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Walton County Water Department 2171 Hwy. 81 SW · P.O. Box 880 · Loganville, GA 30052 (770) 466-4887 · (770) 466-6129 Fax CONSUMER CONFIDENCE REPORT March 2018 Meeting the Challenge: For over 47 years, the Walton County Water Department (WCWD) has remained committed to providing quality water supply to the residents of Walton County. WCWD continually strives to adopt new and better methods for delivering the best quality drinking water to our customers; and we remain vigilant in meeting the challenges of future water supply needs, source water protection, and water conservation while continuing to serve the needs of all our water users. Where does my water come from? The primary source of water supply for the WCWD is the Lake Varner Reservoir and Treatment Facility located in Newton County. The WCWD is a 25% partner of the Lake Varner facilities. The WCWD also purchases additional water supply from other neighboring utility systems including Oconee County (Well System and Bear Creek Reservoir), the City of Monroe (Alcovy River/John Briscoe Reservoir), and Gwinnett County (Lake Lanier). The water we drink is withdrawn from the sources mentioned above, and processed through a water treatment facility to meet Federal Drinking Water Standards. Various chemicals are commonly utilized in the water treatment process. Potassium Permanganate may be fed into the raw water for Manganese and Iron control. Chlorine and Chlorine Dioxide are also used in the deactivation and removal of viruses and bacteria that may be present in the raw water. Fluoride is added to enhance dental protection, and Phosphate and Hydrated Lime are commonly used for corrosion control. Contaminants that may be present in source water before treatment include: · Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic tanks, 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 production wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining and farming. · Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture and residential use. · Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring. · Organic chemical contaminants, including and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, gas stations, urban storm water runoff, and septic systems. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the EPA prescribes regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Protecting Current and Future Water Quality: Both the WCWD and Walton County Government continue to be very proactive in protecting and conserving our critical water resources through the establishment and preservation of a County wide 50-foot stream buffer on all perennial streams. Walton County has also established two Watershed Protection Overlay Districts within the County: one comprising the Big Haynes and Alcovy Rivers and another comprising Cornish, Beaverdam and Hard Labor Creeks. Since these districts encompass both current and future sources of drinking water supply, Walton has established a more rigid 100-foot natural and undisturbed buffer on all perennial streams, an additional 50-foot setback for impervious surfaces, and a 150-foot natural undisturbed buffer from the normal pool elevation of any water impoundment within these districts. Water Conservation: You can play a role in conserving water and save yourself money in the process by becoming conscious of the amount of water your household is using and by looking for ways to use less whenever you can. Check faucets, toilets, service lines, etc for leaks on a regular basis. A small toilet leak can consume more than 30,000 gallons of water per year. A good way to identify leaks is to look at your water meter outside. If the indicator is moving when no water is being used inside, you have a leak in your water system. A licensed plumber can assist in identifying and repairing the leak. If you observe an apparent water leak in your yard on your street, please contact the WCWD immediately for further investigation and repair. Other water conservation tips can be found at www.conservewatergeorgia.net. Water Quality Sampling: WCWD staff conducts routine sampling throughout the system in accordance with all regulatory agencies. These tests ensure that the proper chemical levels are maintained and that the water remains free of unwanted contaminants. WCWD had no microbiological violations in 2017. Important Health Information: Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immune-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 /CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800) 426-4791. ---PAGE BREAK--- Lead and Drinking Water: 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. WCWD is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components on the customer side of the meter. 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. Water quality and other issues related to WCWD operations are addressed in the meetings of the Walton County Board of Commissioners (BOC). The BOC regularly meets the first Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in the Court Room of the Historic Courthouse, 111 S. Broad Street, Monroe, GA. All meetings are open to the public. Regulated Contaminants Substance MCL (MRDL) MCLG WCWD Water System Max. Detected Range Is the water safe? Year Tested Typical Sources of Contaminant Microbiological Contaminants Filtered Turbidity TT = 0.3 NTU % Samples < 0.3 NTU 0 100% 0.19 NTU 0.03 - 0.19 NTU YES 2017 Agriculture, Geology Total Coliform Bacteria 5% of Samples Positive 0% Positive 0% 0% YES 2017 Naturally occurring Total Organic Carbon TT N/A 2.0 ppm 1.1 – 2.0 ppm YES 2017 Naturally occurring Disinfection & Disinfection By-products Total Trihalomethanes 80 ppb N/A AA 10.3 ppb* 8.44 – 10.3 ppb YES 2017 Treatment process by- product Haloacetic Acid 60 ppb N/A AA 4.94 ppb* 3.95 – 4.94 ppb YES 2017 Treatment process by- product Chlorine 4 ppm 4 ppm 2.53 ppm 1.03 – 2.53 ppm YES 2017 Water additive used to control microbes Inorganic Contaminants Fluoride 4 ppm 4 ppm 1.29 ppm 0.48 – 1.29 ppm YES 2017 Water additive which promotes strong teeth Nitrate 10 ppm 10 ppm .38 ppm .36 – .38 ppm YES 2017 Erosion of natural deposits Substance Action Level MCLG WCWD Water System 90th Percentile Number of Samples Above Action Level Is the water safe? Year Tested Typical Sources of Contaminant Copper 1300 ppb 1300 ppb 166 ppb 0 YES 2017 Household piping Lead 15 ppb 0 ppb 1.2 ppb 0 YES 2017 Household piping * AA – Annual averages are used for compliance DEFINITIONS Action Level (AL): The concentration of a contaminant, which if exceeded, triggers treatment, or other requirements, which a water system must follow. 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. 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. 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 microbiological 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 disinfectant to control microbial contaminants. NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Unit): Unit of turbidity measurement. ppb (part per billion): Same as microgram per liter. One part per billion is the equivalent of 1 penny in 10 million dollars. ppm (part per million): Same as milligram per liter. One part per million is the equivalent of ½ of a dissolved aspirin tablet in a full bathtub of water. TT (Treatment Technique): A required process intended to reduce the level of contaminant in drinking water. Turbidity: A measure of the cloudiness of water. We monitor turbidity because it is a good indicator of the effectiveness of our filtration system. For additional information about your water, contact Morris Jordan, WCWD Director, at (770) 466-4887.