NORRIS WATER COMMISSION 2012 Water Quality Report   Is my drinking water safe? Norris Water Commission is proud to report to the public that our drinking water is safe and meets all State and Federal standards.   What is the source of my water? Norris Water Commission's Water Treatment Plant source is the Clear Creek Spring, a ground water source that is protected by 2700 acres of Watershed area.    The Norris Water Commission / Water System Source rated as moderately susceptible to potential contamination.  The assessment summaries can be viewed online at www.tn.gov/environment/dws/dwassess.shtml or you may contact the water system to obtain copies of specific assessments.   Wellhead Protection: The Tennessee Division of Water Supply has approved the Norris Water Commission Wellhead Protection Plan.  A certificate for successfully completing all submittals for implementation in protecting our ground water source.  The Wellhead Protection Plan is available for public review at the Norris City Office.  If you have any questions, please contact Tony Wilkerson, Water Manager at (865) 494-7645.   Why are there contaminants in my water? 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 water poses a health risk.  Your source of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) includes rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs and wells.  More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).   Statement - Lead in Drinking Water "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.  Norris Water Commission 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 for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using 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 at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead."        How can I get involved? Norris Water Commission, Board of Commissioners meets on the third Monday of each month at 12:00 Noon at the Norris Community Building, 20 Chestnut Drive, Norris, TN.   Is our water system meeting other rules that govern our operations? The State of Tennessee, Division of Water Supply, and EPA requires drinking water providers to test and report on our water on a regular basis to ensure safety and water quality.  Norris Water Commission meets the requirements set forth by the regulatory agencies.  Norris Water Commission and the employees respect the regulatory requirements and work extremely hard to observe all rules and regulations governing water treatment and distribution operation on a daily basis.   DO I NEED TO TAKE SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS? 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 under-gone 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 their personal sanitation, food preparation, handling infants and pets, and drinking water from their health care providers. EPA/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).   Water System Security Following the events of September 11, 2001, we realize that our customers are concerned about the security of their drinking water. We urge the public to report any suspicious activities at any utility facilities, including treatment plants, tanks, fire hydrants, etc. To the Norris City Office (865) 494-7645 or the Norris Public Safety Department (865) 494-0880.     For more information about your drinking water, please call us at (865) 494-7645   Tony Wilkerson Water & Sewer Superintendent        2012  W  a  t  e  r     Q  u  a  l  i  t  y     D  a  t  a What does this chart mean? !  MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level Goal, or 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. !  MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level, or 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. Contaminant MCLG in CCR units MCL in CCR Units Level found in CCR Units Range of detections Violation Date of sample Typical source of Contaminant Microbiological Contaminants               Total Coliform Bacteria 0 < 2  Positive Sample   0 Positive 0   No 2012 Naturally present in the environment Turbidity N/a TT .30 .01-.30 No 2012 Soil runoff Copper* 1.3 AL=1.3 ppm 90th%   0.06   ppm   No 2012 Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching from wood preservatives Lead* 0 ND AL=15 Ppb 90th% ND Ppb     No 2012 Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits Sodium NA NA 1.1 Ppm   No 2008 Erosion of natural deposits TTHM Trihalomethanes 0 80 ppb 6.0  ppb   No 2012 Bi-product of drinking water disinfection Chlorine MRDLG= 4 ppm MRDL= 4 ppm    2.17 AVG 1.6-2.2 No 2012 Drinking water disinfection Chloride 0 250 2.8 Ppm   No 2004 Leaching from PVC piping; discharge from plastics factories Haloacetic Acid (HAA) N/A    60        ppb ND Ppb   No 2012 By-Product of drinking water disinfection Nitrate 10.0 N/A .54   No 2012 Run off from fertilizer use, Leaching from septic tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits      *0 out of 11 sites sampled had a level exceeding the lead action level and 0 exceeded the copper action level. Turbidity: Turbidity does not present any risk to your health.  We monitor turbidity, which is a measure of the cloudiness of water, because it is a good indicator that our filtration system is functioning properly.  No more than 5% of the samples exceeded the 0.3 standard. Abbreviations: · PPB: parts per billion or micrograms per liter · ppm: parts per million or milligrams per liter · N/A: not applicable · NTU: Nephelometric Turbidity Unit, used to measure cloudiness in drinking water · MFL: million fibers per liter, used to measure asbestos concentration. ·  AL:  Action Level, or the concentration of a contaminant which, when exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.  ·  TT:  Treatment Technique, or a required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water. BDL-Below Detection Limit · ND: Not Detected About the data: Most of the data presented in this table is from testing done between January 1 and December 31, 2012.  We monitor for some contaminants less than once per year, and for those contaminants, the date of the last sample is shown in the table. Lead/Copper No sample exceeded the action level TTHM: Norris Water Commission completed quarterly monitoring in 2005 and qualified for reduce monitoring -(1) sample per treatment plant per year. MRDL:  Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level or MRDL: The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water.  There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for the control of microbial contaminants. MRDLG:  Maximum residual disinfectant level goal.  The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health.  MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfections to control microbial contaminants.