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Para nuestros clientes que hablan espanol: Este reporte contiene importante informacion sobre la calidad del aqua
que tu tomas. Porfavor llevale este reporte a alguien que te lo tradusca.
We're pleased to present to you our Annual Drinking Water Quality Report. This report is designed to provide you, our customer, with information regarding the sources
of your water, the operation of those sources, and their quality. 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 various water treatment processes and the efforts put forth to protect our water resources. We are committed to
ensuring the quality of your water.
The water, which is delivered to you, is a combination of surface water and ground waters. The surface water is withdrawn from the Marsh Creek intake at the Sachs Mill
Bridge. The ground water comes from seven (7) active wells. Four wells are located in Cumberland Township, two wells are located in the Gettysburg Borough, and one is located
in Straban Township.
The surface water is treated at the Filtration Plant located near Sachs Mill Bridge. The plant is staffed by three (3) trained and State Certified Operators and qualified
laboratory technicians. The ground waters receive various treatments. They range from simple chlorine disinfection to Fine Bubble Air Diffusion.
If you have any questions about this report or your water utility, please contact, Jeff Patterson, at (717) 337-0164 or write to Gettysburg Municipal Authority, P.O. Box
3307, Gettysburg, PA 17325. You may also e-mail us at info@gettysburgma.com. We want our valued customers to be
informed about their water utility. This report will also be published on the Internet at www.gettysburgma.com
for your reference. If you care to learn more, you may attend any of our regularly scheduled meetings. They are held on the third Monday of every month at 7:30 PM prevailing
time at the Authority Office, 601 E. Middle Street, Gettysburg, PA 17325.
Gettysburg Municipal Authority routinely monitors for contaminants in your drinking water according to Federal and State laws. The table on the back page shows the results of
our monitoring for the period of January 1st to December 31st, 2003. All drinking water, including bottled drinking water, may be reasonably expected to contain at least
small amounts of some contaminants. It's important to remember that the presence of these contaminants does not necessarily pose a health risk.
In the table you may find terms and abbreviations you might not be familiar with. To help you better understand these terms please refer to the following definitions:
Non-Detects (ND)
Laboratory analysis indicates that the contaminant is not present at a detectable level.
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 ( AL)
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
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
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.
What do the Test Results Table and definitions mean to you?
All sources of drinking water are subject to potential contamination by constituents that are either naturally occurring or man made. These constituents can be microbes,
organic or inorganic chemicals, or radioactive materials. 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.
Some of the contaminants in this report were tested for in years prior to 2006. Not every contaminant is tested once annually. For example, alpha emitters (gross alpha) are
usually only tested once during a four year monitoring period. MCLs are set at
very protective levels to prevent adverse health effects. To understand the possible health effects described for many regulated constituents, a person would have to drink 2
liters of water every day at the MCL for a lifetime to have a one-in-a-million chance of experiencing the described health effect.
A significant portion of your water bill is used to constantly test the water delivered to you, and to treat our water sources so that they meet and exceed Federal and State
quality standards. In order to insure you our customers an acceptable quality and quantity of water both now and in the future the Gettysburg Municipal Authority has expended
several million dollars to drill new wells and to build a new Surface Water Treatment Facility on Marsh Creek in Cumberland Township. Your water rates and fees, which have
increased over the past few years, reflect both the costs of maintaining a quality water supply today and developing safe water reserves for the future.
During the 2006 time period this report represents the Gettysburg Municipal Authority routinely tested for over 50 other contaminants not listed on the above chart. None of
these contaminants were found in the drinking water. Those tests included; additional Inorganic Chemicals, Synthetic Organic Chemicals, Volatile Organic Chemicals, and Coliform Bacteria.
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 cost 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.
About our
Arsenic Violation: during the 1st quarter we sent a
notice warning you of this problem when it occurred.
After we exceeded the MCL the source was shut down. We
regret exposing you to any potential risk. If you want
more info. about arsenic or the violation please call
337-0164 or Dep at 771-5481.
Some people may be more vulnerable to certain 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. Environmental Protection Agency / Center
for Decease Control guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by cryptosporidium and other microbiological contaminants which may be found at times in
improperly treated water are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).
We at Gettysburg Municipal Authority work hard to provide top quality water to every tap. We ask that all our customers help us protect our water sources, which are the heart
of our community, our way of life and our children's future. We are committed to supply a top quality product at the most economical rate possible to our customers.
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Footnotes: (a) This reported value is a 90th% level. For example: Gettysburg Municipal Authority took thirty
samples, 90% of 30 is 27, and 27 subtracted for 30 is 3. Therefore, the value reported here is the third highest result.
Microbiological Contaminants:
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Turbidity. Turbidity has no health effects. However, turbidity can interfere with disinfection and provide a
medium for microbial growth. Turbidity may indicate the presence of disease-causing organisms. These organisms include bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can cause
symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea, and associated headaches.
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Total organic carbon (PPM) - Total organic carbon (TOC) has no health effects. However, total organic carbon
provides a medium for the formation of disinfection byproducts. These byproducts include trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs). Drinking water containing these
byproducts in excess of the MCL may lead to adverse health effects, liver or kidney problems, or nervous system effects, and may lead to an increased risk of getting
cancer.
Inorganic Contaminants:
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Arsenic. Some people who drink water containing arsenic in excess of the MCL over many years could experience skin
damage or problems with their circulatory system, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.
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Barium. Some people who drink water containing barium in excess of the MCL over many years could experience an
increase in their blood pressure.
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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.
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Fluoride. Some people who drink water containing fluoride in excess of the MCL over many years could get bone
disease, including pain and tenderness of the bones. Children may get mottled teeth.
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Lead. Infants and children who drink water containing lead in excess of the action level could experience delays
in their physical or mental development. Children could show slight deficits in attention span and learning abilities. Adults who drink this water over many years could
develop kidney problems or high blood pressure.
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Nitrate. Infants below the age of six months who drink water containing nitrate in excess of the MCL could become
seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue-baby syndrome.
Volatile Organic Contaminants:
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TTHMs [Total Trihalomethanes]. Some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over
many years may experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous systems, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.
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Haloacetic Acids (HAA) (ppb) - Some people who drink water containing haloacetic acids in excess of the MCL over
many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.
Water & Sewer Dept.
Highway Dept.
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