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Pickens County Water & Sewer Authority 2017 Annual Water Quality Report PWS - GA.2270002 Spanish (Espanol) Este informe contiene infomacion muy sobre la calidad de si agua potable. Por favor lea este informe o comuniquese con alquien que pueda traducer la informacion. How can I get involved? We encourage public interest and participation in our community’s decisions affecting their drinking water. The Pickens County Water & Sewer Authority Board meeting is held the 3rd Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Pickens County Administration Building, Room 149 located at 1266 East Church Street in Jasper, Georgia. Please call [PHONE REDACTED], by the previous Thursday if you would like your name added to the meeting agenda. Is my water safe? Last year, as in years past, your tap water met all U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state drinking water health standards. Local Water vigilantly safeguards its water supplies and once again we are proud to report that out system has not violated a maximum contaminant level or any other water quality standard. 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 and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Water Drinking Hotline ([PHONE REDACTED]). ---PAGE BREAK--- Where does my water come from? Pickens County water sources are purchased water from the City of Calhoun, Cherokee County Water & Sewer Authority and The City of Jasper and Big Canoe. Source water assessment and its availability As required our system must meet certain quality parameters in accordance with the Georgia Drinking Water Quality Rules, in which we did meet or surpass. The EPD conducts a routine Sanitary Survey to evaluate out systems compliance as well as a Well Head Protection Report. 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 ([PHONE REDACTED]). The Source of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) includes 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 activity: microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, that may come from sewage 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 storm water runoff, industrial, or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming; pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban storm water runoff, and residential uses; organic Chemical Contaminants, including and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban storm water runoff, and septic systems; and radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations that limit the number of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health. Other Information Available websites for more information: Safe Drinking Water Hotline at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead or telephone ([PHONE REDACTED]) ---PAGE BREAK--- Conservation Tips Did you know that the average U.S. household used approximately 400 gallons of water per day or 100 gallons per person per day? Luckily, there are many low-cost and no-cost ways to conserve water. Small changed can make a big difference- try one today and soon it will become second nature. • Take short showers- a 5-minute shower uses 4 to 5 gallons of water compared to up to 50 gallons for a bath. • Shut off water while brushing your teeth, washing your hair and shaving and save up to 500 gallons a month. • Use a water-efficient showerhead. They’re inexpensive, easy to install, and can save you up to 750 gallons a month. • Run your clothes washer and dishwasher only when they are full. You can save up to 1,000 gallons a month. • Water plants only when necessary. • Fix leaky toilets and faucets. Faucet washers are inexpensive and take only a few minutes to replace. To check your toilet for a leak, place a few drops of food coloring in the tank and wait. If it seeps into the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak. Fixing it or replacing it with a new, more efficient model can save up to 1,000 gallons a month. • Adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered. Apply water only as fast as the soil can absorb it and during the cooler parts of the day to reduce evaporation. • Teach your kids about water conservation to ensure a future generation that uses water wisely. Make it a family effort to reduce next month’s water bill! • Visit www.epa.gov/watersense for more information. Source Water Protection Tips Protection of drinking water is everyone’s responsibility. You can help protect your community’s drinking water source in several ways: • Eliminate excess use of lawn and garden fertilizers and pesticides- they contain hazardous chemicals that can reach your drinking water source. • Pick up after your pets. • If you have your own septic system, properly maintain your system to reduce leaching to water sources or consider connecting to a public water system. • Dispose of chemicals properly; take used motor oil to a recycling center. • Volunteer in your community. Find a watershed or wellhead protection organization in your community and volunteer to help. If there are no active groups, consider starting one. Use EPA’s Adopt Your Watershed to locate groups in your community or visit the Watershed Information Network’s How to Start a Watershed Team. • Organize a storm drain stenciling project with your local government or water supplier. Stencil a message next to the street drain reminding people “Dump No Waste- Drains to River” or “Protect Your Water.” Produce and distribute a flyer for households to remind residents that storm drains dump directly into your local water body. ---PAGE BREAK--- 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. Pickens County Water & Sewer Authority 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. Sampling Results Below show only those contaminants that were detected in the water. During the past year, there have been hundreds of water samples taken in order to determine the presence of any radioactive, biological, inorganic, volatile organic or organic contaminants. In April and June 2017, we had one positive for E Coli, the repeat samples taken came back negative. The table below shows only those contaminants that were detected in the water. We feel it is important that you know exactly what was detected and how much was present in the water. The state requires us to monitor for certain substances less than once per year because the concentration of these substances do not change frequently. In these cases, the most recent sample data are included, along with the year in which the sample was taken. Water Quality Data Table The table below lists all of the drinking water contaminants that we detected during the calendar year of this report. The presence of contaminants in the water does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk. 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 change frequently. ---PAGE BREAK--- Water Samples for 2017 CCR Regulated Substances Year Sampled Amount Detected Range Violation Typical Source (unit of measure) Low- High Chlorine(ppm) 2017 2.1 0.33-2.1 NO Water additive used to control microbes Fluoride(ppm) 2017 1.2 0.7-1.2 NO Erosion of natural deposits; Water additive which promotes strong teeth; Discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories Nitrate (measured as Nitrogen) (ppm) 2016 2.3 0.35-2.3 NO Runoff from fertilizer use; Leaching from septic tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits Total Organic Carbon (ppm) 2017 31.31 NA NO Naturally present in the environment Turbidity (NTU) 2017 100 NA NO Soil runoff Cooper (ppm) 2015 550 0-30 NO Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits. Leaching from wood preservations. Lead (ppm) 2015 5.2 0-190 NO Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits Halo acetic Acids (ppb) 2016 34.4 23.5-34.4 NO By-product of drinking water disinfection (ppm) 2016 57.72 32-57.72 NO By-product of drinking water disinfection Secondary Substances Iron (ppm) 2017 0.12 0-.12 NO Leaching from natural deposits; Industrial waste Manganese (ppm) 2017 0.03 0-0.3 NO Leaching from natural deposits pH (units) 2017 8.3 6.5-8.3 NO Naturally occurring Zinc (ppm) 2017 0.51 .09-0.51 NO Runoff/ leaching from natural deposits; industrial waste Unregulated Substances Chloroform (ppb) 2017 126.1 0-1 26.1 NO N/A ---PAGE BREAK--- Unit Descriptions Term Definitions ppm ppm: parts per million, or milligrams per liter (mg/L) ppb ppb: parts per billion, or micrograms per liter (ug/L) NTU Positive Samples / Month NTU: Nephelometric Turbidity Units. Turbidity is a measure of the Cloudiness of the water. We monitor it because it is a good indicator of the effectiveness of our filtration system. positive samples/ month: Number of samples taken that were found to be positive NA NA: not applicable ND ND: Not detected NR NR: Monitoring not required but recommended. Important Drinking Water Definitions Term Definitions MCLG MCL TT AL Variances and Exemptions MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level Goal: 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. MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level: The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the as feasible using the best available treatment technology. 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: State or EPA permission not to meet an MCL or a treatment technique under certain conditions. Maximum residual disinfection 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 contaminants. MRDL MRDL: Maximum residual disinfectant level. 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. MNR MNR: Monitored Not Regulated. MPL MPL: State Assigned Maximum Permissible Level ---PAGE BREAK--- Contact Name: Phillip Dean, Director of Utilities Address: 1266 East Church Street, Suite 117 Jasper, GA 30143 Phone: [PHONE REDACTED] Fax: [PHONE REDACTED] E-Mail: [EMAIL REDACTED] Website: www.pickenscountyga.gov