Borough Office
59 East High Street
Gettysburg, PA 17325
717-334-1160
 

 

2006 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report

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 The surface water is withdrawn from the Marsh Creek intake at the Sachs Mill Bridge.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.
 

2005 TEST RESULTS
Microbiological Contaminants

Contaminant (Unit of measurement)

Violation Y/N

Level Detected

Range

MCLG

MCL

Likely Source of Contamination

1. Total Coliform Bacteria

2.Turbidity (ntu)

N


N

1 sample in Sept

0.23

 

100%

0


n/a

0


TT 

Naturally present


Soil runoff

3. Total Organic Carbon (ppm)

      N

2.4

0.84-2.4

n/a

TT

Naturally present in the environment

4.Distribution Chlorine Risidual (ppm)

5. Entry Point Chlorine Residuals (ppm)

N


N

1.40


0.86

 0.22- 1.40

0.86-1.62

 

 

n/a

Additives to control Microbes


Additives to control Microbes

Inorganic Contaminants

Contaminant (Unit of measurement)

Violation Y/N

Level Detected

Range

MCLG

MCL

Likely Source of Contamination

6. Arsenic (ppb)

(2006)

Y

   16.0

0.00-16.0

n/a

10

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

7. Barium (ppm)

    (2006)

N

0.085

0.000-0.085

2

2

Discharge of drilling wastes; discharge from metal refineries; erosion of natural deposits

8. Copper (ppm)

(2004)

N

0.23

0.00-0.23

0 sites above AL

1.3

AL =1.3

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

9. Fluoride (ppm)

N

0.11

0.000-0.110

2

2

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

10 Lead (ppb)

N

3.0

0.00-3.0

0 sites above AL

0

AL =15

Corrosion of household plumbing systems, erosion of natural deposits

11. Nitrate (as Nitrogen) (ppm)

(2006)

N

3.2

1-3.2

10

10

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

 

           

Volatile Organic Contaminants

Contaminant (Unit of measurement)

Violation Y/N

Level Detected

Range

MCLG

MCL

Likely Source of Contamination

12. TTHM[Total trihalomethanes] (ppb)

N

29.7

2.0-70

0

80

By-product of drinking water chlorination

13. Haloacetic Acids (HAA) (ppb)

14. Gross ALPHA PCI/L (2006)

15. Combined Uranium (USIL) (2006)

16. Combined Radium (PCI/L) (2006)

N

 

N

N

N

22

 

5.46

6.6

2.32

0.0-40

 

1.45.46

3.2-6.6

0-2.32 

60

 

0

0

0

n/a

 

15

30

5

Byproduct of drinking water disinfection .

 

Erosion of natural deposits

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:

  • 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.

  • 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:

  • 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.

  • Barium. Some people who drink water containing barium in excess of the MCL over many years could experience an increase in their blood pressure.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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:

  • 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.

  • 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.