Water Quality Report

2023 ANNUAL DRINKING WATER QUALITY REPORT

       PWSID #:  5020009             Harmar Water Authority

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Este informe contiene información muy importante sobre su agua de beber.  Tradúzcalo ó hable con alguien que lo entienda bien.  (This report contains very important information about your drinking water.  Translate it or speak with someone who understands it.)

 

WATER SYSTEM INFORMATION:

This report shows our water quality and what it means.  If you have any questions about this report or concerning your water utility, please contact Joe McCollum, Operations Administrator at 724-274-7383. We want you to be informed about your water supply.  If you want to learn more, please attend any of our regularly scheduled meetings.  They are held on the third Tuesday of every month at 4:00 pm at the Authority office located at 200 Pearl Ave. Cheswick, PA.

SOURCE OF WATER:

The source of our water is three wells that draw from the alluvial deposits in the Allegheny Valley Aquifer, a glacial deposit of sand and gravel along the present-day banks of the Allegheny River.

 

The PA Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP), Allegheny County, has conducted a Source Water Assessment and Protection (SWAP) study of Harmar Water Authority’s aquifer system in 2003. The assessment has identified that the aquifer is susceptible to contamination from rail, river and road traffic along Route 28, Harmar Twp. Other sources of possible contamination are identified by activity from population growth, changes in industry and land use. The SWAP was updated in 2023 and approved by the PADEP.  Information regarding the report is available at the Authority Office at 724-274-8028.

 

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population.  Immuno-compromisedpersons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people withHIV/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/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

 

DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS:

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

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 using the best available treatment technology.

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.  MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants.

Minimum Residual Disinfectant Level (MinRDL) - The minimum level of residual disinfectant required at the entry point to the distribution system.

Treatment Technique (TT) – A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.              pCi/L - picocuries per liter (a measure of radioactivity)           ppb - parts per billion, or micrograms per liter (μg/L)

ppm - parts per million, or milligrams per liter (mg/L)

MONITORING YOUR WATER:

Harmar Water Authority routinely monitors for contaminants in your drinking water according to federal and state laws.  The following tables show the results of our monitoring for the period of January 1,2023 to December 31, 2023.  The State allows us to monitor for some contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently.  Some of our data is from prior years in accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act.  The date has been noted on the sampling results table.

 

DETECTED SAMPLE RESULTS:

Footnote: (a) only one sample required.

 

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.  Harmar Water Authority 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.”

 

 

 

 

Violations: As you can see from the table, our system had no MCL violations. We’re proud that your drinking water meets or exceeds all Federal and State requirements. However, on October 31, 2023, we did have late reporting for Distribution Chlorine. We did the samples on time and there were no MCL violations. Our lab reported the results late.

 

EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION:

All sources of drinking water are subject to potential contaminants that are naturally occurring or man-made. These contaminants may be microbes, organic or inorganic chemicals or radioactive materials.   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.  Contaminants that may be present in source water 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 result from urban storm water run-off, 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 storm water 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 storm water runoff, and septic systems.

·       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 and DEP prescribes regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems.  FDA and DEP regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.

 

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 Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

 

Thank you for allowing us to continue providing your family with clean, quality water this year. In order to maintain a dependable water supply we sometimes need to make improvements that will benefit all of our customers. These improvements are sometimes reflected as rate structure adjustments. Thank you for understanding.

 

We at Harmar Water Authority work around the clock to provide top quality water to every tap. We ask that all our customers help us to protect our water sources, which are the heart of our community, our way of life and our children’s future.