GENERAL INFORMATION ON DRINKING WATER CONTAMINANTS AND REGULATIONS
All sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) including rivers, lakes, streams, ponds reservoirs, springs and wells are subject to potential contamination by substances that are either naturally-occurring or manmade. 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. Contaminants that may be present in source water include: 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 that 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: Such as agriculture, urban storm water runoff and residential uses that may come from a variety of sources. Organic Chemical Contaminants: Such as synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and may come from gas stations, urban storm water runoff, and septic systems. Radioactive Contaminants: That can be naturally-occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities. Arsenic: While your drinking water meets EPA’s standard for arsenic, it does contain low levels of arsenic. EPA’s standard balances the current understanding of arsenic’s possible health effects against the costs of removing arsenic from drinking water. EPA continues to research the health effects of low levels of arsenic, which is a mineral known to cause cancer in humans at high concentrations and is linked to other health effects such as skin damage and circulatory problems. 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. The Forest Highlands Water Company 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. Nitrate: levels above 10 ppm in drinking water are a health risk for infants of less than six months in age. High nitrate levels in drinking water can cause “blue baby syndrome”. Nitrate levels may rise quickly for short periods of time because of rainfall and agricultural activity. If you are caring for an infant, and detected levels of nitrate above 5 ppm, you should ask advice from your health care provider.
ADDITIONAL HEALTH INFORMATION All 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 the water poses a health risk. 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 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. For more information about contaminants and potential health effects, or to receive a copy of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and microbiological contaminants visit the EPA Safe Drinking Water website at www. epa.gov/sdwa
WHAT ARE THE RESULTS? The attached table contains the results of our water quality monitoring for the year 2023 or the results of the most recent testing during the last five years for any contaminants listed. Every contaminant, even if it was detected in the smallest trace amount, is listed. A key and footnotes are provided to help you understand the information contained in the table.
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