Annual Drinking Water Quality Report for 2007
Town of Moreau Water Department
P.O. Box 1349
South Glens Falls, NY 12803
(Public Water Supply ID# 4500177)

Introduction

To comply with State and Federal regulations, the Moreau Water Department will be annually issuing a report describing the quality of your drinking water. The purpose of this report is to raise your understanding of drinking water and awareness of the need to protect our drinking water sources. This report provides an overview of last year’s water quality. Included are details about where your water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to State standards.

If you have any questions about this report or concerning your drinking water, please contact Mike Shaver, telephone number 792-5541. We want you to be informed about your drinking water. If you want to learn more, please attend any of our regularly scheduled Town board meetings. The meetings are held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month at 7:00 PM at the Moreau Town Hall, 61 Hudson Street, South Glens Falls.

Where does our water come from?

In general, 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 activities. Contaminants that may be present in source water include microbial contaminants; inorganic contaminants; pesticides and herbicides; organic chemical contaminants; and radioactive contaminants. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the State and the EPA prescribe regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The State Health Department’s and the FDA’s regulations

establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health.

Water for the Town of Moreau is provided from the Queensbury Water District. The Queensbury Water District source is the Hudson River, a surface water supply that is located at the Sherman Island Dam.During 2006, our system did not experience any restriction of our water source.

Source Water Assessment

The NYS Department of Health has evaluated the Hudson River’s susceptibility to contamination under the Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP), and their findings are summarized in the paragraph below. It is important to stress that these assessments were created using available information and only estimate the potential for source water contamination. Elevated susceptibility ratings do not mean that source water contamination has or will occur for this water supply. The Queensbury Water District provides treatment and regular monitoring to ensure the water delivered to consumers meets all applicable standards.

Based on documented polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) contamination of sediments upstream of the intake, the Queensbury Water District is tested quarterly for PCBs. During 2007, PCBs were not detected in source or finished drinking water. It should also be noted that rivers in general are highly sensitive to microbial contaminants.

HOW IS OUR WATER TREATED?

Water is pumped from the river into a complete treatment facility consisting of the following: chemical pre-treatment, flocculation, coagulation, sedimentation, pre-chlorination, filtration, post-chlorination, and corrosion control. The treatment plant is manned 24 hours a day, 365 days per year under the supervision of two IA operators. A booster chlorination station provides additional disinfection to water entering the Moreau Water District.

I. Typical or average raw and treated water information:

Raw Water Finished Water (filtered)

pH 6.5 – 7.0 8.15 – 8.90
Alkalinity 8.0 – 24.0 mg/l 26.53 mg/l
Hardness 17 mg/l
Turbidity 0.5 – 5.0 NTU 0.068 NTU
Color 20 - 100 units 2 units
Chlorine, Free 0 mg/l .89 mg/l @ plant
0.20 mg/l (remote areas) – 1.0 mg/l in the distribution system

The average was .40 mg/l in the distribution system.
The MRDL and MRDLG is 4.0 mg/l.

Note: Raw Water Range: Turbidity 0.5 – 5.0 NTU’s (0.71 NTU typical)
Color 20 – 100 units (24 typical)

Definitions of terminology and abbreviations are found on p. 6.

II. Chemicals used in the treatment process:

Chemical Typical Maximum
Feed Rate Feed Rate
Aluminum Sulfate 35.0 mg/l 50.0mg/l
Sodium Hypochlorite 1.5 mg/l 2.5mg/l
Sodium Carbonate 20.5 mg/l 28 mg/l

Facts and Figures

There are 1,500 connections served by the Moreau Pump Station which serves approximately 4,500 other people. The Queensbury Consolidated Water District serves a population of approximately 20,000 +. The system also serves the Kingsbury Water District, Hudson Falls, Moreau and the Warren Washington Industrial Park.

The total amount of water purchased by the Moreau Water District in 2007 was262,652,000 gallons. The daily average of water treated and pumped into the distribution system is 719,595 gallons. Our highest single day was 1,200,000 gallons.

Are there contaminants in our drinking water?

The tables presented below depict which compounds were detected in your drinking water. The State allows us to test for some contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently. Some of our data, though representative, are more than one year old.

It should be noted that all drinking water, including bottled drinking water, may be reasonably 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 EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791) or the (New York State Department of Health – Glens Falls District Office) at (518) 793-3893.

As the State regulations require, your drinking water is routinely test for numerous contaminants. These groups of contaminants, followed by the number of contaminants in each group, exist at levels that were NOT DETECTABLE in your drinking water: Volatile Organic Compounds (54) and Synthetic Organic Compounds (46) including PCBs, color, and odor. Inorganic contaminants that were NOT DETECTABLE are: Arsenic, Antimony, Beryllium, Cadmium, Chromium, Cyanide, Lead, Iron, Manganese, Mercury, Nickel, Selenium, Silver, Thallium and Zinc. Microbiological: The Queensbury Water District collected 20 samples per month from the Queensbury Distribution System for total coliform and E. Coli analysis. The Moreau Water District collects an additional five samples per month from the Moreau Distribution System for total coliform and E. Coli analysis. No violations for total Coliform or E. Coli occurred in either the Queensbury or Moreau Water Districts during 2007.

1 - On 12/10/07, a sample from our distribution system tested positive for Total Coliform. The Queensbury Water Department immediately resampled according to the Total Coliform Rule and all 5 samples tested negative for Total Coliform. E. coli was not present.

2 – Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of the water. We measure it because it is a good indicator of the effectiveness of our filtration system. Our highest single turbidity measurement for the year occurred on 5/27/07 (.13 NTU). State regulations require that entry point turbidity must always be below 1.0 NTU. The regulations also require that 95% of the turbidity samples collected have measurements below 0.3 NTU. 100 % of all entry point turbidities were below 0.3 NTU for 2007.

1 – Water containing more than 20 mg/l sodium should not be used for drinking by people on severely restricted diets.

2 – The level presented represents the 90th percentile of the 10 sites tested. A percentile is a value on a scale of 100 that indicates the percent of a distribution that is equal to or below it. The 90th percentile is equal to or greater than 90% of the copper values detected at your water system. In this case, 10 samples were collected at your water system and the 90th percentile value was the second highest results (0.02mg/l).

3 – The level presented represents the range of detects for the 10 copper samples collected. Lead was not detected in any of the sites that were tested.

It has been determined that a treatment system such as Queensbury’s, with respect to raw water TOC levels and raw water alkalinity, should achieve 35% TOC removal. In results where the raw TOC levels were below 2.0 mg/l, percent removal rules do not apply. Currently, 1.0 mg/l is the lowest detectable level. If actual TOC levels are reported as <2.0 then 1.0 is used for computations.

Total Organic Carbon is a measurement of the total organic constituents of the water. There is a direct correlation between Total Organic Carbon levels and the formation of disinfection byproducts during chlorination.

This table shows the amount of Total Organic Carbon in the raw (source) water and the effectiveness of the treatment for their removal.

Definitions:

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible.

Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): 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.

Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL): 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.

Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG): The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLG’s do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contamination.

Action Level (AL): The concentration of a contaminant, which, if exceeded, triggers treatment, or other requirements that a water system must follow.

Treatment Technique (TT): A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

Non-Detects (ND): Laboratory analysis indicates that the constituent is not present.

Non-Applicable: (NA)

Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU): A measure of the clarity of water. Turbidity in excess of 5 NTU is just noticeable to the average person.

Milligrams per liter (mg/l): one part per million corresponds to one minute in two years or a single penny in $10,000.

Micrograms per liter (µg /l):one part per billion corresponds to one minute in 2,000 years or a single penny in $10,000,000.

Nanograms per liter (ng/l): one part per trillion corresponds to one minute in 2,000,000 years or a single penny in $10,000,000,000.

What does this information mean?

Combined Filter Effluent TURBIDITY: (from table 2)

Although the Queensbury Water District met the combined filter requirements, their goal is to achieve 0.1 NTU (or lower) for a combined filter effluent turbidity 100% of the time.

Inorganic Contaminants: (from table 2 on page 4)

The Moreau Water District meets the requirements for reduced monitoring for lead and copper. The next samples will be collected between June and September of 2009. As you can see by the table neither the Queensbury system nor the Moreau system had any violations. We have learned through our testing that some contaminants have been detected, however these contaminants were detected below the level allowed by the State. NCL’s are set at a very stringent level. To understand the possible heath effects described for many regulated constituents, a person would have to drink two liters of water everyday at the MCL level for a life time to have a one in a million chance of having the described health effect.

SUMMARY OF DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM SAMPLING POINTS:

Distribution system samples are collected daily in the Queensbury Water Department for turbidity, chlorine residual, pH and bacteriological analysis. Over 20 sample locations are regularly monitored throughout the Queensbury Water District distribution system. Daily samples are taken for chlorine residual in the Moreau Water District System.

Is our water system meeting other rules that govern operations?

During 2007, our system complied with all applicable State drinking water requirements. All testing was performed and reported in the required time.

Do I Need to Take Special Precautions?

Although both the Queensbury and Moreau Water Districts met or exceeded state and federal regulations, some people may be more vulnerable to disease causing microorganisms or pathogens 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 from their health care provider about their drinking water. EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium, Giardia and other microbial pathogens are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

Why Save Water and How to Avoid Wasting It?

Although our system has an adequate amount of water to meet present and future demands, there are a number of reasons why it is important to conserve water:

• Saving water saves energy and some of the costs associated with both of these necessities of life.
• Saving water reduces the cost of energy required to pump water and the need to construct costly new wells, pumping systems and water towers.
• Saving water lessens the strain on the water system during a dry spell or drought, helping to avoid severe water use restrictions so that essential fire fighting needs are met.
• You can play a role in conserving water by becoming conscious of the amount of water your household is using, and by looking for ways to use less whenever you can. It is not hard to conserve water. Conservation tips include:
• Automatic dishwashers use up to 10 gallons for every cycle, regardless of how many dishes are loaded.
• Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth.
• Check every faucet in your home for leaks just a show drip can waste 15 to 20 gallons a day.  Fix it and you can save almost 6,000 gallons per year.
• Check your toilets for leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank, watch for a few minutes to see if the color shows up in the bowl.  It is not uncommon to lose up to 100 gallons a day from one of these otherwise invisible toilet leaks.  Fix it and you save more than 30,000 gallons a year.
• Use your water meter to detect hidden leaks.  Simply turn off all taps and water using appliances, then check the meter after 15 minutes, if moved, you have a leak.

System Improvements:

Queensbury WD

All three of our variable frequency drives on our Lowlift pumps have been replaced. These drives enable us to produce water maximizing energy efficiency and help stabilize water quality.

One of our original (1974) 400 HP finished water pumps will be replaced with a more efficient pump. An altitude valve will be installed for the Luzerne Road Tank in order maximize the efficiency of our pumping patterns and to maintain pressures in the northwest corner of our distribution system during hot summer days.

Moreau WD

In 2008 the Town of Moreau Water Department will complete the project started in 2007 by installing an altitude valve at the Nolan Road Tank and having the new 750,000 gallon tank on Route 9 in service. This will now give the Town a total of 1,050,000 gallons of water storage between the two tanks.