CITY OF CHAMBERLAIN Annual Water Quality Report – 2008

   We are providing this report to you because of our responsibilities to you as your municipality, and the importance of informing you about drinking water. This report will be published but not mailed to residents. If you would like a copy of this report, contact Nicky Gaulke at (605) 234-4401 or at 715 N Main Street.

Last year the City of Chamberlain monitored your drinking water for more than 80 possible contaminants.  This brochure is a snapshot of the quality of the water that we provided last year.

This report includes information on:

·         Where your water comes from

·         What your water contains

·         A comparison of your water to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and State standards.

We are committed to providing you with information because informed customers are our best allies.

   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 microbial contaminants can be obtained by calling the Environment Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

    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. The City of Chamberlain public water supply system 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 potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking and 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.

    For more information about your water and information on opportunities to participate in public meetings, call (605) 234-4401 and ask for Nicky Gaulke.

   We serve more than 2,338 customers an average of 393,300 gallons of water per day. We get our water from the Missouri River. The State performed an assessment of our source water and they determined that the susceptibility rating for contamination of Chamberlain’s water supply is medium.

   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 EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

   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

can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity.

Contaminants that may be present in source water before it is treated 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 stormwater runoff, and residential uses.

·         Radioactive contaminants, which occur naturally or can be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.

·         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 stormwater runoff, and septic systems.

   In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The Food and Drug Administration regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.

   The attached table lists all the drinking water contaminants that we detected during the calendar year 2008.  The presence of these contaminants in the water does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk.  Unless otherwise noted, the data presented in the tables is from testing done January 1 - December 31, 2008. The State requires us to monitor for certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants are not expected to vary significantly from year to year.  Some of the data, though representative of the water quality, is more than one year old.