Annual Drinking Water Quality Report

For the

City of Dillon

Public Water System ID Number 0000201

125 North Idaho Street Dillon, MT 59725   -   (406) 683-4245

2009

            We're pleased to present to you this year's Annual Quality Water Report.  This report is designed to inform you about the quality water and services we deliver to you every day.  Our constant goal is to provide you with a safe and dependable supply of drinking water.  We want you to understand the efforts we make to continually improve the water treatment process and protect our water resources.  We are committed to ensuring the quality of your water.  Our water source is four wells that draw water from the Jefferson River Basin aquifer.

We have a source water assessment  available from our office that provides more information such as potential sources of contamination.

           This report shows our water quality and what it means. If you have any questions about the report or concerning your water utility, please contract Mayor Martin Malesich, JS Turner Director of Operations, or Bob Cottom, Utility Supervisor, (406) 686-4245. We want our valued customers to be informed about their water utility.  If you want to learn more, please attend any of our regularly scheduled meetings. They are held on the first and third Wednesdays at City Hall, beginning at 7 p.m.

           City of Dillon Water Department routinely monitors for constituents in your drinking water according to Federal and State laws.  This table shows the results of our monitoring for the period of January 1st to December 31st, 2007.  Some of our data in the tables are more than one year old, since certain chemical contaminants are monitored less than once a year.  Our sampling frequency complies with EPA and State drinking water regulation.

 In this table you will find many terms and abbreviations you might not be familiar with. To help you better understand these terms

 

●     Non-Detects (ND) - laboratory analysis indicates that the constituent is not present.

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

·        Parts per billion (ppb) or Micrograms per liter - one part per billion corresponds to one minute in 2,000 years, or a single penny in $10,000,000.

·        Action Level - the concentration of a contaminant, which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements, which a water system must follow.

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

·        Maximum Contaminant Level - (mandatory language) The “Maximum Allowed” (MCL) is 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 - (mandatory language) The “Goal”(MCLG) is 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 Detection Limit or 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 Detection Limit Goal  or 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 contaminants

 

·           

   TEST RESULTS

Contaminant

Violation

Y/N

Sample Date

Highest

Level

Detected

Range

Detected

Unit

Measurement

MCLG

MCL

Likely Source of Contamination

Inorganic Contaminants

8. Arsenic

N

03/13/07

0.006        

ND to 0.006

ppm

n/a

 

.010

Erosion of natural deposits; runoff from orchards; runoff from glass and electronics production wastes

14. Copper

N

09/12/06

* 0.77

0.21 to 1.83

ppm

1.3

AL=1.3

Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits; leaching from wood preservatives

16. Fluoride

N

03/13/07

0.57

   0.39 to 0.57

ppm

4

4

Erosion of natural deposits; water additive which promotes strong teeth; discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories

17.  Lead

N

09/12/06

* 0.003

0.001 to 0.005

ppm

0

          .015

Corrosion of household plumbing systems, erosion of natural deposits

19. Nitrate  (as Nitrogen)

N

08/06/08

2.05

1.63to2.50

ppm

10

10

Runoff from fertilizer use; leaching from septic tanks, sewage; erosion of natural deposits

Uranium (pCi/l)

Effective December 8, 2003

N          

04/01/02

0.0049

0.0042 to 0.0049

ppm

 

0.03

Erosion of  natural deposits

Some people who drink water containing uranium in the excess of the MCL, over the many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer and kidney toxicity.

 

“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.”

 

Nitrates: As a precaution we always notify physicians and health care providers in this area if there is ever a higher than normal level of nitrates in the water supply.

 

(14) Copper. 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.

(17) 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 the service line and home plumbing.

The City of Dillon 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 minimized 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.

*Note:  For the copper and lead column labeled Highest Level Detected, EPA requires us to enter our test result for the 90th percentile value.  This value is calculated by multiplying our 20 samples by 90%, and it is that result or our 36th highest sample, which is to be entered in that column.  This result cannot exceed the action level for either copper or lead. 

 

           The table shows that our system uncovered a problem with our copper-testing requirement.  The duration of the violation has been since 1992 and in the year of 2000 the City of Dillon started putting in a product of blended phosphate, which coats the water lines.  

The treatment with blended phosphate will reduce the levels of copper in the drinking water.

“All sources of drinking water are subject to potential contamination by constituents that are naturally occurring or is man made.  Those constituents can be microbes, organic or inorganic chemicals, or radioactive materials.”  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.  More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.

       In our continuing efforts to maintain a safe and dependable water supply, it maybe necessary to make improvements in your water system.  Thank you for your understanding.

      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/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by cryptosporidium and other microbiological contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

 

      Please call our office if you have questions.  “We at the City of Dillon work around the clock to provide top quality water to every tap”, said Mayor Martin Malesich.  We ask that all our customers help us protect and conserve our water sources, which are the heart of our community, our way of life and our children’s future. 

 

      This Annual Quality Water Report will not be mailed out to individual water customers!  A copy of this report is available by calling or stopping by the City Hall.

In case of an emergency with water or sewer after 5:00 P.M. and holidays, call the Police Department at 683-3701