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ANNUAL DRINKING WATER QUALITY REPORT FOR 2024 AURELIUS WATER DISTRICT 1A (Public Water Supply ID # NY0530047) INTRODUCTION To comply with State regulations, the Cayuga County Water & Sewer Authority, will issue an annual report describing the quality of your drinking water. The purpose of this report is to raise your understanding of drinking water and the awareness of the need to protect our drinking water sources. Last year, your tap water met all State drinking water health standards. We are proud to report that our system did not violate any maximum contaminant level or any other water quality standard. This report provides an overview of last year’s water quality. Details about where your water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to NYS standards is contained in this report. If you have any questions about this report or your drinking water, please contact a CCWSA Water Operator @ (315)252-0920. We want you to be informed of your drinking water and any concerns you may have. If you want to learn more, please attend any of the regularly scheduled Board meetings – meetings are scheduled the third Wednesday of each month @ 1pm in the Hotaling Conference Room (7413 County House Road Auburn NY 13021). WHERE DOES OUR WATER COME FROM? In general, the sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over the surface of land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activities. Contaminants that may be present in source water include: microbial contaminants; inorganic contaminants; pesticides and herbicides; organic chemical contaminants; and radioactive contaminants. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the State and the EPA prescribe regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The State Health Department and the FDA have regulations that establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which provide protection for public health. The CCWSA purchases water from the city of Auburn. Please refer to the 2024 Annual Water Quality Report for the City of Auburn. Our water system for Aurelius serves approximately 178 people through 71 meter/service connections. Our water source is Owasco Lake, located in Cayuga County on the south edge of the City of Auburn, in Auburn, NY. The surface water is filtered by the City of Auburn at the source. ARE THERE CONTAMINANTS IN OUR DRINKING WATER? As the State regulations require, we routinely test your drinking water for numerous contaminants. These contaminants include: total coliform, turbidity, inorganic compounds, nitrate, nitrite, lead and copper, volatile organic compounds, total trihalomethanes, haloacetic acids, radiological and organic compounds. The table presented below depicts which compounds were detected in your drinking water. The State allows us to test for some contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently. Some of our data, though representative, is more than one year old. It should be noted that all drinking water, including bottled drinking water, may be reasonably 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 EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (#1-[PHONE REDACTED]) or the Cayuga County Health Department (#[PHONE REDACTED]). ---PAGE BREAK--- Aurelius Water District 1A 1 – The level presented represents the 90th percentile of the 5 sites tested. A percentile is a value on a scale of 100 that indicates the percent of a distribution that is equal to or below it. The 90th percentile is equal to or greater than 90% of the lead values detected at your water system. In this case, 5 samples were collected at your water system and the 90th percentile value was the average of the first and second highest values (0.1 mg/l). The action level for copper was not exceeded at any of the sites tested. 2 – The level presented represents the 90th percentile of the 5 samples collected. The action level for lead was not exceeded at any of the sites tested. DEFINITIONS Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the as is feasible. Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. allow for a margin of safety. Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL): The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants. Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal The Level of a drinking water disinfectant below where there is no known or expected risk to health. do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contamination. Action Level (AL): The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow. Milligrams per liter (mg/l): Corresponds to one part of liquid in one million parts of liquid (parts per million – ppm). Micrograms per liter (ug/l): Corresponds to one part of liquid in one billion parts of liquid (parts per billion) – ppb). WHAT DOES THIS INFORMATION MEAN As you can see by the table, our system had no violations. We have learned through our testing that some contaminants have been detected; however, these contaminants were detected below New York State requirements. Contaminant Violation Sample Date Result Units MCL MCLG Sources in Drinking Water Total Trihalomethanes – chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane, and bromoform) No 8/12/24 29.4 ug/l 80 n/a By-product of drinking water chlorination needed to kill harmful organisms. are formed when source water contains large amounts of organic matter. Haloacetic Acids (mono- , di-, and trichloroacetic acid, and mono- and di- bromoacetic acid) No 8/12/24 12.6 ug/l 60 n/a By-product of drinking water disinfection needed to kill harmful organisms. Copper No 8/8/23 0.1 1 Range 0.0066-0.14 mg/L AL= 1.3 1.3 Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits; leaching from wood preservatives. Lead No 8/8/23 7.12 Range <1-13 Ug/l AL= 15 0 Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits ---PAGE BREAK--- We are required to present the following information on lead in drinking water: Lead can cause serious health effects in people of all ages, especially pregnant people, infants (both formula-fed and breastfed), and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and parts used in service lines and in home plumbing. Cayuga County Water and Sewer Authority is responsible for providing high quality drinking water and removing lead pipes but cannot control the variety of materials used in the plumbing in your home. Because lead levels may vary over time, lead exposure is possible even when your tap sampling results do not detect lead at one point in time. You can help protect yourself and your family by identifying and removing lead materials within your home plumbing and taking steps to reduce your family's risk. Using a filter, certified by an American National Standards Institute accredited certifier to reduce lead, is effective in reducing lead exposures. Follow the instructions provided with the filter to ensure the filter is used properly. Use only cold water for drinking, cooking, and making baby formula. Boiling water does not remove lead from water. Before using tap water for drinking, cooking, or making baby formula, flush your pipes for several minutes. You can do this by running your tap, taking a shower, doing laundry or a load of dishes. If you have a lead service line or galvanized requiring replacement service line, you may need to flush your pipes for a longer period. If you are concerned about lead in your water and wish to have your water tested, contact Cayuga County Water and Sewer Authority (315) 252-0920. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available at IS OUR WATER SYSTEM MEETING OTHER RULES THAT GOVERN OPERATIONS? During 2024, our system was in compliance with applicable State drinking water operating, monitoring and reporting requirements. INFORMATION ON LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORY A lead Service Line (LSL) is defined as any portion of pipe that is made of lead which connects the water main to the building inlet. A LSL may be owned by the water system, owned by the property owner, or by both. The Inventory includes both potable and non-potable SLs within a system. In accordance with the federal Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) our system has prepared a lead service line inventory and have made it publicly accessible by contacting Cayuga County Water and Sewer at (315) 252-0920. Aurelius water system has no known lead service lines in use. WHY SAVE WATER AND HOW TO AVOID WASTING IT? Although our system has an adequate amount of water to meet present and future demands, there are a number of reasons why it is important to conserve water. • Saving water saves energy and some of the costs associated with both of these necessities of life; • Saving water reduces the cost of energy required to pump water and the need to construct costly new wells, pumping systems and water towers; and • Saving water lessens the strain on the water system during a dry spell or drought, helping to avoid severe water use restrictions so that essential firefighting needs are met. You can play a role in conserving water by becoming conscious of the amount of water your household is using, and by looking for ways to use less whenever you can. It is not hard to conserve water. Conservation tips include: • Automatic dishwashers use 15 gallons for every cycle, regardless of how many dishes are loaded – get a run for your money and load it to capacity. • Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth. ---PAGE BREAK--- • Check every faucet in your home for leaks – a slow drip can waste 15 to 20 gallons a day – fix it and you can save almost 6,000 gallons per year. • Check your toilets for leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank, watch for a few minutes to see if the color shows up in the bowl. It is not uncommon to lose up to 100 gallons a day from unseen toilet leaks – fix it and you save more than 30,000 gallons a year. CLOSING Thank you for allowing us to continue to provide your family with quality drinking water this year. In order to maintain a safe and dependable water supply we sometimes need to make improvements that will benefit all of our customers. The costs of these improvements may be reflected in the rate structure. Rate adjustments may be necessary in order to address these improvements. We ask that all of our customers help us protect our water sources – the heart of our community. Please call our office if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you. Cayuga County Water & Sewer Authority 7413 County House Road Auburn NY 13021 ([PHONE REDACTED])