St. Paul Virginia

MARCH 1, 2006

 

NOTICE TO CONSUMERS

Of the

St. Paul Waterworks

Waterworks ID No. 1195700

 

We have been advised by State Health Officials that the water supplied by this waterworks
during the twelve month monitoring period from January 1, 2005 through December 31,2005,
exceeded the four quarter Primary Maximum Contaminant Level running annual average of
0.080 mg/L for Total Trihalomathanes (TTHM) contained in the Commonwealth of Virginia/State
Board of Health Waterworks Regulations.  The fourth quarter running annual average TTHM
concentration was 0.086 mg/L.

 

Disinfection of public drinking water is necessary to prevent waterborne diseases such as typhoid
and cholera.  However, the disinfectants themselves can react with naturally occurring material in
the source water to form unintended byproducts which may pose a health risk.  Trihalomethanes
are one of the known byproducts of the drinking water disinfection process that have a primary
maximum contaminant level and this waterworks is required to monitor the distribution system on a
quarterly basis.  Some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL
over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

Samples will be collected in the first quarter of 2006 (January-March) to determine compliance
with the Waterworks Regulations.  Subsequent monitoring and compliance determination will
continue with the collection of a sample every three months.  We are working to identify the most
feasible corrective measures.

This is not an immediate risk to consumers.  If there had been an immediate risk, you would have
been advised accordingly.  No consumer action is necessary at this time.

For more information, please contact:

                  EARL N. CARTER, OPERATOR      (OWNER OR OPERATOR)
                  P.O. BOX 66, ST. PAUL, VA   24283   (MAILING ADDRESS)
                  (276)  -  762  -  9683     (TELEPHONE NUMBER)  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2004 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report

Town of St. Paul, Virginia

 

We're pleased to present to you this year's Annual Quality Water Report. This report 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.

 

We pleased to report that our drinking water is safe and meets federal and state requirements.

 

Our water source is the Clinch River. The Clinch River is a surface water source that originates in Tazewell County Virginia and meanders through Russell, Wise, and Scott Counties in Virginia before entering Tennessee.  

 

The Virginia Department of Health conducted a source water assessment of our system during 2002. The Clinch River was determined to be of high susceptibility to contamination using the criteria developed by the state in its approved Source Water Assessment Program. The assessment report consists of maps showing the source water assessment area, an inventory of known land use activities of concern, and documentation of any known contamination within the last five – (5) years. The report is available by contracting Earl Carter at the phone number or address given elsewhere in this drinking water quality report. The report will also be available at the St. Paul Town Hall. 

 

If you have any questions about this report or concerning your water utility, please contact Earl Carter Director of Public Works, at 276-762-9683. 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 meetings. They are held on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 PM in the Town Hall

 

The Town of St. Paul Water Treatment Plant routinely monitors for constituents in your drinking water according to Federal and State laws. This table shows the results of our monitoring for the period of January 1st to December 31st, 2004

 

All drinking water, including bottled drinking water, may be reasonably expected to contain at least small amounts of some constituents.  It's important to remember that the presence of these constituents does not necessarily pose a health risk.

 

In this table you will find many terms and abbreviations you might not be familiar with. To help you better understand these terms we've provided the following definitions:

 

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 - 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) - Picocuries per liter is a measure of the radioactivity in water.

 


 

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.

 

Treatment Technique (TT) - A treatment technique is a required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

 

Maximum Contaminant Level - The “Maximum Allowed” (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 - The “goal “(MCLG) is 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 Goal or MRDLG – The level of 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 contaminants.

 Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level or 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.

 

 

TEST RESULTS Regulated Contaminants

 

Contaminant

 

Violation

Y/N

 

Level

Detected

 

Unit

Measurement

 

MCLG

 

MCL

 

Typical Source of Contamination

 

Date

 

Turbidity

 

N

 

< 0.5      NTU    100% of the time

 

NTU

 

<0.5

 

TT,  <  0.5

NTU

95%

 

Soil runoff

 

2004

 

Turbidity

 

N

 

0.15

 

NTU

 

0.5

 

 

TT

5 NTU

M AXIMUM

 

Soil runoff

 

01-27-2004

 

Alpha emitters

 

N

 

0.1

 

Pci/1

 

0

 

15

 

Erosion of natural deposits

 

02-04-2002

 

Fluoride

 

N

 

.63

 

ppm

 

4

 

4

 

Erosion of natural deposits; water additive which promotes strong teeth; discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories

 

01-27-2004

 

Nitrate plus Nitrite       Nitrogen

 

N

 

0.94

 

ppm

 

10

 

10

 

Runoff from fertilizer use; leaching from septic tanks, seqag; erosion of natural deposits

 

01-27-2004

TEST RESULTS Disinfectants/Disinfection by-products

 

Contaminant

 

Violation

Y/N

 

Level

Detected

 

Range

 

 

MCLG

 

MCL

 

Typical Source of Contamination

 

Date

 

Chlorine

(ppm)

 

N

 

1.84

 

1.4 – 2.2

 

MRDLG = 4 ppm

 

MRDL

= 4 ppm

 

Water additive used to control microbes

 

2004

 

Haloacetic

Acids (ppb)

 

N

 

39.75

 

21 - 53

 

N/A

 

60

ppb

 

By-product of drinking water disinfection

 

01-27-2004

 

Total

Trihalomethane (ppb)

 

N

 

47.75

 

24 - 65

 

N/A

 

80

ppb

 

By-product of drinking water disinfection

 

01-27-2004

 

Total Organic

Carbon

Removal Ratio

 

N

 

1.182

 

0.893 – 1.567

 

N/A

 

TT In

Compliance

If > 1.0

 

Naturally Present in the environment

 

2004

TEST RESULTS Lead and Copper Contaminants

 

Contaminant

 

Violation

Y/N

 

Action

Level

 

90th

Percentile

 

MCLG

 

# of

Sampling Sites Exceeding Action Level
 

 

Typical Source of Contamination

 

Date

 

Lead

 

N

 

15

 

2 ppb

 

0

 

0

 

Corrosion of household plumbing systems

Erosion of natural deposits.
 

 

09-2002

 

Copper

 

 

N

 

1.3

 

0.050 mg/L

 

1.3

 

0

Corrosion of galvanized pipes.

Erosion of natural deposits.

Leaching from wood
 preservatives.
 

 

09-2002

 

 

 

 


 

As you can see by the table, our system had no violations. We’re proud that your drinking water meets or exceeds all Federal and State requirements. We have learned through our monitoring and testing that some constituents have been detected. The EPA has determined that your water IS SAFE at these levels.

 

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 activity.

 

Contaminants that may be present in source water include: (1) Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife; (2) 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; (3) Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban storm water runoff, and residential uses; (4) Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are byproducts of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban storm water runoff, and septic systems. (5) Radio active contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EMA prescribes regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. FDA regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health.

 

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. 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.

 

MCLs 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-a-million chance of having the described health effect.

 

In our continuing efforts to maintain a safe and dependable water supply it may be necessary to make improvements in your water system. The costs of these improvements may be reflected in the rate structure. Rate adjustments may be necessary in order to address these improvements.  

 

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants 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 about drinking water from 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 (1-800-426-4791). 

 

We at the Town of St. Paul Water Treatment Plant work constantly 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 call our office if you have any questions, or need assistance from our staff.