2010 Annual Water Quality Report

for the 2009 Testing Period

Click here for a downloadable .pdf of this report.

From The General Manager’s Desk:

I am pleased to present to you this year’s Water Quality Report. This report is required by the federal “SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT” and is a summary of the quality of water provided by Hartselle Utilities to our customers during 2009. Included in this brochure are details about where your water comes from, what it contains and how it compares to standards set by regulatory agencies. The reported data was obtained from testing performed as required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). We hope this information helps you become more knowledgeable about the quality of your drinking water.

The Water Department of Hartselle Utilities operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week to produce a reliable supply of quality drinking water. As part of the effort to evaluate and meet the future needs of the city, implementation of the Board of Directors approved Five Year Capital Improvement Plan is under way. Current implementation includes the design of a new one-million gallon water storage tank and booster pump station for the high-level district of the water system. This project will provide a number of benefits, including increased supply capacity for the heavy demands of the high-level district and will increase fire flow to the northeast Hartselle area. Completing this project will provide adequate high-level district storage capacity beyond the year 2030 based on projected demands and will allow the existing high-level district tank to be taken out of service during times of necessary maintenance. This type of project is just a part of the effort by Hartselle Utilities to maintain a high quality distribution system and meet both state and federal drinking water standards.

In other news related to clean water, HU recently received approval for a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) low interest loan for an ADEM designated “green project” for the Wastewater Treatment Plant. One of the key elements of the “green project” is a reuse water system that will utilize treated wastewater (normally discharged to Shoal Creek) for operations throughout the plant. The (non-potable) reuse water will reduce potable water consumption at the plant by 12,071,000 gallons per year.

We at Hartselle Utilities thank you for allowing us to serve your needs in the City of Hartselle. With your support, we will continue to provide the services needed for the sustainable growth of our community.

Ferrell Vest
General Manager

Other Hartselle Utilities Info:

To find out more about Hartselle Utilities, please visit our web page at www.HartselleUtilities.org.

We want our valued customers to be informed about their water utility. To that end, we welcome you to attend our regularly scheduled Board meetings. The Board meets on the first and third Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in the Board Room at the Main Office located at 1010 Sparkman Street NW. If you have questions concerning meeting dates or times, please contact

Carol Kirby at ckirby@hartselleutilities.org.

Board Members:		Contact Information:
Chairman	Michael Gunter	For Billing Information	(256) 773-3341
Vice Chairman	Terry Phillips	All Other Offices	(256) 773-3340
Secretary/Treasurer	Jimmy Moore	Mailing Address	P.O. Box 488
Members	Ed Monroe & Garlin Cheatham		Hartselle, Alabama 35640

Where Hartselle’s water comes from…

Our water comes from Decatur Utilities which uses the Tennessee River as its source. The Tennessee River is a surface water source. Raw water is pumped from the river into Decatur Utilities’ treatment plant where chemicals are added to create the settling of particles. The water is then sent through sand filters to remove any unsettled particles. Disinfection is then achieved with the addition of chlorine. Fluoride is also added for the protection of children’s teeth. After the treatment process is complete, the resulting potable water is then pumped into the distribution system. Hartselle Utilities receives water from Decatur Utilities through a metered connection at the Hartselle Utilities’ Water Booster Station. Hartselle Utilities adds additional chlorine to meet minimum standards. From there the water is pumped into Hartselle’s distribution system and storage tanks.

Health Risk Information:

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

The following tables list only the substances that were detected during the January 1st to December 31^st testing period in 2008 and do not include the many other substances tested for that were not detected. All drinking water, including bottled water, may be reasonably expected to contain at least some tested substances. The presence of these substances does not necessarily pose a health risk. To view a detailed list of the additional data chart of elements that were tested for that did not have a detectable amount, click here. Additional copies of this report and/or a copy of the non-detects list can be obtained at the Hartselle Utilities Main Office at 1010 Sparkman Street NW, Hartselle, Alabama.

Decatur Utilities Test Results
Contaminant	Violation Y/N	Level Detected	Unit Measurement	MCLG	MCL	Likely Source of Contamination
Microbiological Contaminants
Turbidity	N	0.07	NTU	N/A	0.5	Soil Runoff
Inorganic Contaminants
Flouride	N	1.0	ppm	4	4	Erosion of natural deposits; discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories
Nitrate (as Nitrogen)	N	0.37	ppm	10	10	Runoff from fertilizer use; Leaching from septic tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits
Volatile Organic Contaminants
TTHM (Total trihalomethanes)	N	0.042	ppm	0	0.08	By-product of drinking water chlorination and organics
HAA5 (5 haloacetic acids)	N	0.020	ppm	0	0.06	By-product of drinking water chlorination and organics
Hartselle Utilities Test Results
Contaminant	Violation Y/N	Level Detected	Unit Measurement	MCLG	MCL	Likely Source of Contamination
Inorganic Contaminants (Tested from distribution piping)
Copper (Test Date 2007)	N	0.254	ppm	1.3	1.3	Corrosion of household plumbing, erosion of natural deposits, leaching from wood preservatives
Lead (Test Date 2007)	N	0.004	mg/l	0	0.015	Corrosion of household plumbing, erosion of natural deposits
Volatile Organic Contaminants
TTHM	N	0.055	ppm	0	0.08	By-product of drinking water chlorination
HAA5 (5 haloacetic acids)	N	0.042	ppm	0	0.06	By-product of drinking water chlorination

Definitions:
MCL (Maximum Contaminant Level)	The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water	NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Unit)	A measure of the clarity of water. Turbidity in excess of 5 NTU is just noticeable to the average person.
MCLG (Maximum Contaminant Level Goal)	The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health	pCi/L (Picocuries per liter)	A measure of radioactivity in water
TT (Treatment Technique)	A treatment technique is a required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water	ppm (Parts per million)	One part per million corresponds to one minute in two years or a single penny in $10,000
AL (Action Level)	The concentrations of a contaminant, which if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.	ppb (Parts per billion)	One part per billion corresponds to one minute in 2,000 years or a single penny in $10,000,000
ND (Non-detects)	Lab analysis indicated no constituent present	mg/l (Milligrams per litre)	Same as ppm

MCL’s (Maximum Contaminant Levels) are set at very stringent levels by the USEPA. 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.

As you can see in the table, our system had no violations. We are proud that your drinking water meets or exceeds all Federal and State requirements. We have learned through our monitoring and testing that some constituents have been detected. The EPA has determined that your drinking water is safe at these levels.

The sources of drinking water (both tap and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs and wells. As water travels over the surface of 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.

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 water 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 may be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.

TOTAL COLIFORM: The Total Coliform Rule requires water systems to meet a strict limit for coliform bacteria. Coliform bacteria are usually harmless, but their presence in water can be an indication of disease-causing bacteria. When coliform bacteria are found, special follow-up tests are conducted to determine if harmful bacteria are present in the water supply. If this limit is exceeded, the water supplier must notify the public by newspaper, television or radio.

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. Hartselle Utilities is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the 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.

DIOXIN and ASBESTOS: Based on a study conducted by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management with the approval of USEPA a statewide waiver for the monitoring of asbestos and dioxin was issued. Thus, monitoring for any of these contaminants was not required.

To view a detailed list of the additional data chart of elements that were tested for that did not have a detectable amount, click here.

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2010 Annual Water Quality Report

for the 2009 Testing Period