medical treatments, prolonged infection can be fatal for severely immunocompromised individuals. Human transmission routes include ingestion of contaminated food or drinking water or through direct contact with contaminated fecal matter.  The City monitors its raw water sources for the presence of Cryptosporidium using the services of environmental laboratories employing the latest available and approved analytical methods. Analyses for cryptosporidium performed in the year 2001 on water samples obtained from the City’s two primary water sources revealed that no viable organisms were present. The City’s protected source water reservoirs help prevent these organisms from entering the water supply.  Analyses of water from the Susquehanna River, an alternative supply source not used during this reporting period but used extensively in 2002, also showed no detectable cryptosporidium oocysts.
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