2021 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report
Big Bend Water Authority
PWSID 2621102
We’re pleased to present to you this year’s Annual Water Quality 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 sources are groundwater from 2 wells drawing from the Floridan Aquifer. We treat your water with filtration using aluminum sulfate and feed a polyphosphate for corrosion control and chlorinate for disinifection.
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.
In 2021, the Department of Environmental Protection performed a Source Water Assessment on our system. The assessment was conducted to provide information about any potential sources of contamination in the vicinity of our wells. There are four potential sources of contamination identified for this system with a low susceptibility level. The assessment results are available on the FDEP Source Water Assessment and Protection Program website at www.dep.state.fl.us/swapp.
This report shows our water quality results and what they mean.
if you have any questions about this report or concerning your water utility, please contact: Garrett Dodd at our office (352) 498-3576. We encourage 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 fourth Tuesday of each month at 6:00 PM at the Big Bend Water Authority Water Treatment Plant.
The Big Bend Water Authority routinely monitors for contaminants in your drinking water according to Federal and State laws, rules, and regulations. Except where indicated otherwise, this report is based on the results of our monitoring for the period of January 1 to December 31, 2021. Data obtained before January 1, 2021, and presented in this report are from the most recent testing done in accordance with the laws, rules, and regulations.
In the table below, you may find urifamiliar terms and abbreviations. To help you better understand these terms we’ve provided the following definitions:
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): 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 (MCLG): 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.
Action Level (AL): The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements that a water system must follow.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (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 Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG): The level of a drinking water disirifectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants.
Parts per billion (ppb) or Micrograms per liter (µgll) – one part by weight of analyte to 1 billion parts by weight of the water sample. Parts per million (ppm) or Milligrams per liter (mg/l)- one part by weight of analyte to 1 million parts by weight of the water sample. Picocurie per liter (pc;/L) – measure of the radioactivity in water.
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Inorganic Contaminants |
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Contaminant and Unit of Measurement |
Dates of sampling (mo/yr) |
MCL Violation YIN |
Level Detected |
Range of Results |
MCLG |
MCL |
Likely Source of Contamination |
|
Barium (ppm) |
03 I 2021 |
N |
0.017 |
NIA |
2 |
2 |
Discharge of drilling wastes; discharge from metal refineries; erosion of natural deoosits |
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Chromium (ppb) |
03 I 2021 |
N |
1.2 |
NIA |
100 |
100 |
Discharge from steel and pulp mills; erosion of natural deposits |
|
Fluoride (ppm) |
03 / 2021 |
N |
0.367 |
NIA |
4 |
4.0 |
Erosion of natural deposits; discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories. Water additive which promotes strong teeth when at the ootimum level of 0.7 nnm |
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Sodium (ppm) |
03 I 2021 |
N |
13.1 |
NIA |
NIA |
160 |
Salt water intrusion, leaching from soil |
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Nitrate (as Nitrogen) (ppm) |
03/2021- 0412021 |
N |
0.217 |
ND- 0.217 |
10 |
10 |
Runoff from fertilizer use; leaching from septic tanks, sewage; erosion of natural deposits |
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Stage 1 Disinfectants |
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‘ . •i’\!!S . ··•·•··. |
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·.. · . |
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Disinfectant and Unit of Measurement |
Dates of sampling (mo./yr.) |
MRDL Violation YIN |
Level Detected |
Range of Results |
MRDLG |
MRDL |
Likely Source of Contamination |
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Chlorine (ppm) |
Monthly 2021 |
N |
1.45 |
0.93 – |
3.63 |
4 |
4.0 |
Water additive used to control microbes |
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Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection By-Products .·. |
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Contaminant and Unit of Measurement |
Dates of sampling (mo/yr) |
MCL Violation (YIN) |
Level Detected |
Range of Results |
MCLG |
MCL |
Likely Source of Contamination |
|
Total Trihalomethancs (TTHM) System (ppb) |
July 2021, October 2021 |
N* |
NIA |
85.5 –90.3 |
NA |
80 |
By-product of drinking water disinfection |
|
Haloacetic Acids (HAAS) (ppb) .. |
July 2021, October 2021 |
N |
NIA |
15.3 – 50 |
NIA |
60 |
By-product of drinking water disinfection |
For Stage 2 Drnmfectant By-products on quarterly momtormg the level detected column reqmres the highest locational running armual average (LRAA) calculated at all sites during the 2021 calendar year. The quarterly sampling began in 3,d Quarter 2021, and thus there were not yet 4 quarters of results to calculate an armual average.
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*We sampled for Disinfectant Byproduct Haloacetic acids (five) (HAA5) and Total Trihalomethanes (‘ITHMs) in the third and fourth quarter in 2021. While we exceeded the single sample MCL/or TTHMs in both quarters, the locational running annual averages (LRAAs) have not exceeded the MCL and thus we were not considered to be in violation/or DBPs in 2021. As of the second quarter o/2022 we have continued to average below the MCL/or TTHMS and HAA5s at both locations.
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 service lines and home plumbing. Big Bend Water Authority 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/or several hours, you can minimize 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. 1 –
We at the Big Bend Water Authority work around the clock to provide top quality water to every tap. We ask that all of our customers help us protect our water sources, which are the heart of our community, our way of life and our children’s fi.1ture.
Contaminants that may be present in source water include:
(A) Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife.
(B) 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. ·
(C) Pesticides and. herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff and
residential uses.
(D) Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals; which are by-products of industrial
processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems.
(E) Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.
In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the EPA prescribes regulations, which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health.
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 I-800-426- 479I.
Thank you for allowing us to continue providing your family with clean,• quality water this year. In order to maintain a safe and dependable water supply, we sometimes need to make improvements that will benefit all of our customers. These improvements are sometimes reflected as rate structure adjustments. Thank you for 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 disorder;, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections, These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. J;,J’A/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).
We at Big Bend Water Authority would like you to understand the efforts we make to continually improve the water treatment process and protect our water resources. We are committed to insuring the quality of your water. If you have any questions or concerns about the information provided, please feel free to call any of the numbers listed.
