Annual Drinking Water Quality Report for 2005
Village of Webster Water Department
28 West Main Street, Webster, NY 14580
(Public Water Supply ID# 2701061)
Introduction
To comply with State regulations, the Village of Webster Water Department 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 the Webster Water Department at (585) 265-3770 ext 5. We want you to be informed about your drinking water. If you want to learn more, please attend any of our regularly scheduled village board meetings. The meetings are held the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 7:30 pm in the Village of Webster Community Meeting Hall located at 29 South Avenue.
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 source is pure groundwater (free of bacteria) and is pumped from the pre-glacial Irondo-Genesee Aquifer located approximately 300 to 400 feet below the ground. Approximately 400,000 to 760,000 gallons of Webster’s pure ground water is pumped per day from the Village’s two wellfields. During 2005, our system did not experience any restriction of our water source. The water is (briefly describe treatment see page 5 of State Guidance document) prior to distribution.
Facts and Figures
Our water system serves approximately 3,000 households. While in 2005, 212,479,200 gallons of water were pumped from the wells, 206,711,020 gallons were recorded consumed. This 3% loss ratio is attributed to water loss from leaks and maintenance, meter discrepancy, fire flow testing and fire fighting use and practice. In 2005, the annual average water usage was 8,000 gallons per month. At the current rate of $2.15 per 1,000 gallons with a monthly base charge of $3.65, the average monthly charge is $20.85.
Are there contaminants in our drinking water?
As the State regulations require, we routinely test your drinking water for numerous contaminants. These contaminants include: nitrate, nitrite, lead, copper, and volatile organic compounds, total trihalomethanes, and synthetic organic compounds. Routine test results show Webster Water has no contaminants in excess of maximum contaminant levels. The adjacent table 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 Monroe County Department of Public Health at (585) 753-5057.
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, and synthetic organic compounds. None of the compounds we analyzed for were detected in your drinking water
Inorganic Compounds, Metals, Physical Parameters
|
Parameter |
Village Water Results |
MCL |
MCLG |
|
mg/l |
milligram/liter |
mg/l |
Alkalinity |
145 |
NS |
NS |
Total Hardness |
294 |
NS |
NS |
Chloride |
147 |
250 |
NS |
Sulfate |
58.1 |
250 |
NS |
Total Dissolved Solids |
470 |
NS |
NS |
Calcium |
71.7 |
NS |
NS |
Magnesium |
24.8 |
NS |
NS |
Sodium |
66.5 |
NS |
NS |
Total Cyanide |
<.01 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
Fluoride |
0.9 |
2.2 |
NS |
Arsenic |
0.0032 |
0.05 |
NS |
Barium |
<0.11 |
2 |
2 |
Cadmium |
<.001 |
0.005 |
0.005 |
Chromium |
<.001 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
Copper |
<0196 |
1.3 |
1.3 |
Iron |
0.446 |
0.3 |
NS |
Lead** |
<.001 |
0.015 |
NS |
Manganese |
0.019 |
0.3 |
NS |
Selenium |
<.0049 |
0.05 |
0.05 |
Silver |
<.0005 |
0.05 |
NS |
Zinc |
<.05 |
5 |
NS |
Mercury |
<.001 |
0.002 |
0.002 |
Nitrate |
<.1 |
10 |
10 |
Nitrite |
<.1 |
1 |
1 |
Chlorine Residual |
0.5 |
4 |
NS |
PH |
7.34 |
NS |
NS |
Coliform Bacteria |
0% |
<5% Positive Sample/Month |
0 |
Parameter |
Village Water Results |
MCL |
MCLG |
Trihalomethanes |
55ppb |
80 ppb |
NS |
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) |
1.3ppb |
60 ppb |
NS |
Radionuclides* |
|
|
|
Raduim 226 |
0.12 pci/l |
Combined 226/228 |
0 |
Radium 228 |
0.22 pci/l |
5.0 pci/l |
0 |
Notes:
Tests for Synthetic Organic Compounds and Volatile Organic Compounds found no detectable levels.
*Results are the average of four quarterly representative samples.
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.
Special Health Information
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).
Water Conservation
Why Save Water?
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 an 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. Simply turn off all taps and water using appliances, Then check the meter after 15 minutes, If it moved, you have a leak.
