2015 Water Quality Report
May 16, 2016
City Of Grant
Annual Water Quality Report
For January 1 to December 31, 2015
This report is intended to provide you with important information about your drinking water and the efforts made by the City Of Grant water system to provide safe drinking water.
Para Clientes Que Hablan Español: Este informe contiene información muy importante sobre el agua que usted bebe. Tradúzcalo ó hable con alguien que lo entienda bien.
For more information regarding this report, contact:
GARY BECKLER
308-352-6101
If you would like to observe the decision-making processes that affect drinking water quality, please attend the regularly scheduled meeting of the Village Board/City Council. If you would like to participate in the process, please contact the Village/City Clerk to arrange to be placed on the agenda of the meeting of the Village Board/City Council.
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 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).
Source Water Assessment Availability:
The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) has completed the Source Water Assessment. Included in the assessment are a Wellhead Protection Area map, potential contaminant source inventory, vulnerability rating, and source water protection information. To view the Source Water Assessment or for more information please contact the person named above on this report or the NDEQ at (402) 471-6988 or go to www.deq.state.ne.us .
In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations which 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.
Sources of Drinking Water:
The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and groundwater 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.
The source of water used by City Of Grant is ground water.
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 storm water runoff, and septic systems.
* Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally-occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.
Drinking Water Health Notes:
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 microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).
Infants, young children, and pregnant women 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. Flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using your tap water will clear the line of any lead that may have leached into the water while the line was idle. Additional information is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791) or the DHHS/Division of Public Health/Office of Drinking Water (402-471-2541).
The City Of Grant is required to test for the following contaminants: Coliform Bacteria, Antimony, Arsenic, Asbestos, Barium, Beryllium, Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, Cyanide, Fluoride, Lead, Mercury, Nickel, Nitrate, Nitrite, Selenium, Sodium, Thallium, Alachlor, Atrazine, Benzo(a)pyrene, Carbofuran, Chlordane, Dalapon, Di(2-ethylhexyl)adipate, Dibromochloropropane, Dinoseb, Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, Diquat, 2,4-D, Endothall, Endrin, Ethylene dibromide, Glyphosate, Heptachlor, Heptachlor epoxide, Hexachlorobenzene, Hexachlorocyclopentadiene, Lindane, Methoxychlor, Oxamyl (Vydate), Pentachlorophenol, Picloram, Polychlorinated biphenyls, Simazine, Toxaphene, Dioxin, Silvex, Benzene, Carbon Tetrachloride, o-Dichlorobenzene, Para-Dichlorobenzene, 1,2-Dichlorethane, 1,1-Dichloroethylene, Cis-1,2,-Dichloroethylene, Trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene, Dichloromethane, 1,2-Dichloropropane, Ethylbenzene, Monochlorobenzene, 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene, 1,1,1-Trichloroethane, 1,1,2-Trichloroethane, Trichloroethylene, Vinyl Chloride, Styrene, Tetrachloroethylene, Toluene, Xylenes (total), Gross Alpha (minus Uranium & Radium 226), Radium 226 plus Radium 228, Sulfate, Chloroform, Bromodichloromethane, Chlorodibromomethane, Bromoform, Chlorobenzene, m-Dichlorobenzene, 1,1-Dichloropropene, 1,1-Dichloroethane, 1,1,2,2-Tetrachlorethane, 1,2-Dichloropropane, Chloromethane, Bromomethane, 1,2,3-Trichloropropane, 1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane, Chloroethane, 2,2-Dichloropropane, o-Chlorotoluene, p-Chlorotoluene, Bromobenzene, 1,3-Dichloropropene, Aldrin, Butachlor, Carbaryl, Dicamba, Dieldrin, 3-Hydroxycarbofuran, Methomyl, Metolachlor, Metribuzin, Propachlor.
How to Read the Water Quality Data Table:
The EPA and State Drinking Water Program establish the safe drinking water regulations that limit the amount of contaminants allowed in drinking water. The table shows the concentrations of detected substances in comparison to the regulatory limits. Substances not detected are not included in the table. The state requires monitoring of certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently. Therefore, some of this data may be older than one year.
MCL (Maximum Contaminant Level) – 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.
MCLG (Maximum Contaminant Level Goal) – 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.
AL (Action Level) – The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.
MRDL (Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level) – The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water.
N/A – Not applicable.
Units in the Table:
ND – Not detectable.
ppm (parts per million) = mg/L (milligrams per liter) – One ppm or one mg/L corresponds to 1 gallon of water in 1,000,000 gallons of water.
ppb (parts per billion) – One ppb corresponds to 1 gallon of water in 1,000,000,000 gallons of water.
pCi/L (Picocuries per liter) – Radioactivity concentration unit.
ug/L ( micrograms per liter) – Measurement of radioactivity.
RAA (Running Annual Average) – An ongoing annual average calculation of data from the most recent four quarters.
90th Percentile – Represents the highest value found out of 90% of the samples taken in a representative group. If the 90th percentile is greater than the action level, it will trigger a treatment or other requirements that a water system must follow.
TT (Treatment Technique) – A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.
City Of Grant TEST RESULTS Date Printed: 5/16/2016 NE3113503
Microbiological
Highest No. of Positive Samples
MCL
MCLG
Likely Source Of Contamination
Violations Present
COLIFORM (TCR)
In the month of October, 4 sample(s) were positive
MCL: Systems that Collect Less Than 40 Samples per Month - No more than 1 positive monthly sample
0
Naturally present in the environment
Yes
Lead and Copper
Monitoring Period
90th Percentile
Range
Unit
AL
Sites Over AL
Likely Source Of Contamination
COPPER, FREE
2013 - 2015
0.135
0.00634 - 0.184
ppm
1.3
0
Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching from wood preservatives; Corrosion of household plumbing.
LEAD
2013 - 2015
1.25
1.14 - 7.62
ppb
15
0
Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching from wood preservatives; Corrosion of household plumbing.
Regulated Contaminants
Collection Date
Highest Value
Range
Unit
MCL
MCLG
Likely Source Of Contamination
ARSENIC
05/15/2013
9.97
8.34 - 9.97
ppb
10
0
Erosion of natural deposits; runoff from orchards; runoff from glass and electronics production wastes.
BARIUM
02/09/2015
0.143
0.137 - 0.143
ppm
2
2
Discharge from drilling wastes; Discharge from metal refineries; Erosion of natural deposits.
CHROMIUM
02/09/2015
1.51
1.1 - 1.51
ppb
100
100
Discharge from steel and pulp mills; Erosion of natural deposits.
FLUORIDE
02/09/2015
0.682
0.68 - 0.682
ppm
4
4
Erosion of natural deposits; water additive which promotes strong teeth; Fertilizer discharge.
NITRATE-NITRITE
11/23/2015
3.05
2.21 - 3.05
ppm
10
10
Runoff from fertilizer use; Leaching from septic tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits
Radiological Contaminants
Collection Date
Highest Value
Range
Unit
MCL
MCLG
Likely Source Of Contamination
COMBINED RADIUM (-226 & -228)
08/28/2012
2
1.7 - 2
pCi/L
5
0
Erosion of natural deposits
GROSS ALPHA, INCL. RADON & U
08/03/2015
4.69
3.07 - 4.69
pCi/L
15
0
Erosion of natural deposits
RADIUM-226
08/28/2012
0.5
0.5
pCi/L
5
0
Erosion of natural deposits
RADIUM-228
08/28/2012
1.5
1.2 - 1.5
pCi/L
5
0
Erosion of natural deposits
Unregulated Water Quality Data
Collection Date
Highest Value
Range
Unit
Secondary MCL
SULFATE
08/06/2013
17.6
17.6
mg/L
250
During the 2015 calendar year, we had the below noted violation(s) of drinking water regulations.
Type
Category
Analyte
Compliance Period
MCL (TCR), MONTHLY
MCL
COLIFORM (TCR)
10/01/2015 - 10/31/2015
The City Of Grant has taken the following actions to return to compliance with the Nebraska Safe Drinking Water Act:
The City of Grant public water supply system had the water lines flushed out and the City of Grant continued testing on the water system. Water samples taken on October 26, 2015 and October 27, 2015 did not show coliform bacteria. In other words, the water samples passed the tests and there was no cause for further concern.
Additional Required Health Effects Language:
While your drinking water meets EPA's standard for arsenic, it does contain low levels of arsenic. EPA's standard balances the current understanding of arsenic's possible health effects against the costs of removing arsenic from drinking water. EPA continues to research the health effects of low levels of arsenic which is a mineral known to cause cancer in humans at high concentrations and is linked to other health effects such as skin damage and circulatory problems.
Coliforms are bacteria that are naturally present in the environment and are used as an indicator that other potentially harmful bacteria may be present. Coliforms were found in more samples than allowed and this was a warning of potential problems.