Annual Drinking Water Quality Report for 2004
PASSAMAQUODDY WATER DISTRICT
Eastport, Maine
PWSID ME 00090510
We're pleased to present to you our Annual Drinking Water Quality Report. This report, a requirement of the 1996 amendments to the Safe Drinking Act, is designed to inform you about the quality water and services we deliver to you every day. Our constant goal is to provide you with a safe and dependable supply of drinking water. We want you to understand the efforts we make to continually improve the water treatment process and protect our water resources. We are committed to ensuring the quality of your water.
WATER SOURCE
Our water is drawn from the Boyden Lake Stream in Perry. It is filtered and then treated with chlorine to protect against potential bacteriological contaminants and fluoride to promote dental health. We serve an approximate population of 1920 through 768 service connections.
Source Water Assessment
The sources of drinking water include rivers, lakes, ponds and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and radioactive materials can pick up substances resulting from human or animal activity. The Maine Drinking Water Program (DWP) has evaluated all public water supplies as part of the Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP). The assessments included geology, hydrology, land uses, water testing information and the extent of land ownership or protection by local ordinances to see how likely our drinking water source is to being contaminated by human activities in the future. Assessments results are available at public water suppliers, town offices, and the DWP. For more information about the SWAP, please contact the DWP at telephone
287-2070.
If you have any questions about this report or concerning your water utility, please contact Nancy, Seeley, Manager, at Telephone number 853-2924, fax 853-2738, or at mailing address, 56 Water Street, Eastport, ME 04631. We want our valued customers to be informed about their water utility. If you want to learn more, please attend any of our regularly scheduled board meetings. They are held at the District office on Water Street. Meetings are held as scheduled and published each month. Agendas are posted regularly at the Eastport City Hall, the water district and the tribal office in Pleasant Point.
WATER QUALITY
Passamaquoddy Water District routinely monitors for constituents in your drinking eater according to Federal and State laws. The following table shows any detection resulting from our monitoring for the period of January 1st to December 31st, 2004.
In 2002, due to efforts to protect the water supply, we applied for and were granted a three-year waiver for synthetic organics (Phase II/V) testing. Tis is an exemption from the testing/monitoring requirements for pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and other industrial chemicals; the state of Maine Drinking Water Program grants a waiver only upon a finding that “it will not result in an unreasonable risk to health.”
If no tests were required for a given contaminant in 2004, the law requires that the most recent test results be included here. No test results over 5 years old are allowed, however.
Some or all of the following contaminants were tested for as regulated by law. Other elements are also tested for which do not require reporting, as they do not pose a potential health risk.
Microbiological Contaminants
1. Total Coliform Bacteria
2. Fecal coliform and E. coli
3. Turbidity
Radioactive Contaminants
4. Beta/photon emitters
5. Gross Alpha
6. Combined radium
7. Uranium
8. Radon
Inorganic Contaminants
9. Antimony
10. Arsenic
11. Asbestos
12. Barium
13. Beryllium
14. Cadmium
15. Chromium
16. Copper
17. Cyanide
18. Fluoride
19. Lead
20. Mercury (inorganic)
21. Nitrate (as Nitrogen)
22. Nitrite (as Nitrogen)
23. Selenium
24. Thallium
Synthetic Organic Contaminants including Pesticides and Herbicides
25. 2-4-D
26. 2,4,5-TP (Silvex)
27. Acrylamide
28. Alachlor
29. Atrazine
30. Benzo(a)pyrene (PAH)
31. Carbofuran
32. Chlordane
33. Dalapon
34. Di(2-ethylhexy) adipate
35. Di(2-ethylhexy) phthalte
36. Dibromochloropropane
37. Dinoseb
38. Diquat
39. Dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD)
40. Endothall
41. Endrin
42. Epichlorohydrin
43. Ethylene dibromide
44. Glyphosate
45. Glyphosate
46. Heptachlor
47. Heptachlor epoxide
48. Hexachlorocyclo-pentadiene
49. Lindane
50. Methozychlor
51. Oxamyl (Vydate)
52. PCB"s (Polychlorinated biphenyls)
53. Pentachlorophenol
54. Picloram
55. Simazine
56. Tozaphene
Volatile Organic Contaminants
57. Benzene
58. Carbon tetrachloride
59. Chlorobenzene
60. o-Dichlorobenzene
61. p-Dichlorobenzene
62. 1,2 - Dichloroethane
63. 1,1 - Dichloroethylene
64. cis-1,2 - Dichloroethylene
65. trans - 1,2 - Dichloroethylene
66. Dichloromethane
65. 1,2- Dichloropropane
66. Ethyibenzene
66a Methyl-Tertiary-Butyl-Ether (MTBE)-(Maine MCL)
67. Styrene
68. Tetrachloroethylene
69. 1,2,4 - Trichlorobenzene
70. 1,1,1 - Trichloroethane
71. 1,1,2 – Trichloroethane
72. Trichloroethylene
73. TTHM (Total trihalomethanes)
74. HAA5 (Total Haloacetic Acids)
75. Toluene
76. Vinyl Chloride
77. Xylenes
TEST RESULTS
Unless otherwise noted, testing was done in 2004
Contaminant
Microbiological Contaminants
Total Coliform Bacteria
No Violation
Level Detected: 0 positive
Unit Measurement: N/A
MCLG: 0 positive
MICL: 1 positive
Likely Source of Contamination:
Naturally present in the environment
Radioactive Contaminants
Gross Alpha (6/18/02)
No Violation
Level Detected 0.1
Unit Measurement; PCi/L
MCLG: 0
MCL: 15
Likely Source of Contamination:
Naturally occurring radioactivity in bedrock
Inorganic Contaminants
Barium (4/26/04
Violation N
Level Detected: 0.003
Unit Measurement: ppm
MCLG: 2
MCL: 2
Likely Sources of Contamination:
Erosion of natural deposits
Copper (8/21/02)
Violation: No
Level Detected: 0.05
Unit Measurement: ppm
MCLG: 1.3
MCL: AL=1.3
Likely Source of Contamination:
Corrosion of household plumbing systems
Fluoride (7/12/04)
Violation: N
Level Detected: 1.92
Unit Measurement: ppm
MCLG: 4
MCL: 4
Likely Source of Contamination:
Additive to promote dental health.
Lead (8/21/04)
Violation: N
Level Detected: 1
Unit Measurement: ppb
MCLG: 0
MCL: AL=15
Likely Source of Contamination:
Corrosion of household plumbing systems
Volatile Organic Contaminants
TTHM (Total Trihalomethanes)
Violation: Y
Level Detected: RAA=96.50
Unit Measurement: ppb
MCLG: 0
MCL: 80
Likely Source of Contamination:
By-product of drinking water chlorination
HAAS (Total Haloacretic Acids)
Violation: N
Level Detected: RAA=37.00
Unit Measurement: ppb
MCLG: 0
MCL: 60
Likely Source of Contamination:
By-product of drinking eater chlorination.
Definitions:
Action Level - (AL) The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.
Maximum Contaminant Level - (MCL) is the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal - (MCGL) is the level of contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk of health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.
Variances Exemptions, and Waivers - State of EPA permission not to meet an MCL, a treatment technique or test for a given contaminant under certain conditions.
Treatment Techniques (TT) – A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water ()e.g. treatment technique for turbidity).
Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU) - nephelometric turbidity unit is a measure of the clarity of water. Turbidity in excess of 5 NTU is just noticeable to the average person.
Running Annual Average (RAA): The average of all monthly or quarterly samples for the last year at all sample locations. N/A - not applicable.
Units:
Parts per million (ppm) or Milligrams per liter (mg/L) - One part per million corresponds to one minute in two years or a single penny in $10,000.
Parts per billion (ppb) or Micrograms per liter (ug/L) - One part per billion corresponds to one minute in 2,000 years, or a single penny in $10,000,000.
Picocuries per liter (pCi/L) - A measure of the radioactivity in water.
Notes:
Total Coliform Bacteria: Reported as the highest monthly number of positive samples, for water systems that take <40 samples per month. For water systems that take >40 samples per month, no more then 5% of the samples may be positive.
Gross Alpha: Action level over 5 pCi/L requires testing for Radium. Action level over 15 pCi/l requires testing for Radon and Uranium.
Lead/Copper: Action levels are measured at consumer's tap. 90% of the tests must be equal to or below the action level.
Fluoride: Fluoride levels must be maintained between 1-2 ppm, for those water systems that fluoridate the water.
Important Information:
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) and Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA%) Monitoring/Reporting Violation:
From January to March 2004, our system failed to test and report TTHM and HAA5 results to the state Drinking Water Program. TTHM and HAA5 Health Effects: Some people who drink water containing TTHM in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidneys or central nervous systems, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer. Some people who drink water-containing HAA5 in excess of MCL over many years could experience nervous system or liver damage.
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) MCL Violations: From October - December 2004, our water system exceeded the MCL for TTHM. The MCL is based on the running annual average (RAA) of four quarter's worth of sample data. TTHM are formed as a by-product of drinking water chlorination. This chemical reaction occurs when chlorine combines with natural occurring organic matter in water. The results of these tests revealed levels for TTHM in excess of the MCL of 80 ppb. We are in the process of exploring the various options to reduce TTHM in your water supply. Public notification was posted or distributed to all concerned residents. Some people who drink water-containing TTHM in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous systems, and may
have an increased risk of getting cancer.
Current Developments:
At the present time, the district is continuing its efforts to improve the quality of the water it delivers to its customers. A comprehensive study was completed in 2004, resulting in improvements to our organizations.
All sources of drinking water are subject to potential contamination by constituents that are naturally occurring or are man made. Those constituents can be microbes, organic or inorganic chemicals, or radioactive materials. All 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 the water poses a health risk. Contaminants that may be present in source water include:
Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which 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 synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production and can also come from gas stations, urban runoff and septic systems. More information about contaminants and potential health effects
can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at: 1-800-426-4791.
MCL’s are set at very stringent levels. To understand the possible health effects described for many regulated constituents, a person would have to drink 2 liters of water every day at the MCL level for a lifetime to have a one-in-ten thousand chance of having the described health effect.
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Inmuno-compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune systems disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water form their health care providers. EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by cryptosporidium and other microbiological contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).
We, at Passamaquoddy Water District, work around the clock to provide top quality water to every tap. We ask that all our customers help us protect our water sources, which are the heart of our community, our way of life, and our children’s future. Please contact us with any questions.
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