Annual Drinking
Water Quality Report

Introduction

This report is provided to inform you about the source and quality of your drinking water, and how it compares to national drinking water standards. This report is a snapshot of last year's water quality. Please take a moment to review this important information.

Source Assessment

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation has not yet completed a source water assessment for Alpat Water Utility - Sherwood Estates Division. When a source water assessment has been completed, you will be able to request an executive summary of the assessment.

Basic Information

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.

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 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 used.

Vulnerability

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. The following people may be more at risk from infections due to water impurities:

• 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
• Elderly Persons
• Infants

These people should seek advice about drinking water from their healthcare 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

(1-800-426-4791)

Lead Data Requests

Lead Sampling Data: Complete lead tap sampling results are available for public review. To request this data, please contact our water system using the contact information provided at the end of this report.

Service Line Inventory: Our water system has prepared a service line inventory that identifies the materials of service lines throughout our distribution system. A copy of the inventory can be requested by contacting our office using the contact information provided at the end of this report.

Lead Sampling at Schools and Child Care Facilities: Our water system is required to sample for lead at schools and licensed child care facilities upon request from these facilities. For information about potential lead sampling results at your child's school or child care facility, please contact the facility directly.

For any questions about lead sampling data or our service line inventory, contact our water system using the information provided at the end of this report.

Impurities in the Water

Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some impurities. The presence of impurities does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More information about impurities and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791).

Testing Waivers

To eliminate unnecessary testing expense, the system has applied for testing waivers for the following:

Asbestos
An asbestos testing waiver has been granted due to no asbestos piping in the system. This waiver does not require renewal.

Synthetic Organic Chemicals (SOC)
An SOC sample set is required to be taken at least once within a "monitoring period" which operates on a 3 year cycle. The system may apply for an SOC waiver within the 3 year monitoring period, which can only be granted if there is no potential sources of SOC contamination located within the water collection area.

Because SOC samples are very expensive and there is no history of SOC contamination within the collection area, we apply for this testing waiver every monitoring period. So far, this waiver has been granted every time an application has been submitted. If the waiver is ever rejected, we will be sure to notify you in the following water quality report.

Lead

Lead can cause serious health effects in people of all ages, especially pregnant people, infants (both formula-fed and breastfed), and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and parts used in service lines and in home plumbing. The utility is responsible for providing high quality drinking water and removing lead pipes but cannot control the variety of materials used in the plumbing in your home. Because lead levels may vary over time, lead exposure is possible even when your tap sampling results do not detect lead at one point in time.

You can help protect yourself and your family by identifying and removing lead materials within your home plumbing and taking steps to reduce your family's risk. Using a filter, certified by an American National Standards Institute accredited certifier to reduce lead, is effective in reducing lead exposures. Follow the instructions provided with the filter to ensure the filter is used properly. Use only cold water for drinking, cooking, and making baby formula. Boiling water does not remove lead from water. Before using tap water for drinking, cooking, or making baby formula, flush your pipes for several minutes. You can do this by running your tap, taking a shower, doing laundry or a load of dishes. If you have a lead service line or galvanized requiring replacement service line, you may need to flush your pipes for a longer period.

If you are concerned about lead in your water and wish to have your water tested, contact the utility using the contact info provided at the end of this report. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead

Water Quality Testing

Because of the numerous potential sources and varieties of impurities, state and federal law mandates the routine testing for all impurities (over 80) known to pose a risk to public health. Some impurities can affect water sources quickly and others are not expected to vary significantly from year to year. Thus, testing schedules also vary from monthly to once every nine years, depending on risk and the impurity tested. Your water system is routinely monitored for all applicable hazardous impurities. However, of those impurities, only those detected in routine testing are listed in the Detected Impurities table.

Definitions And Terms

MCL

(Maxiumum Contaminant Level) The highest level of an impurity allowable in drinking water.

MCLG

(Maximum Contaminant Level Goal) The amount of an impurity below which there is no known or expected health risk.

MRDL

(Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level) The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water.

MRDLG

(Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal) The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected health risk.

AL

(Action Level) The concentration of an impurity which, when exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements that a water system must follow.

TT

(Treatment Technique) A required process intended to reduce the level of an impurity in drinking water.

PPM

(Parts Per Million) This measure corresponds to one penny out of $10,000 or one minute out of about 2 years. 1 ppm is essentially one millionth of the total water volume.

Mg/L

(Milligrams Per Liter) This is another way of displaying PPM. See PPM for a definition.

PPB

(Parts Per Billion) This measure corresponds to one penny out of $10 Million or one minute out of about 2,000 years. 1 ppb is essentially one billionth of the total water volume.

µg/L

(Micrograms Per Liter) This is another way of displaying PPB. See PPB for a definition.

PPT

(Parts Per Trillion) This measure corresponds to one penny out of $10 Billion or one second out of about 32,000 years. 1 ppt is essentially one trillionth of the total water volume.

pCi/L

(Picocuries Per Liter) This is a unit of radioactivity corresponding to one decay every 27 seconds in a volume of one liter of water, or 0.037 decays per second in every liter of air. For a comparison, an average banana contains about 520 Picocuries of radiation.

Mrem
/Yr

(Millirems Per Year) a Millirem is a measure of the health effect of low levels of ionizing radiation on the human body. For some perspective, eating a banana every day for a year would expose you to about 3.6 mrem/Yr.

NTU

(Nephelometric Turbidity Units) This is a precise measurement of how cloudy the water is. The higher the number, the cloudier the water is.

Detected Impurities

Impurity	Year	Units	MCL	MCLG	Reported Value	Range	Violation	Likely Source
Barium	2019	µg/L	2000	2000	24	N/A	N	Discharge of drilling wastes; discharge from metal refineries; erosion of natural deposits
Chlorine (as Cl₂)	2023	ppm	4	4	1.2	0.08-1.2	N	Water additive used to control microbes
Haloacetic acids (HAA5)	2023	ppb	60	N/A	29	N/A	N	Byproduct of drinking water disinfection
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)	2023	ppb	80	N/A	7.1	N/A	N	Byproduct of drinking water disinfection

Impurity	Year	Units	AL	MCLG	Reported Value	Range	Samples > MCL	Violation	Likely Source
Lead	2022	ppb	15	0	1.1	N/A	0	N	Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits
Copper	2022	ppb	1300	1300	990	N/A	0	N	Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits

Home Filters

Although your water is rigorously tested, it may have aesthetic qualities you find objectionable such as iron, manganese, calcium, or sulfur smell. Some people may also have concerns about trace impurities not detected in routine testing. If you choose to filter, here are some tips to consider.

GENERAL USE FILTER SELECTION:

Improper media selection can cause poor results. Please consider the following guidance for successful general use filter selection.

*For mineral removal such as hardness, iron,  and manganese, water softening or green sand filtration is recommended.

*For taste and odor associated with chlorine and sulfur (rotten eggs), use carbon filters with carbon media.

*For fine particle removal, 5-10 micron cartridge media is best. Because of high maintenance costs, 1 micron or finer cartridges are seldom advised.

CAUTION: If a filter, including softeners, is not in use, it should be bypassed to prevent bacterial growth from contaminating your drinking water.

FILTER MAINTENANCE:   Many homes have cartridge style water filters installed either under the kitchen sink or large whole house filters installed where the water enters the house. These filters can be a source of harmful bacteria if they are not regularly maintained. As a general rule, filter cartridges should be replaced every 6 months although individual manufacturers specifications may vary. Symptoms of a plugged filter may be dirty water, unpleasant odor, or low pressure.

FILTER SELECTION FOR HEALTH CONCERNS:   Some people choose to filter their water to address specific health concerns or for general peace of mind. It is recommended that EPA’s filter selection guidance be consulted to assist with selection of an appropriate filter technology to address specific impurities of concern. Guidance can be found on the internet at https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/home-drinking-water-filtration-fact-sheet

Maintenance & Emergency

Your water system is routinely maintained by Northern Utility Services, certified water system operators. If you have any questions or need to report an emergency, Northern Utility Services staff is pleased to assist you. Office hours are 8:00-5:00 Mon-Fri.

Tel: 907-222-4084

Emergency response is available via answering service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.