Annual Drinking Water Quality Report

IN5232017                                        NORTH SALEM WATER CORPORATION

Annual Water Quality Report for the period of January 1 to December 31, 2020

For more information regarding this report contact:

This report is intended to provide you with important information about your

drinking water and the efforts made by the water system to provide safe drinking water.                               Name:  Mark Basham

OUR TOWN COUNCIL MEETS THE FIRST THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH                                              Phone:  317-563-2757

AT 6 PM; 5 WEST PEARL STREET, NORTH SALEM  IN 46165

Este informe contiene información muy importante sobre el agua que usted

NORTH SALEM WATER CORPORATION is Ground Water                                               bebe.  Tradúzcalo ó hable con alguien que lo entienda bien.

Sources of Drinking Water

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.

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 EPAs Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.

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, andwildlife.
• Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally-occurring or result from urban storm water runoff, industrial or domestic wastewaterdischarges, 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.

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.

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population.

Contaminants may be found in drinking water that may cause taste, color, or odor problems.  These types of problems are not necessarily causes for health concerns.  For more information on taste, odor, or color of drinking water, please contact the system’s business office.

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).

If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. We cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. We are responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but we cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

Source Water Information SWA = Source Water Assessment

Source Water Name	Type of Water	Report Status	Location
WELL #1	GW	ACTIVE	100 EAST PEARL STREET
WELL #2	GW	ACTIVE	100 EAST PEARL STREET

 

2020            Regulated Contaminants Detected

Lead and Copper

Definitions:

Action Level Goal (ALG):  The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health.  ALGs allow for a margin of safety. Action Level:  The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.

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If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. We are responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but we cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

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Lead and Copper	Date Sampled	MCLG	Action Level (AL)	90th Percentile	# Sites Over AL	Units	Violation	Likely Source of Contamination
Copper	07/25/2018	1.3	1.3	0.15	0	ppm	N	Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching from wood preservatives; Corrosion of household plumbing systems.

Water Quality Test Results

Definitions:                                        The following tables contain scientific terms and measures, some of which may require explanation.

Avg:                                                                 Regulatory compliance with some MCLs are based on running annual average of monthly samples.

Maximum Contaminant Level or MCL:                          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.

Level 1 Assessment:                                                     A Level 1 assessment is a study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine (if possible) why total coliform bacteria have been found in our water system.

Maximum Contaminant Level Goal or MCLG:         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.

Level 2 Assessment:                                                     A Level 2 assessment is a very detailed study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine (if possible) why an E. coli MCL violation has occurred and/or why total coliform bacteria have been found in our water system on multiple occasions.

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.

Maximum residual disinfectant level goal or MRDLG:   The level of a 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.

Water Quality Test Results

na:	not applicable.
mrem:	millirems per year (a measure of radiation absorbed by the body)
ppb:	micrograms per liter or parts per billion – or one ounce in 7,350,000 gallons of water.
ppm:	milligrams per liter or parts per million – or one ounce in 7,350 gallons of water.
Treatment Technique or TT:	A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

 

Regulated Contaminants

Disinfectants and Disinfection By-Products	Collection Date	Highest Level Detected	Range of Levels Detected	MCLG	MCL	Units	Violation	Likely Source of Contamination
Chlorine	2020	1	1 – 1	MRDLG = 4	MRDL = 4	ppm	N	Water additive used to control microbes.
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	2020	5	5 – 5	No goal for the total	60	ppb	N	By-product of drinking water disinfection.
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM)	2020	11	10.8 – 10.8	No goal for the total	80	ppb	N	By-product of drinking water disinfection.
Inorganic Contaminants	Collection Date	Highest Level Detected	Range of Levels Detected	MCLG	MCL	Units	Violation	Likely Source of Contamination
Arsenic – While your drinking water meets EPA standards for arsenic, it does contain low levels of arsenic. EPAs standard balances the current understanding of arsenics 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.	2020	10	6.9 – 10	0	10	ppb	N	Erosion of natural deposits; Runoff from orchards; Runoff from glass and electronics production wastes.
Barium	2020	0.35	0.35 – 0.35	2	2	ppm	N	Discharge of drilling wastes; Discharge from metal refineries; Erosion of natural deposits.
Fluoride	2020	0.848	0.848 – 0.848	4	4.0	ppm	N	Erosion of natural deposits; Water additive which promotes strong teeth; Discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories.