Annual Drinking Water Quality Report for 2005
Village of Hamilton Municipal Water System
3 Broad Street, Hamilton, New York
Public Water Supply ID# NY2602377
Introduction
To comply with State regulations, the Village of Hamilton, 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 Sean Graham, Director of Utilities and Public Works, at
315-824-1111 or Sarah Keith, Water Treatment Plant Operator, at 315-824-2120. We
want you to be informed about your drinking water. If you want to learn more,
please attend any of our regularly scheduled Municipal Utilities Commission
meetings. The meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month, at 4:00
P.M. at the Village of Hamilton Office Building.
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 Department’s and the FDA’s regulations establish limits for
contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public
health.
Our water system serves approximately 4000 people through 873 service
connections. Our water source is two drilled wells approximately 53 and 77 feet
deep. The water is pumped from the wells and is immediately disinfected with
sodium hypochlorite. Prior to being distributed your water is treated with
fluoride, which helps fight tooth decay.
New York State Department of Health Source Water Assessment Program Summary:
The NYS DOH has completed a source water assessment for this system, based
on available information. Possible and actual threats to this drinking water
source were evaluated. The state 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 the
wells. The susceptibility rating is an estimate of the potential for
contamination of the source water, it does not mean that water delivered to
consumers, is or will be contaminated. See section “Are There Contaminants In
Our Drinking Water?” for a list of contaminants that have been detected. The
source water assessments provide resource managers with additional information
for protecting source waters into the future.
The public water supply serving the Village of Hamilton is derived of two
drilled wells. The source water assessment has rated these wells as having a
medium–high susceptibility rating for industrial contaminants as well as a high
susceptibility rating for industrial solvents, nitrates, and microbials. These
ratings are due primarily to the close proximity of permitted discharge
facilities (industrial/commercial facilities that discharge wastewater into the
environment and are regulated by the state and or federal government) to the
wells. Based on submitted data, the well field could be prone to flooding.
Please note, while the source water assessment rates these wells as being
susceptible to microbials, the water is disinfected to ensure that the finished
water delivered into your home meets the New York State Drinking Water Standards
for microbial contamination.
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. If you should have any
questions or would like to review the Source Water Assessment in our office
please feel free to contact the Madison County Department of Health at (315)
366-2526.
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, disinfection by-products, radiological contaminants, and synthetic
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
(800-426-4791) or the Madison County Department of Health Department at
315-366-2526
SEE Enclosed Detected Contaminants Table
Footnotes for Enclosed Detected Contaminants Table
1 – Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of the water. We monitor it because
it is a good indicator of water quality. High turbidity can hinder the
effectiveness of disinfectants. Our highest single turbidity measurement for the
year occurred on May 27, 2005 and was 0.53 NTU.
2 – The State considers 50 pci/l to be the level of concern for beta particles.
3 – Individuals on a moderately restricted sodium diet should not consume water
having levels of sodium greater than 20 mg/l. Individuals on severely restricted
sodium diets should not consume water having levels of sodium greater than 270
mg/l.
4 – The lead level presented represents the 90th percentile of the 41 sites. 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,
41 samples were collected at your water system and the 90th percentile value was
the 37th value (6.4 ppb). The action level for lead was exceeded at 1 of the 41
sites tested.
5 – The level presented represents the 90th percentile of the 41 samples
collected. The action level for copper was not exceeded at any of the 41 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 MCLGs 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. MCLGs 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 (MRDLG): The level of a drinking water
disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs 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).
Nanograms per liter (ng/l): Corresponds to one part of liquid to one trillion
parts of liquid (parts per trillion - ppt).
Picograms per liter (pg/l): Corresponds to one part per of liquid to one
quadrillion parts of liquid (parts per quadrillion – ppq).
Picocuries per liter (pCi/L): A measure of the radioactivity in water.
Millirems per year (mrem/yr): A measure of radiation absorbed by the body.
Million Fibers per Liter (MFL): A measure of the presence of asbestos fibers
that are longer than 10 micrometers.
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.
Is our water system meeting other rules that govern operations?
During 2005, 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 Cryptosporidium, Giardia and other microbial pathogens
are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).
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 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.
Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth.
Check every faucet in your home for leaks. Just a slow drip can waste 15 to 20
gallons a day. Fix it up 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.
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.
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