Munford Water System Water Quality Report - 2005




Is my drinking water safe?
Yes, our water meets all of EPA’s health standards. We have conducted numerous tests for over 80 contaminants that may be in drinking water. As you’ll see in the chart on the back, we only detected eight of these contaminants. We found all of these contaminants at safe levels.


What is the source of my water?
Your water, which is ground water, comes from the confined tertiary sand aquifer. Our goal is to protect our water from contaminants and we are working with the State to determine the vulnerability of our water source to potential contamination. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) has prepared a Source Water Assesment Program (SWAP) Report for the untreated water sources to potential contamination. To ensure safe drinking water, all public systems treat and routinely test their water. Water sources have been rated as reasonably susceptible, moderately susceptible or slightly susceptible based on geologic factors and human activites in the vicinity of the water source. The Munford Water System sources rated as reasonably susceptible to potential contamination.

An explanation of Tennessee's Source Water Assessment Program, the Source Water Assessment summaries, suceptibility scorings and the overall TDEC report to EPA can be viewed online at www.state.tn.us/environment/dws/dwassess.php or you may contact the Water System to obtain copies of specific assessments.


Why are there contaminants in my water?
Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. Community water systems are required to disclose the detection of contaminants; however, bottled water companies are not required to comply with this regulation. 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 (800-426-4791).


For more information about your drinking water, please call Neal Hunter at 901-837-0171.


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How can I get involved?
Our Water Board meets on the fourth Monday of each month at 7:00 PM at the Munford Municipal Building, which is located at 69 College Street. Please feel free to participate in these meetings.


Is our water system meeting other rules that govern our operations?
The State and EPA require us to test and report on our water on a regular basis to ensure its safety. We have met all of these requirements. Results of unregulated contaminant analysis are available upon request. We want you to know that we pay attention to all the rules.

Other Information
Due to all water containing dissolved contaminants, occasionally your water may exhibit slight discoloration. We strive to maintain the standards to prevent this. We at Munford Water System work around the clock to provide top quality water to every tap. We ask that all our customers help us protect our water sources, which are the heart of our community, our way of life and our children’s future.


Do I Need To Take Special Precautions?
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 under-gone 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 not only their drinking water, but food preparation, personal hygiene, and precautions in handling infants and pets 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 (800-426-4791).

Water System Security

Following the events of September 2001, we realize that our customers are concerned about the security of their drinking water. We urge the public to report any suspicious activities at any utility facilities, including treatment plants, tanks, fire hydrants, etc. to 901-837-0171.

W a t e r  Q u a l i t y  D a t a

What does this chart mean?

· MCLG - Maximum Contaminant Level Goal, or 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.

· MCL - Maximum Contaminant Level, or 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. 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.

· MRDL - Maximim 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 the control of microbial contaminants.

· MRDLG - Maximum residual disinfectant level goal. The level of 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.

· AL - Action Level, or the concentration of a contaminant which, when exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.

· BDL - laboratory analysis indicates that the contaminant falls below the state's required detection level.

· Parts per million (ppm) or Milligrams per liter (mg/l) – explained as a relation to time and money as 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 - explained as a relation to time and money as one part per billion corresponds to one minute in 2,000 years, or a single penny in $10,000,000.

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Contaminant	Violation Yes/No	Level Found	Range of Detections	Date of Sample	Unit Measurement	MCLG	MCL	Likely Source of Contamination
Total Coliform Bacteria	No	0		2005		0	<2 positive samples	Naturally present in the environment
Copper	No	0.05		2005	ppm	1.3	AL=1.3	Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits; leaching from wood preservatives
Fluoride	No	1.2	.98-1.2	2005	ppm	4	4	Erosion of natural deposits; water additive which promotes strong teeth; discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories
Lead	No	1.6		2005	ppb	0	AL=15	Corrosion of household plumbing systems, erosion of natural deposits
Sodium	No	5.4		2002	ppm	N/A	N/A	Erosion of natural deposits; used in water treatment
TTHM [Total trihalomethanes]1	No	5.6	BDL-5.6	2005	ppb	n/a	80	By-product of drinking water chlorination
Haloacetic Acids [HAA4]1	No	BDL		2005	ppb	n/a	60	By-product of drinking water disinfection

Contaminant	Violation Yes/No	Level Found	Range of Detections	Date of Sample	Unit Measurement	MRDLG	MRDL	Likely Source of Contamination
Chlorine	No	1.1	.95-1.4	2005	ppm	4	4	Water additive used to control microbes

Iron: Iron occurs naturally in our raw water and occasionally accumulates in the distribution system. Iron shows up as “red” or ”rusty” water at your tap. Although you do not want to drink water that is not clear, iron is not considered to be a hazard to your health. We test for iron daily and it is usually around 0.04 ppm. The aesthetic limit for iron is 0.3 ppm.

During the most recent round of Lead and Copper testing, 0 out of 23 households sampled contained concentrations exceeding the action level.

¹We violated a drinking water standard. Even though this was not an emergence, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened and what we are doing to correct this situation. We are required to monitor your drinking water for specific contaminants on a regular basis. Results of regular monitoring are an indicator of whether or not our drinking water meets health standards. During July 1,2005 through Spetember 20, 2005 we did not complete monitoring requirements for Total Trihalomethanes and/or Halo Acetic Acids. These are known as byproducts. Therefore we cannot be sure of the quality of our drinking water during that time. The Munford Water Department did monitor in October 2005 and found these byproducts at safe levels. For more information, please contact Neal Hunter at 901-837-0171.


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