2007
We are
pleased to provide you with this year's Annual Water Quality Report also known
by the federal acronym CCR (Consumer Confidence Report). We want to keep you informed about the
excellent water and services we have delivered to you over the past year. Our
goal is, and always has been, to provide to you a safe and dependable supply of
drinking water. The wells that serve your area draw water from the Rathdrum
Prairie Aquifer.
Your
drinking water is safe and meets federal and state requirements.
If you
have any questions about this report or concerning your water utility, please
contact Mike Galante, District Manager at (208) 772-3619. If you want to learn more, please attend any
of our regularly scheduled Board meetings that are held at 12:30 PM on the second
Thursday of each month at the District office:
North
Kootenai Water District monitors for contaminants in your
drinking water according to Federal and State laws. The table below shows the
results of our monitoring for the period of January 1 to December 31, 2007.
As water travels over the land or underground it can pick up
contaminants such as microbes, inorganic and organic chemicals, and radioactive
substances. All drinking water, including bottled drinking water, may be
reasonably expected to contain at least small amounts of some
contaminants. It's important to remember
that the presence of these contaminants does not necessarily pose a health
risk.
In the
following table you will find some terms and abbreviations that you may not be
familiar with. To help you better understand these terms we provide the
following definitions:
Action Level - the concentration of
a contaminant that, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements that
a water system must follow.
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) - The “Maximum Allowed” 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
(MCLG) - The “Goal” 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.
MV1 – Mountain View
Terrace well #1 located on the south side of
MV2 – Mountain View
Terrace well #2 located on the north side of
Non-Detects (ND) - laboratory analysis indicates that the constituent is
not present.
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.
Variances & Exemptions
(V&E) - State or EPA permission not to meet a MCL or a treatment technique
under certain conditions.
|
Inorganic Contaminants
|
MCL |
MCLG |
Our Water |
|
Sample
Date |
Violation? |
Typical Source of
Contaminant |
|
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|
Barium
|
2
PPM |
2
PPM |
MV1--0.03 PPM MV2--0.03
PPM |
Na Na
|
7/01 7/01
|
No No
|
Discharge
of drilling wastes; discharge from metal refineries; erosion of natural
deposits. |
|
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|
Nitrate
|
10
ppm |
10
ppm |
MV1—1.6 PPM MV2—1.5
PPM |
Na Na
|
9/07 9/07 |
No No
|
Runoff from fertilizer use, leaching from septic tanks, erosion of natural deposits
|
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Sodium
|
None
|
None
|
MV1--3.32 PPM MV2--2.94
PPM |
Na Na
|
7/01 7/01
|
No No
|
Leaching
from natural mineral deposits |
|
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|
Fluoride
|
4 ppm |
4 ppm |
MV1--ND MV2--0.3
PPM |
Na Na
|
7/01 7/01
|
No No
|
Erosion
of natural deposits; water additive that promotes strong teeth; discharge
from fertilizer and aluminum factories |
|
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|
Arsenic
|
10
ppb |
Na
|
MV1—.007 ppm MV2--.006
ppm |
Na Na
|
9/07 12/07
|
No No
|
Erosion
of natural deposits; runoff from orchards; runoff from glass and electronics
production wastes |
|
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|
Sulfate
|
Na
|
Na
|
MV1--12.49 PPM MV2--10.7
PPM |
Na Na
|
7/01 10/03
|
No No
|
Not Regulated
|
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Organic Chemical
Contaminants |
MCL |
MCLG |
Our Water |
|
Sample
Date |
Violation? |
Typical Source of
Contaminant |
|
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|
Volatile
Organic Compounds |
NA
|
NA
|
MV1--ND MV2--ND
|
Na Na
|
12/07 12/07
|
No No
|
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|
Synthetic
Organic Compounds |
NA
|
NA
|
MV1--ND MV2--ND
|
Na Na
|
12/07 12/07
|
No No
|
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Radionuclides
|
MCL |
MCLG |
Our Water |
|
Sample
Date |
Violation? |
Typical Source of
Contaminant |
|
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|
Alpha
Activity |
15
pCi/l |
0 |
MV1--2.5 pCi/l
MV2--0.8 pCi/l |
+/- 1.9 +/-
1.7 |
7/01 7/01
|
No No
|
Erosion
of natural deposits |
|
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|
Beta Activity |
50 pCi/l |
0 |
MV1--2.6
pCi/l MV2--2.4 pCi/l |
Na Na |
7/01 7/01 |
No No |
Erosion of natural deposits |
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Lead/Copper |
Action Level |
MCLG |
Our Water |
|
Sample
Date |
Violation? |
Typical Source of
Contaminant |
|
Copper
|
1.3
PPM |
1.3
PPM |
0.06
PPM |
ND-0.15
PPM |
12/07 |
No
|
Corrosion
of pipes within the water system, erosion of natural mineral deposits |
|
Lead
|
15
PPB |
0
|
.002 ppm |
ND
to 3 PPB |
12/07
|
No
|
Corrosion
of pipes within the water system, erosion of natural mineral deposits |
|
Bacteria |
MCL |
MCLG |
Our Water |
|
Sample
Date |
Violation? |
Typical Source of
Contaminant |
|
Total
Coliform |
Present
|
Not Present
|
Coliform present in 11/07 |
Na
|
Monthly
|
No |
Naturally
present in environment |
Microbiological Contaminants:
(1)
Total Coliform--Coliform
are bacteria that are naturally present in the environment and are used as an
indicator that other, potentially harmful, bacteria may be present.
Radioactive Contaminants:
(2)
Beta/photon emitters--Certain minerals are radioactive and may emit forms of
radiation known as photons and beta radiation. Some people who drink water
containing beta and photon emitters in excess of the MCL over many years may
have an increased risk of getting cancer.
(3)
Alpha emitters--Certain minerals are radioactive and may emit a form of
radiation known as alpha radiation. Some people who drink water containing
alpha emitters in excess of the MCL over many years may have an increased risk
of getting cancer.
Inorganic Contaminants:
(4)
Barium--Some people who drink water containing barium in excess of the MCL over
many years could experience an increase in their blood pressure.
(5)
Nitrate--Infants below the age of six months who drink water containing nitrate
in excess of the MCL could become seriously ill and, if untreated may die.
Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue-baby syndrome.
(6)
Copper--Copper is an essential nutrient, but some people who drink water
containing copper in excess of the action level over a relatively short amount
of time could experience gastrointestinal distress. Some people who drink water
containing copper in excess of the action level over many years could suffer
liver or kidney damage. People with Wilson's Disease should consult their personal doctor.
(7)
Lead--Infants and children who drink water containing lead in excess of the
action level could experience delays in their physical or mental development.
Children could show slight deficits in attention span and learning abilities.
Adults who drink this water over many years could develop kidney problems or
high blood pressure.
(8)
Arsenic--Some people who drink water containing arsenic in excess of the MCL
over many years could experience skin damage or problems with their circulatory
system, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.
(9)
Fluoride--Some people who drink water containing fluoride in excess of the MCL
over many years could get bone disease, including pain and tenderness of the
bones. Children may get mottled teeth.
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 regulated compounds are
present at levels below the MCL. The EPA
has determined that your water is safe at these detected levels.
All
sources of water are subject to potential contamination by substances that are
naturally occurring or man made.
These
can be microbes, inorganic or organic chemicals and radioactive
substances. 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.
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-a-million chance of having the described health effect.
Total Coliform: The Total Coliform Rule requires water systems to meet a strict limit for coliform bacteria. Colif