2005
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 well that serves your area is located
at the north end of
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 first
and third 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, 2005. 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.
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 |
Range of Detection
|
Sample
Date |
Violation? |
Typical Source of
Contaminant |
|
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|
Barium
|
2
ppm 2 ppm |
2 ppm 2
ppm |
OM#1
0.5 ppm OM#2 0.11 ppm |
NA
|
05/01 12/05 |
No
|
Discharge
of drilling wastes, discharge from metal refineries, erosion of natural
deposits |
|
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|
Nitrate
|
10
ppm 10 ppm |
10 ppm 10
ppm |
OM #1 1.1 ppm OM
#2 N/D |
N/A N/a |
04/04 12/05 |
No
|
Runoff
from fertilizer use, leaching from septic tanks, erosion of natural deposits
|
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|
Sodium
|
None
|
None
|
OM
#1 2 ppb OM
#2 4.18 ppb |
NA N/A |
05/01 12/05 |
No No |
Leaching
from natural mineral deposits |
|
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|
Arsenic
|
10 ppb
|
NA
|
OM # 1 2 ppb OM #2 .005 ppb
|
N/A .050 |
5/01 12/05
|
No No |
Erosion
of natural deposits; runoff from orchards; runoff from glass and electronics
production wastes |
|
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|
Sulphates
|
250 ppm
|
None
|
OM #1 6.0 ppm OM #2 7.3 ppm
|
NA |
05/01 12/05
|
No
|
Not Regulated
|
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|
Organic Chemical
Contaminants |
MCL |
MCLG |
Our Water |
Range of Detection
|
Sample
Date |
Violation? |
Typical Source of
Contaminant |
||
|
Volatile Organic Compounds
Synthetic
Organic Compounds |
Na
Na
|
Na
Na
|
OM
#1 – N/D OM
# 2 – N/D OM
#1 – N/D OM
#2 – N/D |
Na
Na
|
12/01 12/05 12/98 12/05 |
No
No
|
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|
Radionuclides
|
MCL |
MCLG |
Our Water |
Range of Detection
|
Sample
Date |
Violation? |
Typical Source of
Contaminant |
||
|
Alpha
Activity |
15
pCi/l |
0
|
OM #1 4.8 pCi/l OM
#2 N/D |
+/-
2.7 |
12/00 12/08 |
No
|
Erosion
of natural deposits |
||
|
Beta Activity |
50 pCi/l |
0 |
OM # 1
6.2 pCi/l OM #
2 N/A |
N/A N/A |
12/00 12/05 |
No |
Erosion of natural deposits |
||
|
Lead/Copper |
Action Level |
MCLG |
Our Water |
Range of Detection
|
Sample
Date |
Violation? |
Typical Source of
Contaminant |
|
Copper
|
1.3
PPM |
1.3
PPM |
0..18
PPM |
0.06
to 0.17 ppm |
12/04 |
No
|
Corrosion
of pipes within the water system, erosion of natural mineral deposits |
|
Lead
|
15
PPB |
0
|
OM #1 – N/d -.004 OM #2 N/A |
ND
to 3 PPB |
12/04 |
No
|
Corrosion
of pipes within the water system, erosion of natural mineral deposits |
|
Bacteria |
MCL |
MCLG |
Our Water |
Range of Detection
|
Sample
Date |
Violation? |
Typical Source of
Contaminant |
|
Total
Coliform |
Present
|
Not Present
|
OM #1 – N/D OM # 2 – N/D |
N/D |
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 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.
We
constantly monitor for various constituents in the water to meet all regulatory
requirements. This past year we detected coliform
bacteria in water samples taken in July. This, in its self, does not pose a
threat to the quality of our water supply. Legally required follow-up sampling
showed no indication of contamination in the distribution system. Late in 2003
we installed a hypo-chlorinator to continuously disinfect the supply system.
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 ef