HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013CITY OF CHUBBUCK ANNUAL WATER QUALITY REPORT
Is my water safe?
We are pleased to present this year's Annual Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report)
as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). This report is designed to provide details
about where your water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to standards set by
regulatory agencies. This report is a snapshot of last year's water quality. We are committed to
providing you with information because informed customers are our best allies.
Do I need to take special precautions?
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than 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 immune system
disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should
seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. EPA/Centers for Disease
Control (CDC) guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium
and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Water Drinking Hotline
(800-426-4791).
Where does my water come from?
Your drinking water comes from three wells drilled into the Lower Portneuf River Aquifer. They
are located throughout the city. This water is very high quality and is disinfected with chlorine
before delivery to your home. Well No. 4 does have a special treatment system. It is described
below.
The only man -caused contaminant in the water is Tetrachloroethylene (PCE or PERC). The
source of PCE contamination is unknown at this time. We are able to treat the water using an air
stripping process to remove high concentrations of PCE.
Source water assessment and its availability
The state has completed an assessment of our source water. That report is available for review at
the City Offices
Why are there contaminants in my drinking water?
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
water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be
obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Safe Drinking Water Hotline
(800-426-4791).
How can I get involved?
The City has attempted to make this report informative and readable. This report shows our water
quality and what it means. If you have questions about the report or your drinking water, please
call the City Public Works offices at (208) 237-2430, and further assistance will be provided. If
you would like to have input on how your drinking water is provided, you may either call the
number above, or attend the City Council meetings. The Chubbuck City Council meets at 6:00
P.M. every First and Third Wednesday of the month. The meetings are held in the City Offices
located at 5160 Yellowstone Ave. Please feel free to participate in these meetings
Additional Information for Lead
If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant
women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components
associated with service lines and home plumbing. City of Chubbuck is responsible for providing
high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing
components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential
for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking
or cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water
tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize
exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
Additional Information for Nitrate
Nitrate in drinking water at levels above 10 ppm is a health risk for infants of less than six months
of age. High nitrate levels in drinking water can cause blue baby syndrome. Nitrate levels may rise
quickly for short periods of time because of rainfall or agricultural activity. If you are caring for an
infant, you should ask for advice from your health care provider.
Water Quality Data Table
In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations which limit the amount of contaminants in
water provided by public water systems. The table below lists all of the drinking water contaminants that we detected
during the calendar year of this report. Although many more contaminants were tested, only those substances listed
below were found in your water. All sources of drinking water contain some naturally occurring contaminants. At low
levels, these substances are generally not harmful in our drinking water. Removing all contaminants would be
extremely expensive, and in most cases, would not provide increased protection of public health. A few naturally
occurring minerals may actually improve the taste of drinking water and have nutritional value at low levels. Unless
otherwise noted, the data presented in this table is from testing done in the calendar year of the report. The EPA or the
State requires us to monitor for certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these
contaminants do not vary significantly from year to year, or the system is not considered vulnerable to this type of
contamination. As such, some of our data, though representative, may be more than one year old. In this table you will
find terms and abbreviations that might not be familiar to you. To help you better understand these terms, we have
provided the definitions below the table.
MCLG
MCL,
or
TT, or
Your
Range
Sample
Contaminants
MRDLG
MRDL
Water
Low I High
Date
Violation
Typical Source
Disinfectants & Disinfectant By -Products
There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of
microbial contaminants)
TTHMs [Total
By-product of drinking water
Trihalomethanes]
NA
80
1.16
2.97
2013
No
disinfection
(ppb)
Haloacetic Acids
NA
60
ND
0.00
2013
No
By-product of drinking water
(HAAS) (ppb)
chlorination
Chlorine (as C12)
4
4
0.3
0.5
2013
No
rater additive used to control
(ppm)
.368
obes
Inorganic Contaminants
Erosion of natural deposits;
Arsenic (ppb)
0
10
1.95
3.48
2010
No
Runoff from orchards; Runoff
from glass and electronics
production wastes
Discharge of drilling wastes;
Barium (ppm)
2
2
0.11
0.15
2010
No
Discharge from metal
refineries; Erosion of natural
deposits
Discharge from steel and pulp
Chromium (ppb)
100
100
ND
7.21
2010
No
ills; Erosion of natural
deposits
Erosion of natural deposits;
Water additive which
Fluoride (ppm)
4
4
ND
0.34
2010
No
promotes strong teeth;
Discharge from fertilizer and
aluminum factories
Runoff from fertilizer use;
Nitrate [measured as
10
10
3.59
5.72
2013
No
Leaching from septic tanks,
Nitrogen] (ppm)
sewage; Erosion of natural
deposits
Discharge from petroleum and
Selenium (ppb)
50
50
2.07
2.49
2010
No
metal refineries; Erosion of
natural deposits; Discharge
from mines
Radioactive Contaminants
Radium (combined
0
5
1.6
1.83
2013 No
Erosion of natural deposits
226/228) (pCi/L)
Uranium (ug/L)
0
30
1.46
2.55
2013 No
Erosion of natural deposits
Alpha emitters
0
15
14.7
14.7
2013 No
Erosion of natural deposits
(pCi/L)
Volatile Organic Contaminants
Tetrachloroethylene
0
5
ND
0.69
2013
No
ischarge from factories and
(ppb)
dry cleaners
Your
SampleF# Samples
Exceeds
Contaminants
MCLG
AL
Water
Date Exceeding AL
AL
Typical Source
Inorganic Contaminants
Lead - action level at
Corrosion of household
consumer taps (ppb)
0
15
0
2012
0
No
plumbing systems; Erosion
of natural deposits
ipper - action level Corrosion of household
consumer taps 1.3 1.3 0.192 2012 0 No lumbing systems; Erosion
gym) of natural deposits
Unit Descriptions
Term
Definition
ug/L
ug/L : Number of micrograms of substance in one liter of water
ppm
ppm: parts per million, or milligrams per liter (mg/L)
ppb
ppb: parts per billion, or micrograms per liter (gg/L)
pCi/L
pCi/L: picocuries per liter (a measure of radioactivity)
NA
NA: not applicable
ND
ND: Not detected
NR
NR: Monitoring not required, but recommended.
Important Drinking Water Definitions
Term
Definition
MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level Goal: The level of a contaminant in
MCLG
drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health.
MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.
MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level: The highest level of a contaminant
MCL
that is allowed in drinking water. MCLS are set as close to the MCLGs as
feasible using the best available treatment technology.
TT
TT: Treatment Technique: A required process intended to reduce the level
of a contaminant in drinking water.
AL
: Action Level: The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded,
triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.
Variances and Exemptions
Variances and Exemptions: State or EPA permission not to meet an MCL
or a treatment technique under certain conditions.
MRDLG: Maximum residual disinfection level goal. The level of a
MRDLG
drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk
o health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to
control microbial contaminants.
MRDL: Maximum residual disinfectant level. The highest level of a
MRDL
disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that
addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial
contaminants.
MNR
MNR: Monitored Not Regulated
MPL
MPL: State Assigned Maximum Permissible Level
For more information please contact:
Contact Name: Steve Smart
Address:
PO Box 5604
Chubbuck,ID 83202
Phone: 208-237-2430
Fax: 208-237-2409
E -Mail: ssmart@cityofchubbuck.us
Website: www.cityofchubbuck.us