2019 IDEM Water Quality Report
City of Washington
Water Department
IN5214007
Charles Kane, Water Superintendent
3023 Cosby Road
Washington, IN 47501
(812) 254-3911
(812) 254-8228 Fax
2019 ANNUAL DRINKING WATER QUALITY REPORT
We are pleased to provide you with this year's Annual Water Quality Report. We want to keep you informed about the water and services we have delivered to you over the past year. Our goal is, and always has been, to provide you with a safe and dependable supply of drinking water.
Important information for the Spanish-speaking population
Este informe contiene información muy importante sobre la calidad del agua potable que usted consume. Por favor tradúzcalo, o hable con alguien que lo entienda bien y pueda explicarle.
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.
Where does our water come from?
We pump our water from the ground out of the White River Valley Aquifer. Washington has a well head protection program designed to protect the Aquifers from contamination.
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.
Contaminants that may be present in the raw, untreated water may 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 that result from urban stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, and mining or farming operations.
- Pesticides and Herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources, such as agriculture, stormwater runoff, and residential uses.
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Washington Waterworks most current readings of samples -- no violations were found. |
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The table below lists all the contaminants that we detected during the 2019 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, 2019. 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. |
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Section I - Contaminants Detected |
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Inorganic Contaminants |
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Date |
Contaminant |
MCL |
MCLG |
Units |
Result |
Min |
Max |
AboveAL |
Violates |
Likely Sources |
|
7/14/2011 |
Barium |
2 |
2 |
mg/l |
Non-Detected |
0.0563 |
0.0564 |
|
No |
Discharge of drilling wastes; Discharge from metal refineries; Erosion of natural deposits |
|
7/14/2011 |
Cadmium |
5 |
5 |
ug/l |
Non-Detected |
0.1 |
0.1 |
|
No |
Corrosion of galvanized pipe; Erosion of natural deposits; Discharge from metal refineries; Runoff from waste batteries and paint. |
|
7/14/2011 |
Chromium |
100 |
100 |
ug/l |
Non-Detected |
1.4 |
1.8 |
|
No |
Discharge from steel and pulp mills; Erosion of natural deposits |
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9/1/2017 |
Copper |
1.3 |
1.3 |
ppm |
0.133 |
|
1.3 |
|
No |
Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching from wood preservatives; Corrosion of household plumbing systems |
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2019 |
Fluoride |
4 |
4 |
ppm |
.84 |
.71 |
.94 |
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No |
Erosion of natural deposits; Water additive which promotes strong teeth; Discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories |
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2019 |
Nitrate (as N) |
10 |
10 |
ppm |
1 |
.76 |
.76 |
|
No |
Runoff from fertilizer use; Leaching from septic tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits. |
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9/1/2017 |
Lead |
15 |
0 |
ppb |
3.2 |
|
15.0 |
1 |
No |
Corrosion of household plumbing systems. |
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2011 |
Arsenic |
10 |
0 |
ppb |
Non-Detected |
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|
|
No |
Erosion of Nation. Deposits; Run off from orchards, glass & electronic production waste |
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Disinfection Byproducts & Precursors |
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Date |
Contaminant |
MCL |
MCLG |
Units |
Result |
Min |
Max |
AboveAL |
Violates |
Likely Sources |
|
2019 |
Total Haloacetic Acids (haa5) |
60 |
|
ppb |
12 |
2 |
16 |
|
No |
By-product of drinking water chlorination |
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2019 |
Total Trihalomethanes (tthm) |
80 |
|
ppb |
40 |
16 |
52 |
|
No |
By-product of drinking water chlorination |
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Regulated Contaminants |
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Date |
Total Coliform Max Contaminant Level |
MCL |
MCLG |
Units |
Positive |
Min |
Max |
AboveAL |
Violates |
Likely Sources |
|
|
|
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No |
Naturally present in the environment. |
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Residual Disinfectant |
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Date |
Contaminant |
MCL |
MCLG |
Units |
Result |
Min |
Max |
AboveAL |
Violates |
Likely Sources |
|
2019 |
Chlorine (Residual) |
4 |
4 |
ppm |
1.06 |
0.77 |
1.35 |
|
No |
Water additive (disinfectant) used to control microbial organisms. |
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Radiological Contaminants |
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Date |
Contaminant |
MCL |
MCLG |
Units |
Result |
Min |
Max |
AboveAL |
Violates |
Likely Sources |
|
2017 |
Gross Alpha |
15 |
0 |
PCi/L |
3.2 |
3.2 |
3.2 |
|
No |
Erosion of natural deposits; |
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2017 |
Beta/photon emitters |
4 |
0 |
mrem/yr |
1.6 |
1.6 |
1.6 |
|
No |
Decay of natural and man made deposits; |
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2017 |
Uranium |
30 |
0 |
ug/L |
1.0701 |
1.0701 |
1.0701 |
|
No |
Erosion & Decay of natural deposits; |
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2008 |
Radium |
5 |
0 |
pci/l |
.02 |
|
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|
No |
Erosion of natural deposits. |
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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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- Organic Chemical Contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production operations, and can also result from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems.
- Radioactive Contaminants, can be naturally-occurring or the result of oil and gas production or mining. 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.
Availability of a Source Water Assessment (SWA)
A Source Water Assessment (SWA) has been prepared for our system. According to this assessment, our system has been categorized with a moderate susceptibility risk. More information of this assessment can be obtained by contacting Mr. Charles Kane at 812-254-3911 at your earliest convenience. You can also obtain additional information by contacting Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.
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 this report, please contact Mr. Charles Kane at (812) 254-3911. Or you can join us at our City Council Meetings, which are regularly held on the 2nd & 4th Mondays of every month at 6:30 p.m. at the Council Chambers at 200 Harned Ave. We encourage you to participate and to give us your feedback.
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 known or expected risk to health.
AL: Action Level, the concentration of a contaminant which, when exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements or action which a system must follow.
TT: Treatment Technique, a required process intended to reduce level of a contaminant in drinking water.
NTU: Nephelometric Turbidity Unit, a measure of the clarity (or cloudiness) of water.
ppm: parts per million, a measure for concentration equivalent to milligrams per liter.
ppb: parts per billion, a measure for concentration equivalent to micrograms per liter.
pCi/L: picocuries per liter, a measure for radiation.
P*: Potential violation likely to occur in the near future once system has been sampled for four quarters.
n/a: either not available or not applicable.
ND: Not Detected, the result was not detected at or above the analytical method detection level.
Please Share This Information
Large water volume customers (like apartment 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.
