BEDFORD CITY UTILITIES
2009 CONSUMER CONFIDENCE REPORT
Is our water safe?
This brochure is a snapshot of the quality of the drinking water that we provided last year. Included as part of this report are details about where the water that you drink comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Indiana standards. We are committed to provide you with all the information that you need to know about the quality of the water that you drink.
Do I need to take special precautions?
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-compromised people, such as people with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, people who have undergone organ transplant, people with HIV/AIDS or other kind of 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 has set guidelines with appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants which are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.
Why are there contaminants in my drinking water?
Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of these contaminants does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk or that it is not suitable for drinking. More information about contaminants and their potential health effects can be obtained by calling the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (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, in some cases, radioactive material, or can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity.
Where does our water come from?
Our water comes from the East Fork of White River.
Contaminants that may be present in the raw, untreated water may include
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Microbial Contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic
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systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife.
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Inorganic Contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally-occurring, or that result from
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urban stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, and mining or
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farming operations.
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Pesticides and Herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources, such as agriculture, stormwater runoff,
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and residential uses.
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Organic Chemical Contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products
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of industrial processes and petroleum production operations, and can also result from gas stations, urban
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stormwater runoff, and septic systems.
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Radioactive Contaminants, which can be naturally-occurring or the result of oil and gas production and
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mining activities.
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In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the EPA prescribes regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants that may be present in the water provided by public drinking water systems. We are required to treat our water according to EPA’s regulations. Moreover, FDA regulations establish limits for contaminants that may be present in bottled water, which must provide the same level of health protection for public health.
Water Quality Data
The table below lists all the contaminants that we detected during the 2009 calendar year. The presence of these contaminants in the water does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk. Unless otherwise indicated, the data presented in this table is from testing done between January 1 and December 31, 2009 . The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) requires us to monitor for certain contaminants at a frequency less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants are not expected to vary significantly from one year to another. Some of the data, though representative of the water quality, may however be more than one year old.
Some of the terms and abbreviations used in this report are:
MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level, the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water.MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level Goal, the level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDL: Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level, the highest level of disinfectant allowed in drinking water. MRDLG: Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal, the level of drinking water disinfectant below which there is no
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known or expected risk to health.
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AL:
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Action
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Level,
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the
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concentration
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of
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a
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contaminant
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which,
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when
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exceeded, triggers
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treatment
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or
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other
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requirements or action which a system must follow.
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TT:
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Treatment Technique, a required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking wat
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er.
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NTU:
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Nephelometric Turbidity Unit, a measure of the clarity (or cloudiness) of water.
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ppm:
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parts per million, a measure for concentration equivalent to milligrams per liter.
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ppb:
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parts per billion, a measure for concentration equivalent to micrograms per liter.
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pCi/L:
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picocuries per liter, a measure for radiation.
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P*:
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Potential violation, one that is likely to occur in the near future, subject to other applicable requirements
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.
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n/a:
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either not available or not applicable.
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ND:
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Not Detected, the result was not detected at or above the analytical method detection level.
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Microbiological Contaminants (Continued)
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Date
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Contaminant
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MCL
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MCLG
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Units
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Result
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Min
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Max
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AboveAL # Repeats
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Violates
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Likely Sources
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1/1/2009
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Turbidity (maximum Level)
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1
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NTU
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0.3
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No
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Soil runoff
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Synthetic Organic Contaminants
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Date
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Contaminant
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MCL
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MCLG
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Units
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Result
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Min
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Max
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AboveAL # Repeats
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Violates
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Likely Sources
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11/9/2009
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Atrazine
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3
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3
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ug/l
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0.075
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ND
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0.3
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No
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Runoff from herbicide used on row crops
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11/9/2009
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Hexachlorocyclopentadi ene
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50
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50
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ug/l
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0.025
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ND
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0.1
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No
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Discharge from chemical factories
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Radiological Contaminants
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Date
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Contaminant
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MCL
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MCLG
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Units
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Result
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Min
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Max
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AboveAL # Repeats
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Violates
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Likely Sources
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7/20/2009
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Gross Alpha, Incldng Ra, Excld
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15
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0
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pci/l
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2.9
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No
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Erosion of natural deposits.
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7/20/2009
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Gross Beta Particle Activity
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50
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0
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pci/l
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4.1
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No
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Decay of natural and man-made deposits.
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Lead & Copper
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Date
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Contaminant
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MCL
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MCLG
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Units
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Result
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Min
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Max
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AboveAL # Repeats
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Violates
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Likely Sources
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Valid until 12/31/2010
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Copper (90th Percentile)
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1.3 (AL)
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1.3
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mg/l
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0.067
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No
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Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching from wood preservatives; Corrosion of household plumbing systems
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Valid until 12/31/2010
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Lead (90th Percentile)
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15 (AL)
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0
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ug/l
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8
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No
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Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits
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Residual Disinfectant
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Date
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Contaminant
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MCL
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MCLG
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Units
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Result
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Min
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Max
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AboveAL # Repeats
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Violates
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Likely Sources
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2009
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Chlorine Residual
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4 MRDL
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mg/l
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0.84
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0.6
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1
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No
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Water additive (disinfectant) used to control microbiological organisms
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Unregulated Contaminants
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Date
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Contaminant
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MCL
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MCLG
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Units
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Result
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Min
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Max
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AboveAL # Repeats
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Violates
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Likely Sources
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5/11/2009
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Nickel
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n/a
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100
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ug/l
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1.1
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No
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Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching
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5/11/2009
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Sodium
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n/a
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mg/l
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8.8
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No
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Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching
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Special Note on 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. Our 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 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.
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** The turbidity treatment technique (TT) requires that at least 95% of the total combined effluent turbidity samples shall not exceed 0.3 NTU (1.0 NTU for slow sand and diatomaceous earth filtration systems). At least 95% is required to be in compliance. In addition, the maximum turbidity level cannot exceed 1.0 NTU at anytime. Special Note on Turbidity : Some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous systems, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer. Special Note on TTHM : The MCL for Gross Beta is 4mrem/year; however, EPA considers 50 pCi/l to be the level of concern for Beta particles. Special Note on Gross Beta :
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Our Watershed Protection Efforts
Our water system is working with the community to increase awareness of better waste disposal practices to further protect the sources of our drinking water. We are also working with other agencies and with local watershed groups to educate the community on ways to keep our water safe.
Public Involvement Opportunities
If you have any questions about the contents of this report, please contact Misty D. Adams at 812-275-1626. Or you can join us at our Board of Public Works meetings, which are held on the 3rd Monday of each month in the Council Chambers at City hall at 1:30 PM. We encourage you to participate and to give us your feedback.
Please Share This Information
Large water volume customers (like apartments complexes, hospitals, schools, and/or industries) are encouraged to post extra copies of this report in conspicuous locations or to distribute them to your tenants, residents, patients, students, and/or employees. This “good faith” effort will allow non-billed customers to learn more about the quality of the water that they consume
Misty D. Adams – Utilities Director
(812) 275-1626
bedfordutilities@comcast.net
www.bedford.in.us
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