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Annual Drinking Water Quality Report for 2024 Town of Sennett 6931 Cherry Street, Auburn, NY 13021 Public Water Supply ID# (NY0511741) INTRODUCTION To comply with State regulations, the Town of Sennett, will be annually issuing a report describing the quality of your drinking water. The purpose of this report is to raise your understanding of drinking water and 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 a maximum contaminant level or any other water quality standard. This report provides an overview of last year’s water quality. Included are details about where your water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to State standards. If you have any questions about this report or concerning your drinking water, please contact Kris LaPointe, District Superintendent, at (315) 253-3712 ext. # 7. We want you to be informed about your drinking water. If you want to learn more, please attend any of our regularly scheduled town board meetings. The meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at 6:00 pm at the Town Hall located at 6931 Cherry St., 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 the 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 Departments and the FDA regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health. Our water source is Owasco Lake. The Town of Sennett is supplied with water from the City of Auburn. The City of Auburn owns and operates two Water Filtration Plants located in the City of Auburn on the corner of Swift St. and Pulsifer Drive. After being filtered the water is disinfected with Sodium Hypochlorite Solution before entering the distribution system. The water enters the Town of Sennett distribution system at the city line in two locations one at Franklin St. which serves districts 2 & 6 and is then pumped to a 388,000 gallon storage tank off of Pine Ridge Rd. The other location is on Grant Ave., which serves districts 1 & 3 then on to be sold to the Village of Weedsport. Facts and Figures The Town of Sennett serves approximately 2200 people through 800 service connections, and we also distribute water to the Village of Weedsport. The Town of Sennett purchased 124,248,784 gallons of water in 2024. 52,870,880 gallons of that was sold to the village of Weedsport. The Town of Sennett had 17,266,835 gallons of unaccounted water loss due to flushing, leaks and fire fighting. All customers are billed quarterly with a minimum charge of $67.50 for the first 7500 gallons of water and $9.00 per thousand gallons thereafter. A complete copy of the City of Auburn 2024 AWQR is on file at the Town of Sennett Town Hall for the public to view or Overview and Highlights: The town has Awarded and completed the district 1& 3 Water line improvements project. This will provide new watermains, fewer dead ends & less breaks. There is Approximately 30 New water customers. Hydrant flushing is done in all areas of the water system in spring and fall, other problem areas are done more often to remove dirt and particles out of the water mains, this also helps maintain a higher chlorine residual within the water mains. The town has been working on replacing water meter heads and we have about of 800 left to replace. The Town has a self serve bulk water filling station at 6931 Cherry St. that is open to the public. The Town is also looking to put in a new Water district, Water District No.8. This will be along the Route 20 Corridor from Pine Rodge Road East to the Town of Skaneateles boundary line. SOURCE WATER ASSESSMENT SUMMARY The NYS Department of Health has completed a source water assessment for the City of Auburn, based on available information. Possible and actual threats to this drinking water source were evaluated. This source water assessment includes a susceptibility rating based on the risk posed by each potential source of contamination and how easily contaminants can move through the subsurface to lakes. The susceptibility rating is an estimate of the potential for contamination of the source water, it does not mean that the water delivered to consumers is or will become contaminated. (See the section of this document are there contaminants in our drinking water? for a list of the contaminants that have been detected in the drinking water.) The source water assessments are intended to provide managers with additional information for protecting source waters into the future. As mentioned before, our water is derived primarily from Owasco Lake. The source water assessment has rated this source as having an elevated susceptibility to protozoa and phosphorus due to the amount of agricultural lands in the assessment area and the quantity of wastewater discharged from municipal wastewater treatment plants to surface water. In addition, this source water assessment rated Owasco Lake as having an elevated susceptibility to pesticide contamination due to the amount of agricultural lands. County and state health departments will use this information to direct future source water protection activities. These may include water quality monitoring, resource management, planning, and education programs. A copy of the complete assessment is available for review by calling the Cayuga County Health Department at (315) 253-1405. ---PAGE BREAK--- ARE THERE CONTAMINANTS IN OUR DRINKING WATER? As the State regulations require, we routinely test your drinking water for numerous contaminants. Results of regular monitoring are an indicator of whether or not your drinking water meets health standards. These contaminants include: total coliform, turbidity, inorganic compounds, nitrate, nitrite, lead and copper, volatile organic compounds, total trihalomethanes, 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, are 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 ([PHONE REDACTED]) or the Cayuga County Health Department at (315) 253-1405. Table of Detected Contaminants Contaminant Violation Yes/No Date of Sample Level Detected (Avg/Max) (Range) Unit Measure- ment MCLG Regulatory Limit (MCL, TT or AL) Likely Source of Contamination ORGANICS Trihalomethanes, No 2/12/24 5/13/24 8/12/24 11/12/24 Highest Average 463 Range 20.7-58.5 Ug/L N/A 80ug/L(MCL) Byproduct of drinking water disinfection needed to kill harmful organisms. are formed when water source contains large amounts of organic matter Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) No 2/12/24 5/13/24 8/12/24 11/12/24 Highest Avg. 173 Range 12.6-20.8 UG/L NA 60 ug/L(MCL) Byproduct of drinking water disinfection needed to kill harmful organisms Copper 1 No 9/21/23 9/22/23 .06 Range .0029-.16 mg/L .06 AL-1.3 Contained in finished water, an artifact of old piping and lead soldered joints Lead 2 No 9/21/23 9/22/23 2.9 Range .0-.3.4 ug/L 2.9 AL-15 Contained in finished water, an artifact of old piping and lead soldered joints Sennett WD #7 Trihalomethanes No 8/12/24 47.8 Ug/l 80ug/L Byproduct of drinking water disinfection needed to kill harmful organisms. are formed when water source contains large amounts of organic matter Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) No 8/12/24 9.9 Ug/L 60ug/L Byproduct of drinking water disinfection needed to kill harmful organisms ---PAGE BREAK--- Notes: 1. – The level presented represents the 90th percentile of the 10 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 copper values detected at your water system. In this case, 10 samples were collected at your water system and the 90th percentile value was the 9th highest value, 0.06 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 10 samples collected. The action level for lead was not exceeded at any one of the 10 sites. 3. - This Level represents the highest locational running average calculated from data collected. 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 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 which 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. Treatment Technique (TT): A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water. Non-Detects (ND): Laboratory analysis indicates that the constituent is not present. Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU): A measure of the clarity of water. Turbidity in excess of 5 NTU is just noticeable to the average person. 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). Picocuries per liter (pCi/L): A measure of the radioactivity in water. 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 the level allowed by the State. 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. The Town of Sennett 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 The Town of Sennett Water & Sewer Dept. Kris LaPointe @ 1-[PHONE REDACTED] Ext.7 or Email: [EMAIL REDACTED] 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. DO I NEED TO TAKE SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS? Although our drinking water met or exceeded state and federal regulations, some people may be more vulnerable to disease causing microorganisms or pathogens 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 from their health care provider about their drinking water. EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Giardia and other microbial pathogens are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline ([PHONE REDACTED]). 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 pumping systems and water towers • 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 fire fighting 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. So get a run for your money and load it to capacity. • Use clothes washers with only full loads. • Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth. • Keep a pitcher of water in your refrigerator instead of running tap until its cold for drinking. • Consider updating older water using fixtures this could save 1,000s of gallons of water per year. • Check every faucet in your home for leaks. Just 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 one of these otherwise invisible toilet leaks. Fix it and you save more than 30,000 gallons a year. • Use your water meter to detect hidden leaks. Turn off all taps and water using appliances and then check the meter in 15 minutes. If it has moved you have a leak. • Check outside faucets with hoses attached and turn water off at faucet don’t rely on a spray nozzle to stop the water. Remove hoses from faucets for the winter months to avoid hoses and nozzle from splitting and leaking. ---PAGE BREAK--- Dispose of Harmful Materials Properly There are few options for disposing of hazardous products used in our homes but dumping them on the ground or down the drain is not an option. If dumped on the ground they can contaminate ground water as well as make their way into lakes, rivers and streams. Septic systems and sewers cannot treat these products as they can kill helpful bacteria that these systems rely on to break down waste and can cause failure to these systems. Urge community officials to sponsor a household hazardous waste collection day for proper disposal of hazardous products if not already established. 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. An LSL may be owned by the water system, owned by the property owner, or 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 submitted it to the state. The LSL is publicly accessible at the Town of Sennett Town Hall @ 6931 Cherry Street Road Auburn, NY 13021 and/or visiting our website at: www.sennettny.org 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 our customers help us protect our water sources, which are the heart of our community. Please call our office if you have questions at (315) 253-3712 ext This report was prepared by Kris LaPointe with assistance of the Cayuga County Department of Health. This report is posted on the Town of Sennett website at www.sennettny.org