COLUMBUS CITY UTILITIES
WATER QUALITY REPORT
(Waterplant #2)
The Columbus City Utilities is proud to present its Annual Water Quality Report. The 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act requires that every public water system serving more than fifteen service connections prepare a water quality report and distribute it to their customers. What follows is an explanation of the water source, the treatment methods, and a list of compounds that were detected during the 2005 testing year.
Columbus Utilities is proud of its record of high quality water sent to its customers. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, it is tested for several compounds on a regular basis. The EPA sets limits on the amount of certain contaminates in water provided by public water systems. No compounds have ever been detected in the City water supply in any level deemed to be potentially harmful by the EPA.
The Columbus Utilities meets all drinking water quality standards set forth by the USEPA, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM), and the American Water Works Association. During the calendar year of 2004 (or before) there were no violations of these standards. All monitoring requirements set forth by IDEM were met or exceeded. All operators at our water treatment plants are certified by the State of Indiana and must continue training to keep their certifications valid. These operators have a combined water treatment experience of over 60 years.
SOURCE
Since the early 1950's, Columbus has obtained all of its public drinking water from groundwater resources. This groundwater is obtained using nineteen gravel–packed wells and two filtration plants. Water Plant #1 is located in Lincoln Park, which is situated just northwest of the Columbus Regional Hospital. This plant is supplied by eight wells that are situated throughout the park proper, and are capable of supplying a total of 8,200 gallons per minute to the plant. Water Plant #2 is located just north of Southside Elementary School on Spear Street near the Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds. This plant is supplied by eleven wells from both the 4-H Fairgrounds wellfield and Marr-Glick wellfield. These wells are located throughout the fairground and school property, and can supply more then 10,000 gallons per minute to the plant.
The environment can expose ground water to many contaminants before it is brought to the surface. 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.
In accordance with 3271AC8-4.1-8(3), the Columbus Water Utility has prepared a Wellhead Protection Program to ensure the safety of the source waters for the City of Columbus. The Wellhead Protection Area (WHPA) compasses the full spectrum of land uses. There are significant industrial areas within the WHPA's of each treatment facility.
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 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 also can 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.
None of the above contaminants have been detected at significant levels in the Columbus system.
Once the water is pumped to the plants it is treated for iron and manganese removal, filtered, disinfected with chlorine, fluoridated to prevent tooth decay, treated with polyphosphate, and pumped to the distribution system. Testing is performed throughout this process and in the distribution system to ensure that the water which is delivered meets all applicable criteria.
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 Environmental Protection Agency's Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791). The EPA constantly reviews the maximum contaminant levels that we must meet and adjusts them when needed.
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 (a contaminant that may be found in certain surface water sources) and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.
The following is a list of contaminants that may be present in source water; however, none of these have been detected at significant levels in the Columbus system.
• 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 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.
Maximum contaminant level (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.
Maximum contaminant level goal (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.
Action level
The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers a treatment or other requirement which a water system must follow.
Variance and exemption
State or EPA permission not to meet an MCL or a treatment technique under certain conditions.