Is my water safe?

Last year, we conducted tests for over 80 contaminants. We only detected 8 of those contaminants, and found only 1 at a level higher than the EPA allows. As we told you at the time, our water temporarily exceeded drinking water standards. (For more information see the section labeled Violations at the end of the report.) This report is a snapshot of last year's water quality. Included are details about where your water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to standards set by regulatory agencies. 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 Safe Water Drinking Hotline (800-426-4791).

Where does my water come from?

Our water source consists of surface water drawn from the Little Snake River.

Source water assessment and its availability

You can request a copy from the Dixon Town Hall.

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?

If you want to learn more, please attend any of our regularly scheduled meetings. They are held on the second Tuesday of every month at 7:00 PM located at the Dixon Town Hall.

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.

Source Water Protection Tips

Protection of drinking water is everyone’s responsibility. You can help protect your community’s drinking water source in several ways:

·        Eliminate excess use of lawn and garden fertilizers and pesticides – they contain hazardous chemicals that can reach your drinking water source.

·        Pick up after your pets.

·        If you have your own septic system, properly maintain your system to reduce leaching to water sources or consider connecting to a public water system.

·        Dispose of chemicals properly; take used motor oil to a recycling center.

·        Volunteer in your community. Find a watershed or wellhead protection organization in your community and volunteer to help. If there are no active groups, consider starting one. Use EPA’s Adopt Your Watershed to locate groups in your community, or visit the Watershed Information Network’s How to Start a Watershed Team.

·        Organize a storm drain stenciling project with your local government or water supplier. Stencil a message next to the street drain reminding people “Dump No Waste - Drains to River” or “Protect Your Water.” Produce and distribute a flyer for households to remind residents that storm drains dump directly into your local water body.

Other Information

The new plant is scheduled to be in operation by August 15th of 2010.

Monitoring and reporting of compliance data violations

The Town of Dixon submitted four quarterly sets of TTHM and HAA5 monitoring results between the fourth quarter of 2008 and the third quarter of 2009. The running annual average (RAA) of HAA5 exceeded the MCL of 0.060 ng/L as specified in the 40CFR 141.64(a).

Violations of terms of variance, exemption, or administrative or judicial order

An Addendum to the Administrative Order issued June 27th of 2006 to the Town of Dixon constitutes the writen approval by EPA of the third compliance schedule extension request submitted by Lidstone and Associates on behalf of the Town on October 22nd of 2009.

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. Town of Dixon 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

The table below lists all of the drinking water contaminants that we detected during the calendar year of this report. The presence of contaminants in the water does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk. 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 change frequently.

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

48.88

23

73.4

2009

No

By-product of drinking water disinfection

Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) (ppb)

NA

60

53.68

22.8

82

2009

No

By-product of drinking water chlorination

Inorganic Contaminants

Fluoride (ppm)

4

4

0.2

NA

2009

No

Erosion of natural deposits; Water additive which promotes strong teeth; Discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories

Sodium (optional) (ppm)

MPL

8.1

NA

2009

No

Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching

Microbiological Contaminants

Turbidity (NTU)

NA

1

100

NA

2009

No

Soil runoff

100% of the samples were below the TT value of 1. A value less than 95% constitutes a TT violation. The highest single measurement was 0.87. Any measurement in excess of 5 is a violation unless otherwise approved by the state.

Radioactive Contaminants

Alpha emitters (pCi/L)

0

15

1.3

NA

2007

No

Erosion of natural deposits

Your

Sample

# Samples

Exceeds

Contaminants

MCLG

AL

Water

Date

Exceeding AL

AL

Typical Source

Inorganic Contaminants

Copper - action level at consumer taps (ppm)

1.3

1.3

1.74

2009

8

Yes

Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits

Lead - action level at consumer taps (ppb)

0

15

3

2009

0

No

Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits

Violations and Exceedances

Copper - action level at consumer taps

Copper is an essential nutrient, but some people who drink water containing copper in excess of the action level over a relatively short amount of time could experience gastrointestinal distress. Some people who drink water containing copper in excess of the action level over many years could suffer liver or kidney damage. People with Wilson's Disease should consult their personal doctor. The Violation occured in 2009. The new treatment plant will implement some measures that will help the Town to meet the copper rule. The first measure is that the plant will include the ability to manipulate pH at the entry to the distribution system. Therefore, the water will be less corrosive within the system reducing the likelihood that copper will be mobilized into the water. Also, the reduction of chlorine will reduce the copper mobility in the system.

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)

pCi/L

pCi/L: picocuries per liter (a measure of radioactivity)

NTU

NTU: Nephelometric Turbidity Units. Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of the water. We monitor it because it is a good indicator of the effectiveness of our filtration system.

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: Christopher Seilaff
Address:
301 Cottonwood Street
Dixon, WY 82323
Phone: (307) 383-2555
E-Mail: dixonwater@dteworld.com