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An Important Notice Regarding Your Drinking Water
The District routinely monitors your drinking water for contaminants and in 2009 was in compliance with all current EPA standards. However, as part of a national public water system evaluation to be used in determining future test sites and standards for acceptable contaminant levels, the District did not collect the total number of samples requested. It is important to stress that these samples were for the purpose of an EPA evaluation only and were NOT regularly tested compliance samples. However, the EPA has issued the following statement to be sent to all District customers:
Monitoring and Reporting Requirements Not Met for
Southwest Licking Community Water and Sewer District
Our water system is required to conduct a system evaluation to characterize disinfection by-products (DBPs) in our distribution system and identify the best places to monitor. We recently failed to collect the correct number of drinking water samples required for this evaluation. Although this incident was not an emergency, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened and what we did to correct this situation.
We routinely monitor for the presence of drinking water contaminants. During October 2008, January 2009, April 2009, and July 2009 our system failed to collect the required number of DBP samples for total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and haloacetic acids (HAA5s) in our drinking water distribution system.
What should I do?
There is nothing you need to do. The missed samples were for the purpose of a system evaluation and were not compliance samples. You do not need to boil your water or take other corrective actions. You may continue to drink the water. If a situation were to arise where the water is no longer safe to drink, you will be notified within 24 hours.
What was done?
TTHMs and HAA5s are a group of chemicals that are formed when chlorine or other disinfectants used to control microbial contaminants in drinking water react with naturally occurring organic and inorganic matter in water. We are working to minimize the formation of TTHMs and HAA5s while ensuring an adequate level of disinfection to protect customers from exposure to bacteria.
We are revising our monitoring plan and will be taking these samples in October 2009, January 2010, April 2010, and July 2010. For more information, please contact Al Carrelli, Water System Supervisor, or Perry Adkins, Assistant General Manager, of the Southwest Licking Community Water and Sewer District at 740-927-0410.
Again, please be assured that the District is in compliance with all current EPA standards for drinking water. These samples were to be used to evaluate the possible need to adjust current test sites and standards in the future. The District is committed to continuing to provide you with quality and environmentally compliant water.
Additional information regarding the District,
our water and sanitary sewer systems,
including previous editions of our Consumer Confidence Reports and Financial Statements,
is available on our website:
www.swlcws.com
This notice is being sent to you by the Southwest Licking Community Water and Sewer District.
State Water System ID#: OH4505412
Common Water Quality Concerns
Chlorinous Taste & Odor
The District has a long and successful history of water treatment involving the chemical chlorine. The District water plant checks the chlorine content throughout the District daily to insure the highest quality control. Without proper initial disinfection and continuing residual protection in the distribution system, the District's entire water distribution system would become vulnerable to bacteriological organisms.
If the taste or odor is found to be objectionable, it should be noted that you could eliminate the taste of chlorine in your water by setting an open pitcher in the refrigerator overnight.
Cloudy Water
Cloudy water is usually caused by temperature change and the presence of dissolved air in the water. When water appears to have a milky white, gray or carbonated appearance a simple test may suffice to denote its origin. Fill a clear glass with tap water and observe it over a minute or two. If the glass clears from bottom to top, then it is dissolved air escaping into the atmosphere. There is no health risk associated with this situation. Cloudy water is very common in the winter and can last for quite a long time.
Flouridation
The natural flouride concentration of the District's drinking water is 0.6 ppm. The EPA has established a minimum concentration of 0.8 ppm for flouride in drinking water. Therefore, the District is required to supplement its drinking water to obtain the 0.8 ppm minimum concentration. The District started adding the flouride supplement in January 2008. Since that time, the flouride concentration of the District's drinking water has averaged 1.0 ppm.
Lead
The lead concentration in the drinking water leaving our water treatment facility is below the level of detection. However, lead can enter the water from household brass fixtures, lead pipes or lead solder, when water resides in the plumbing for more than six hours. Infants and young children are typically more vulnerable to lead in drinking water than the general population. It is possible that lead levels at your home may be higher than at other homes in the community as a result of materials used in your home's plumbing. If you are concerned about elevated lead levels in your home's water, you may wish to have your water tested. Additionally, flush your tap water for at least two minutes before using it. More information is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791 or found on the web at www.epa.gov/safewater/lead .
Pink or Dark Stains in the Toilet or on Fixtures
Airborne organisms are usually the cause. You will see grey, black or sometimes pink film on surfaces that are regularly moist, including toilet bowls, showerheads, shower tiles, sink drains, and dishwashers. These organisms are controlled with normal drinking water disinfectants and, therefore, are not found in the water but can come from dust or dirt that is airborne. Regular cleaning and ventilation should reduce these nuisance organisms.
Rusty Water
It is important to note that when rusty water is experienced it is normally not a health concern, but one of aesthetic quality. Rusty-brown, orange or light yellow water can be caused by a variety of reasons including: water main breaks, fire fighting operations, hydrant flushing or broken hydrants, construction work or damage, system depressurizations, and corroding of iron pipes. Normally, rusty water events dissipate in 4-6 hours, but could last longer depending on water usage in the area. If the event lasts more than 24 hours, please contact our office at 740-927-0410.
During such an event, it is of little to no value for you to run your water until it turns clear; this is wasteful and costly to you as a consumer. During such events, use of HOT water should be kept to a minimum, as it will draw cold, rusty water into your hot water tank. If your hot water tank does have rust in it, use caution and please follow the manufacturer's directions for shutting down, draining, and re-starting your hot water tank.
The District's
2007 and 2008 Financial Statements
are currently available for review
(by clicking on the link above).
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Ohio Auditor of State,
Mary Taylor, CPA,
has released the Audit Results for
2008 and 2009 District Operations
The report is currently available for review
by clicking on the link above.
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