Water Quality Report
For Year 2005
ERIE WATER WORKS
(EWW)
PWSID 6250028
SERVING THE CITY OF ERIE, LAWRENCE PARK, WESLEYVILLE, HARBORCREEK, AND PORTIONS OF MILLCREEK AND SUMMIT TOWNSHIPS.
Major projects completed or ongoing the past 12 months include:
A. Construction of a project replacing 3,500 feet of aged and undersized 6-inch water main on East 28th Street, East 32nd Street, and Burton Avenue with new 12-inch ductile iron water main began in the summer of 2005.
B. A pilot project to develop a Geographic Information System for a portion of the EWW distribution system was initiated in the spring of 2005. The initial phases of this project includes land base acquisition and the conversion of paper records to digital format. EWW staff will
be able to use the results of this project to set standards for necessary utility data conversion in the future.
C. A project to replace the existing 2-inch and 4-inch water mains on Chelsea Street from West Lake Road to Oxer Road with 3,300 feet of 8-inch ductile iron water main construction began in the fall of 2005. This project will improve overall water quality and fire service (with the installation of additional hydrants.)
D. Replacement and automation of valves on the Sigsbee and Johnson Reservoirs will allow these two storage facilities to be automatically balanced and "float" on the system. Providing more efficient pumping, thereby saving energy and optimizing the storage capabilities of the system.
Major projects that will be initiated in the next 12 months include:
A. The construction of a facility to house two (2) 2000 kilowatt diesel powered electrical generators which will allow operation of the Sommerheim Water Treatment Facility in the event of a power outage whether caused by natural disaster, intentional disruption of the power grid, or failure of systems as occurred in August of 2003. This project will provide reliability for emergency operations uncommon in major cities across the United States.
B. Upgrading the Sigsbee Pump Station will include the addition of backup electrical generation capabilities. This facility will also receive upgrades to pumping, chemical treatment and security systems to bring it into line with current system demands and today’s requirements for operation and maintenance.
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Preventing Drinking Water Contamination Through Backflow - Cross Connection Control
The quality of drinking water in the United States is mandated and regulated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The Erie Water Works is required to comply with the standards established by the EPA to ensure the overall protection of our water system under all foreseeable circumstances. If your potable water plumbing system is connected to pipes carrying another fluid or gas, such as an air conditioner containing chemicals to kill algae, under certain circumstances, that chemical could be drawn back into an EWW water main. This is referred to as "
BACKFLOW". A garden hose submerged in a hot tub or a swimming pool, or inserted into your car’s radiator to flush out antifreeze, or a hose attached to an insecticide sprayer, are all examples of situations where water could backflow and cause water contamination. Such incidents have occurred throughout the country. While the EWW’s goal is to always provide you with safe, dependable, high quality water, we cannot do it alone. It is the consumers’ responsibility to install and maintain backflow prevention devices when they are required.Within the EWW Distribution system, commercial, industrial, apartment complexes (three or more units served by one connection), and residences with an
identifiable potential hazard (lawn irrigation systems, swimming pools, spas, etc.) are required to install and maintain a backflow prevention device. The EWW needs your help and cooperation to prevent contamination and to keep the water safe for all users. The EWW will continue its emphasis on this very important issue of backflow prevention and cross connection control to ensure that you will continue to receive a plentiful supply of safe, high quality water. If you have any questions regarding backflow prevention please contact our Engineering Department at 870-8000, Ext. 205.Who Monitors and Ensures the Quality of Our Drinking Water?
The Erie Water Works continuously monitors for contaminants in your drinking water in compliance with Federal and State laws. The following table shows the results of our monitoring for the period of January 1 to December 31, 2005. All drinking water, including bottled drinking water, may contain at least small amounts of some chemicals. It is important to remember that the presence of these chemicals does not necessarily pose a health risk.
Abbreviations and Definitions
In the following table you will find many terms and abbreviations with which you may not be familiar. To help you better understand these terms, we’ve provided the following definitions:
EWW
Erie Water WorksPADEP Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
CP
Chestnut Treatment PlantSP
Sommerheim Treatment PlantND
Non-Detects - laboratory analysis indicates that the contaminant is not present at a detectable level.ppm
Parts per million ormg/l
Milligrams per liter - one part per million corresponds to one minute in two years or a single penny in $10,000. A part per million and a milligram per liter are equal.ppb
Part per billion - one part per billion corresponds to one minute in 2,000 years, or a single penny in $10,000,000.pCi/l
picocuries per liter - A measure of radioactivity in water.ntu
Nephelometric Turbidity Unit is a measure of the clarity of water. Turbidity in excess of 5 ntu’s is just noticeable to the average person.AL
Action Level - the concentration of a contaminant, which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements that a water system must follow.TT
Treatment Technique - A treatment technique is a required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.MCL
Maximum Contaminant Level - The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCL’s are set as close to the MCLG’s as feasible using the best available treatment technology.MCLG
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal - 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.Y/N
Yes/NoThe EWW constantly monitors the raw water supply for various contaminants. We routinely monitor for Cryptosporidium and Giardia in our source water. We have analyzed 12 source water samples during the year 2005.
Active Cryptosporidium was found only in the month of January, and its level was below 1 organism per liter. We also found an Active Giardia Organism in the month of April, but once again the levels were below one organism per liter. We believe it is important for you to know that Cryptosporidium may cause serious illness in immuno-compromised persons, such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, persons with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders. These people should seek advice from their health care providers. Contaminant Violation Level (Unit of Measurement) Location Y/N Detected Range MCLG MCL Likely Source of ContaminationTEST RESULTS