JERICHO-UNDERHILL WATER DISTRICT

Water System ID# VT0005096

Consumer Confidence Report – 2007

 

This report is a snapshot of the quality of the water that we provided last year. Included are the details about where your water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state standards. We are committed to providing you with information because informed customers are our best allies. This report is designed to inform you about the quality water and services we deliver to you every day.  To learn more, please attend any of our regularly scheduled meetings which are held at 7 PM on the first Monday of each month at the United Church of Underhill, Park Street, Underhill, VT 05465

 

For more information please visit our website at http://www.jerichounderhillwater.org or contact Trustee

Peter H. Mitchell at 802-899-4076

 

Water Source Information

Source Name

Source Water Type

WELL 1

Ground Water

WELL 2

Ground Water

Your water comes from two wells.

 

 

 

The State of Vermont Water Supply Rule requires Public Community Water Systems to develop a Source Protection Plan.  This plan delineates a source protection area for our system and identifies potential and actual sources of contamination.  The plan is available on our website at http://jerichounderhillwater.org a hard copy may be obtained by contacting our Clerk, Jane Maheux at 802-899-3810.

 

Drinking Water Contaminants

The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include surface water (streams, lakes) and ground water (wells, springs). As water travels over the land’s surface or through the ground, it dissolves naturally-occurring minerals. It also picks up substances resulting from the presence of animals and human activity. Some “contaminants” may be harmful. Others, such as iron and sulfur, are not harmful. Public water systems treat water to remove contaminants, if any are present; or to improve  aesthetic qualities.

 

In order to ensure that your water is safe to drink, we test it regularly according to regulations established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the State of Vermont. These regulations limit the amount of various contaminants:

 

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, may come from a variety of sources such as storm water run-off, agriculture, and residential users.

Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or the result of mining activity

Organic contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and also come from gas stations, urban storm water run-off, and septic systems.

 

Water Quality Data

The table below lists all the drinking water contaminants that we detected during the past year. It also includes the date and results of any contaminants that we detected within the past five years if tested less than once a year. The presence of these contaminants in the water does not necessarily show that the water poses a health risk.

 

Terms and abbreviations - In this table you may find terms you might not be familiar with. To help you better understand these terms we have provided the following definitions:

Maximum Contamination Level Goal (MCLG): The “Goal” is the level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to human health.  MCLG’s allow for a margin of safety.

Maximum Contamination Level (MCL): The “Maximum Allowed” MCL is the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water.  MCL’s are set as close to the MCLG’s as feasible using the best available treatment technology.

Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (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 disinfectants in controlling microbial contaminants.

Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL): The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in

drinking water.  Addition a disinfectant may help control microbial contaminants.        

Action Level: The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.

90th Percentile: Ninety percent of the samples are below the action level. (Nine of ten sites sampled were at or below this level).

Treatment Technique(TT): A process aimed to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

Parts per million (ppm) or Milligrams per liter (mg/l): (one penny in ten thousand dollars)

Parts per billion (ppb) or Micrograms per liter (µg/l): (one penny in ten million dollars)

Picocuries per liter(pCi/L): a measure of radioactivity in water

Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU): NTU is a measure of the clarity of water.  Turbidity in excess of 5 NTU is just noticeable to the average person.

 

Violation(s) that occurred during the year: None

Type

Category

Analyte

Compliance Period

No Violations occurred in the Calendar Year of 2006

 

Detected Contaminants

Microbiological

Result

MCL

MCLG

Typical Source

No Detected Results occurred in the Calendar Year of 2006

 

Regulated Chemical Contaminants

Collection Date

Highest Value

Range

Unit

MCL

MCLG

Typical Source

ARSENIC

4/9/2003

3

3

ppb

10

0

Erosion of natural deposits; Runoff from orchards; Runoff from glass and electronics production wastes.

ETHYL-

BENZENE

7/25/2006

14.4

1.1 - 14.4

ppb

700

700

Discharge from petroleum refineries

XYLENES

7/25/2006

0.0589

0.0046 - 0.0589

ppm

10

10

Discharge from petroleum factories; Discharge from chemical factories

 

Lead and Copper

Date

90TH Percentile

Range

Unit

AL

Sites

Over AL

Typical Source

COPPER

6/13 & 6/14 2006

0.11

0.04 - 0.12

ppm

1.3

0

Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching from wood preservatives

 

Radionuclides

Collection Date

Highest Value

Range

Unit

MCL

MCLG

Typical Source

No Detected Results were Found in the Calendar Year of 2006

 

Secondary Chemical Contaminants

Collection Date

Highest Value

Range

Unit

MCL

MCLG

Typical Source

MANGANESE

4/9/2003

0.139

0.139

mg/l

0.05

 

Groundwater source

 

Non-regulated Chemical Contaminants

Collection Date

Highest Value

Range

Unit

Health Advi-

sory

Limit

Health Advi-

sory

Goal

Typical Source

1,2,4-TRIMETHYL-

BENZENE*

7/25/2006

93.8

1.1 - 93.8

mg/l

<350

 

Coatings of new tank

1,3,5-TRIMETHYL-BENZENE*

7/25/2006

28

2.8 –

 28

mg/l

<350

 

Coatings of new tank

ISOPROPYL-

BENZENE

7/25/2006

2.4

0.6 - 2.4

mg/l

 

 

Coatings of new tank

N-BUTYL-

BENZENE

7/25/2006

1.4

1.4

mg/l

 

 

Coatings of new tank

N-PROPYL-

BENZENE

7/25/2006

9.9

1.5 - 9.9

mg/l

 

 

Coatings of new tank

P-ISOPROPYL-

TOLUENE

7/25/2006

0.6

0.6

mg/l

 

 

Coatings of new tank

SEC-BUTYL-

BENZENE

7/25/2006

1.2

1.2

mg/l

 

 

Coatings of new tank

*VT Health Dept health advisory for the sum of the 1,2,4- and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene concentrations is less than 350 mg/l. 

 

Additional information

As a safeguard against microbes, the District maintains a background level of chlorine. For aesthetic reasons the District uses phosphate to sequester manganese. In conjunction with a Vermont State program for dental health, the District adds fluoride.

 

Health information regarding drinking water

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 microbiological contaminants are available from EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791). 

 

            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 Safe Drinking Water Hotline.

 

There are no additional required health effects notices.