HomeMy Public PortalAbout20111231CityofTybeeIsland2010AnnualWaterQualityReportGA0510005.pdfCity of Tybee Island 2010 Annual
Water Quality Report GA0510005
Is my water safe?
We are pleased to present this year's Annual Water Quality Report (Consumer
Confidence Report) as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). This report is
designed to provide details about where your water comes from, what it contains, and
how it compares to standards set by regulatory agencies. This report is a snapshot of
last year's water quality. We are committed to providing you with information because
informed customers are our best allies.
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 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/Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and
other microbial contaminants are available from the Sa f e Water Drinking Hotline (800-
426-4791).
Where does my water come from?
Groundwater is the only source for the city of Tybee Island and pumped for the upper
Floridan Aquifer.
Source water assessment and its availability
Not required for groundwater systems at this time.
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 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 (EPA) 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, in some
cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of
animals or from human activity: microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria,
that 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 stormwater 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; 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; and radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally
occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities. 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. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water
which must provide the same protection for public health.
How can I get involved?
City Hall is located at 403 Butler Avenue. City Council meetings are held on the second
and fourth Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm.
Water Conservation Tips
Did you know that the average U.S. household uses approximately 400 gallons of water
per day or 100 gallons per person per day? Luckily, there are many low-cost and no-
cost ways to conserve water. Small changes can make a big difference – try one today
and soon it will become second nature.
Take short showers - a 5 minute shower uses 4 to 5 gallons of water compared
to up to 50 gallons for a bath.
Shut off water while brushing your teeth, washing your hair and shaving and
save up to 500 gallons a month.
Use a water-efficient showerhead. They're inexpensive, easy to install, and can
save you up to 750 gallons a month.
Run your clothes washer and dishwasher only when they are full. You can save
up to 1,000 gallons a month.
Water plants only when necessary.
Fix leaky toilets and faucets. Faucet washers are inexpensive and take only a
few minutes to replace. To check your toilet for a leak, place a few drops of
food coloring in the tank and wait. If it seeps into the toilet bowl without
flushing, you have a leak. Fixing it or replacing it with a new, more efficient
model can save up to 1,000 gallons a month.
Adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered. Apply water only as fast as the
soil can absorb it and during the cooler parts of the day to reduce evaporation.
Teach your kids about water conservation to ensure a future generation that
uses water wisely. Make it a family effort to reduce next month's water bill!
Visit www.epa.gov/watersense for more information.
Additional Information for 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. City of Tybee Island
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.
Water Quality Data Table
In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations which limit
the amount of contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The table
below lists all of the drinking water contaminants that we detected during the calendar
year of this report. Although many more contaminants were tested, only those
substances listed below were found in your water. All sources of drinking water contain
some naturally occurring contaminants. At low levels, these substances are generally
not harmful in our drinking water. Removing all contaminants would be extremely
expensive, and in most cases, would not provide increased protection of public health.
A few naturally occurring minerals may actually improve the taste of drinking water and
have nutritional value at low levels. Unless otherwise noted, the data presented in this
table is from testing done in the calendar year of the report. The EPA or the State
requires us to monitor for certain contaminants less than once per year because the
concentrations of these contaminants do not vary significantly from year to year, or the
system is not considered vulnerable to this type of contamination. As such, some of our
data, though representative, may be more than one year old. In this table you will find
terms and abbreviations that might not be familiar to you. To help you better
understand these terms, we have provided the definitions below the table.
MCLG MCL,
or TT, or Your Range Sample
Contaminants MRDLG MRDL Water Low High Date Violation Typical Source
Disinfectants & Disinfectant By-Products
(There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of
microbial contaminants)
TTHMs [Total
Trihalomethanes
] (ppb)
NA 80 6.2 NA 2010 No By-product of drinking
water disinfection
Chlorine (as Cl2)
(ppm) 4 4 1.02 0.86 1.43 2010 No Water additive used to
control microbes
Microbiological Contaminants
Fecal coliform/E.
coli - in the
distribution
system (positive
samples)
0 0 0 NA 2010 No Human and animal
fecal waste
A violation occurs when a routine sample and a repeat sample, in any given month, are
total coliform positive, and one is also fecal coliform or E. coli positive.
Your Sampl
e
# Samples Excee
ds
Contaminants MCLG AL Water Date Exceeding
AL AL Typical Source
Inorganic Contaminants
Copper - action
level at
consumer taps
(ppm)
1.3 1.3 0.16 2010 0 No
Corrosion of
household plumbing
systems; Erosion of
natural deposits
Lead - action
level at
consumer taps
(ppb)
0 15 2.5 2010 0 No
Corrosion of
household plumbing
systems; Erosion of
natural deposits
Unit Descriptions
Term Definition
ppm ppm: parts per million, or milligrams per liter (mg/L)
ppb ppb: parts per billion, or micrograms per liter (µg/L)
positive samples positive samples/yr: The number of positive samples
taken that year
NA NA: not applicable
ND ND: Not detected
NR NR: Monitoring not required, but recommended.
Important Drinking Water Definitions
Term Definition
MCLG
MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level Goal: 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
MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level: 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.
TT TT: Treatment Technique: A required process intended to
reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.
AL
AL: Action Level: The concentration of a contaminant
which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other
requirements which a water system must follow.
Variances and Exemptions
Variances and Exemptions: State or EPA permission not to
meet an MCL or a treatment technique under certain
conditions.
MRDLG
MRDLG: Maximum residual disinfection level goal. The
level of a 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.
MRDL
MRDL: Maximum residual disinfectant level. The highest
level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is
convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is
necessary for control of microbial contaminants.
MNR MNR: Monitored Not Regulated
MPL MPL: State Assigned Maximum Permissible Level
For more information please contact:
Contact Name: George E. Reese
Address: PO Box 2749
Tybee Island, GA 31328
Phone: 9127864573
Fax: 9127864432
E-Mail: greese@cityoftybee.org
Website: PO Box 2749