Town of
Southwick water division
WATER QUALITY REPORT
PWS 1279000
2006
The
Southwick Water Supply is a 1st Rate System and a Supply worthy of a Blue
Ribbon. The Southwick Water Division has
been providing you, our customers, with pure, safe, sparkling and taste free
drinking water. The Water Division’s
commitment to our Townspeople is to work diligently to do more of the
same.
Due to the
events that took place on
Diligent
efforts to protect this system must continue to make it our legacy to our
children.
Water Source:
Our water comes from these two sources:
1.) The Town well, which is located
along the Great Brook Aquifer, supplies 95% of our water. Southwick is very fortunate to have one of
the most pristine and productive aquifers in this part of the country.
2.) Two (2)
connections to the Springfield Water System Aqueduct and associated booster
pumps are used to supplement the Town’s water system needs and to act as a
backup supply in an emergency situation.
Distribution
System:
After the
water enters the system, from either source, it is pumped up into the storage
tank, which also serves as the pressure regulator for the water system. At the same time, the tank also acts as a
reservoir of stored water, which can be used for fire fighting or any other
emergency.
From the tank,
the water enters the distribution system and branches out through a maze of
approximately 50 miles of pipes, eventually connecting to your faucets. During the past several years, Water Division
efforts have been concentrated on upgrading the distribution system and many
significant improvements have been made.
More and more demands are being put on the water system due to the
increase in housing development. In
order to keep up with this added demand for drinking water and fire fighting
capabilities, lines that were adequate in size 5 or 10 years ago need to be
replaced with larger sized lines. During
2005, hydraulic testing and a computer model of the system were completed by
Tighe & Bond. Recommendations were
made to add a higher capacity well to increase volume and then a second
million-gallon tank to increase storage to a 3-day capability. Town voters approved the requested funding
for permitting and installation of the new well. Construction is expected to be completed in
2006 and it is expected to be on line early in 2007, once the required testing
has been completed. These improvements
will also increase water pressure and fire flows in most of the town.
How do we
ensure Water Quality?
Southwick
Water System water is tested at a certified independent laboratory and the
results of these tests are compared to USEPA and MADEP standards for safe
drinking water. These tests are periodic
and performed throughout the year. Tests
are performed for bacteria, volatile organic compounds, synthetic organic
compounds, inorganic compounds, radon and parasites along with turbidity
(clarity). Approximately 400 of these
tests are taken each year to insure the safety and quality of our drinking
water. The Town is not required to test
for lead or copper every year, since there has been no lead or copper problems
in past years. 2005 happens to be one of
the years where the tests are required and accordingly will be processed during
the early part of summer.
Health
Information:
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 human
activity. Substances that may be present
in water sources include microbial contaminants such as viruses and bacteria,
inorganic contaminants such as salts and metals, pesticides and herbicides,
organic chemical contaminants, and radioactive contaminants.
Drinking
water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least
a small amount of contaminants. The
presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a
health risk. However, some people may be
more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than others in 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 microbial
contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking water Hotline
(1-800-426-4791).
Appendix A - Level of Detected Contaminants
Definitions:
Before one can
interpret the results, one should understand the following definitions:
MCLG (Maximum Contamination Level Goal) is the
level of a contaminant in drinking water below
which there is no known or expected health risk.
MCL (Maximum
Contaminant Level) is the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in
safe drinking water.
PPM (Parts Per
Million) measured in milliliters / liter (ml/l) -- (1 drop in 10 gallons)
PPB (Parts Per Billion)
measured in microliters / liter (ml/l) -- (1 drop in 10,000
gallons)
|
TOWN WELL WATER TEST RESULTS |
|||||||
|
Contaminant (units) |
MCLG |
MCL |
Maximum amount detected |
Possible sources of Contaminants |
Violation (Yes/No) |
Number of Sites Sampled |
Number of Sites found above Action Level |
|
1,2-Dichloro-propane (ppb) |
zero |
5.0 |
None |
Soil fumigant for nematodes (Farming or lawn Care) |
No |
1 |
0 |
|
Barium (ppb) |
2000 |
2000 |
180 |
Erosion of natural deposits |
No |
1 |
0 |
|
Sodium (ppm) |
Not regulated |
Not regulated |
None |
Erosion of natural deposits |
No |
1 |
0 |
|
Sulfate (ppm) |
Not regulated |
Not regulated |
14.0 |
Erosion of natural deposits |
No |
1 |
0 |
|
Nitrate (ppm) |
10 |
10 |
3.4 |
Runoff from fertilizer use, Leaching from Septic Tanks
or Erosion of natural deposits. |
No |
1 |
0 |
|
DELIVERED WATER LEAD & COPPER TEST RESULTS |
|||||||
|
Contaminant (Units) |
Action Level |
MCLG |
90th Percentile Level |
Possible source of Contamination |
Violation (Yes/No) |
Number of Sites Sampled |
Number of Sites found above Action Level |
|
Lead (ppb) |
15 |
.002 |
1.0 |
Corrosion of household plumbing |
No |
18 |
0 |
|
Copper (ppm) |
1.3 |
.039 |
>0.10 |
Corrosion of household plumbing |
No |
18 |
0 |
Appendix B – Health Effects
Biological
Contaminants:
(1) Total
Coliform:
Coliforms are bacteria which are naturally present
in the environment and are used as an indicator that other, potentially harmful
bacteria may be present. There were no coliforms found in any of the monthly
samples taken at numerous sites within the system
(2) Fecal
Coliform/E.Coli:
Fecal Coliform and E. Coli are bacteria whose
presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal
wastes. Germs in these wastes can cause
diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches and fatigue. No fecal Coliform or E. Coli bacteria were
found in any of the monthly samples taken at numerous sites within the system.
Organic
Chemicals Found:
(1) 1,2
Dichloropropane:
Some people who drink water containing 1,2
Dichloropropane in excess of the MCL over many years may have an increased risk
of getting cancer. This organic chemical
has been found in our water at slightly below 1/9 (<11%)of the MCL. This is monitored quarterly to determine if
there is any increase. The Water
Division is also working with the people who may have used this chemical in the
past in order to determine if we can isolate the original source. There is no present danger, but we
want to avoid any potential problems. Constant
monitoring has indicated a steady decrease in this chemical.
Inorganic
Chemicals Found:
(1) Barium:
Some people, who drink water that contains barium in
excess of the MCL over many years, could experience an increase in their blood
pressure. We have discovered that our
water contains barium at 180 PPB, which is far below the MCL of 2000 PPB. This small amount, which comes from natural
deposits, should not be of any concern.
(2) Sodium:
All groundwater contains a small amount of sodium, which comes from the erosion of natural deposits. Persons on a sodium-restricted diet may want to consult their health care provider even though this is a very small amount (8.57 PPM).
(3) Sulfate:
This compound comes from erosion of natural deposits
and is not regulated by USEPA or the MADEP. There should be no concern.
(4) Nitrate:
Nitrates occur in drinking water from erosion of
natural deposits, runoff from fertilizer use or leaching from septic
systems. At 3.28 PPM, the amount of this
compound in our water is well below the MCL of 10 PPM and decreasing with
time. The current sanitary sewer
installation project should further help to reduce this number.
Note:
One of the potential causes for chemicals in
groundwater comes from the use of fertilizers and pesticides on lawns and
gardens. NEVER use more than the
manufacturers recommended amounts of either.
MORE THAN RECOMMENDED DOES NOT DO A BETTER JOB!
The Southwick Water Division tests our water for Coliform bacteria in several places each month. Approximately ninety (90) different chemicals are also tested quarterly and only the three (3) regulated and two (2) non-regulated chemicals have been found (as shown in the table above). All five (5) are within safe drinking water standards.
The water is also tested for hardness and pH to
determine if any treatment is necessary.
The measured pH (how acidic or basic) of 7.5, shows that our water is
non-aggressive. The aggressiveness of
water determines the potential for the presence of lead or copper since acidic
(pH of less than 6.7) water leads to the dissolving of lead and copper from our
plumbing systems. Our lead and copper
testing also indicates that this pH 7.5 has not been attacking the pipes in our
system or in your homes since the readings are at a very low level. Our test for hardness shows that our water is
typical of well water. It has a hardness
level higher than the typically soft water from a surface water source.
More information can be
obtained from the following sources:
1.) Visit the Web Site
for the American Water Works Assn. @ www.awwa.org
2.) Visit the Web Site
for the
3.) Visit the Web Site
for the MA. DEP @ www.state.ma.us/dep/
4.)
Call the Water Division between
Fax: (413) 569-5001