INC NEWS - Durham's water quality

[pat carstensen]

as a shortcut to those of you like me, that convert from metric with only 
the greatest crashing of gears, 2 liters is about 1/2 gallon, I think

Regards, pat


>From: David Harris <harrisdl2003 at yahoo.com>
>To: INC INC <inc-list at durhaminc.org>
>Subject: INC NEWS - Durham's water quality
>Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2007 14:52:29 -0700 (PDT)
>
>Vicki Westbrook will be at INC's July 24th meeting to answer questions 
>relating to water management.
>
>Durham Addressing Water Safety Concerns
>Water Continues to be Safe to Drink
>Recent media reports have detailed that potentially harmful organic 
>compounds have been found to be slightly elevated in the City of Durham¢s 
>drinking water. First, be reassured that you and your family are at minimal 
>risk of harmful health effects. To put this in perspective, you would need 
>to drink two liters of water with elevated levels of these compounds every 
>day for 70 years to show any negative health effects.
>With that said, the Department of Water Management is diligently working to 
>lower levels of these compounds in the system. Regular testing by the 
>department recently discovered these slightly elevated levels and steps 
>have been taken to resolve the issue.
>Below are helpful questions and answers addressing this issue in more 
>detail. If you need additional information, contact the Department of Water 
>Management at (919) 560-4381 or on the Web at www.durhamnc.gov.
>What are Disinfection By-Products (DBPs) and what causes them?
>Disinfectants such as Chloramines and Chorine have long been used to 
>inactivate disease causing pathogens. While disinfectants have helped to 
>eradicate water borne diseases, they react with naturally occurring organic 
>materials and inorganic matter in water to form Disinfection By-Products 
>(DBPs).
>What are Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and Haloacetic Acids (HAAs)?
>TTHMs and HAAs are two groups of Disinfection By-Products regulated by the 
>Environmental Protection Agency because of their potential negative health 
>effects
>How does the City monitor for them?
>The City is required by federal law to monitor at pre-approved sites in the 
>distribution system for these compounds on a quarterly basis. Compliance 
>with EPA standards is based on a 12-month running average calculated using 
>the results of quarterly testing.
>What did recent testing show?
>May and June testing showed that at some of the sites tested, levels of 
>components of the two groups of organic compounds were slightly above the 
>EPA level that is established for the system.
>Is this a system-wide problem?
>To date, there has not been a violation of EPA standards for TTHMs and HAAs 
>in Durham. Compliance is determined by a 12-month running average of all 
>distribution system samples. The City has been in continuous compliance 
>with this regulation since it was initiated. EPA recognized that levels 
>would vary during the year because the breakdown occurs more readily during 
>hot weather months.
>What is the City doing to lower/decrease the levels?
>The City is optimizing its water treatment procedures and has taken steps 
>to reduce the time water stays in the distribution system by implementing 
>more systematic and frequent flushing.
>City staff is also evaluating its system processes for both short-term and 
>long-term solutions. Additional water samples have been taken to evaluate 
>the effectiveness of the process changes.
>Why should I be concerned about the presence of these compounds in my 
>drinking water?
>Extensive research has shown that these substances may be carcinogenic and 
>that long-term health effects could result if customers ingested two liters 
>of water with high levels every day over a 70 year timeframe.
>Is the water safe to drink? What can I do to reduce levels at my tap?
>Yes, the water is safe to drink. State and Federal guidance does not advise 
>that customers use an alternative such as bottled water. Although not 
>necessary, some point-of-use filters with carbon may effectively remove 
>organics, and customers are encouraged to evaluate these filters and follow 
>maintenance instructions of manufacturers. For further specific health 
>concerns, customers may wish to consult their health care providers.
>Where can I find additional information?
>For information on the Durham water system and potential contaminant 
>levels, see the annual water quality report "Tap Into Quality" available at 
>the Department of Water Management, (919) 560-4381 or on the Web at 
>www.durhamnc.gov/departments/wm/water_quality.cfm. Information is also 
>available on the EPA Web site at www.epa.gov/safewater/dwh/index.html.
>
>
>
>David Harris
>919-906-2023


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