Water Report

Drinking Water Quality Reports

Click here to review Aberdeen Area - APG

June 1, 2004

Dear Resident:

The Department of Public Works is pleased to provide to you the Annual Drinking Water Quality Report. This report shows the results of our monitoring for the period of January 1^st to December 31^st, 2003 (except as noted) and is designed to inform you about the quality of water and services the City delivers to you every day. We are committed to ensuring the quality of your water, and our singular goal is to provide you with a safe and dependable supply of drinking water.

The Public Works Department is pleased to report that our drinking water is safe and meets federal and state requirements. This report shows our water quality and what it means. The City of Aberdeen routinely monitors for contaminants in your drinking water according to Federal and State laws and under EPA guidelines.

Our water source is from eleven ground wells supplied through underground geological rock formations along the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Additionally, the City receives up to 500,000 gallons of water per day from City of Havre de Grace water treatment plant which supplies Harford County, who, in turn sells the water to Aberdeen.. Their plant is supplied by water from the Susquehanna River. Altogether, we use an average of 1.7 million gallons per day to supply the City.

As water travels over the land or underground, it can pick up substances or contaminants such as microbes, inorganic and organic chemicals and radioactive substances. 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.

If you have any questions about this report or your water utility, please contact Ken Benner, Superintendent of Water/Wastewater Operations (410) 272-2650. We want our valued citizens to be informed about their water utility. If you want to learn more, please attend any of our regularly scheduled City Council meetings. They are held on the second and fourth Monday of each month beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Randolph C. Robertson

Director of Public Works

What does all this information mean?

As you will see in the following tables, our system had NO VIOLATIONS and very few detects. We're proud that your drinking water meets or exceeds all Federal, State and EPA requirements. We have learned through our monitoring and testing that some constituents have been present in the finished water and we will continue to monitor for all identified constituents. Again, it is important to remember that the EPA has determined that your water IS SAFE at these levels.

All sources of drinking water are subject to potential contamination by substances that are naturally occurring or man made. These substances can be microbes, inorganic or organic chemicals and radioactive substances. All 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 (800) 426-4791.

Definitions

In this report you may find many terms and abbreviations you might not be familiar with. To help you better understand these terms we've provided the following definitions:

Non-Detects (ND) - laboratory analysis indicates that the constituent is not present.

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.

Parts per trillion (ppt) or Nanograms per liter (nanograms/l) - one part per trillion corresponds to one minute in 2,000,000 years, or a single penny in $10,000,000,000.

Parts per quadrillion (ppq) or Picograms per liter (picograms/l) - one part per quadrillion corresponds to one minute in 2,000,000,000 years or one penny in $10,000,000,000,000.

Picocuries per liter (pCi/L) - picocuries per liter is a measure of the radioactivity in water.

Millirems per year (mrem/yr) - measure of radiation absorbed by the body.

Million Fibers per Liter (MFL) - million fibers per liter is a measure of the presence of asbestos fibers that are longer than 10 micrometers.

Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU) - nephelometric turbidity unit is a measure of the clarity of water. Turbidity in excess of 5 NTU is just noticeable to the average person.

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.

Detected Contaminants - City Water Supply

In addition to the many constituents that were subject to testing but not found, the City did find some regulated constituents present in the water system at levels belowthe maximum allowable level (MCL) which is determined safe by the EPA. These constituents are shown below, along with the MCL and MCL goal for each one detected. The State requires us to monitor for certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently. Some of our data, although accurate, is more than a year old as indicated by date (mm/yy).

* 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.

** 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. Fluoride in drinking water at half the MCL or more may cause mottling of children's teeth, usually in children less than nine years old. Mottling, also known as dental fluorosis, may include brown staining and/or pitting of the teeth, and occurs only in developing teeth before they erupt from the gums.

Nitrates: As a precaution we always notify physicians and health care providers in this area if there is ever a higher than normal level of nitrates in the water supply.

TTHM: Some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous systems, and may have increased risk of getting cancer.

Detected Contaminants - City Water Supply (cont.)

Detected Contaminants - County Water Supply

Harford County is required to monitor and report their water quality under the same EPA and Maryland Department of the Environment regulations. In the water that we purchase from the County, they did find some constituents present in the water system at levels belowthe maximum allowable level (MCL) which is determined safe by the EPA. These constituents are shown below, along with the MCL and MCL goal for each one detected. The water supplied to the City by Harford County is drawn from the Susquehanna River and is processed in Havre de Grace.

Detected Contaminants - County Water Supply (cont.)

Health information

It is important to understand that the detection of these substances in the drinking water does not constitute a known threat to public health because they were found only at levels less than the MCL and below the level that EPA currently feels may constitute a health threat. The MCL's are set at very stringent levels, and the City's water has proved to be below those levels for the constituents listed above.

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 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. 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.

City Wells - Perchlorate information and Update

In April,2002 the City received information from Aberdeen Proving Ground that a compound called perchlorate was detected in the groundwater in the vicinity of the City's well field. Since that time, the City has been providing information on this subject to City residents through the media, our web page and City council meetings. The following information provides an update on this subject as of the date of this report.

Perchlorate is an unregulated contaminant that is an ingredient in a variety of products including air bag inflators, electronic tubes, lubricating oils, rocket propellant, explosives and other commercial and agricultural applications.

At the direction of the Maryland Department of the Environment, the City has been managing the wells to ensure that the level of perchlorate in the finished water does not exceed 1.0 ppb (the level established by MDE in the absence of an EPA standard). The City is currently embarking on a project to install perchlorate filtration on several of its wells that is scheduled for completion in Spring of 2006.

The Department of Public Works will ensure that all measures will be taken to address this issue and that our drinking water meets or exceeds all EPA drinking quality standards. A fact sheet on perchlorate can be found on the EPA web site at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/perchlorate/perchlorate.html

Thank you for allowing us to continue providing your family with clean, quality water this year. The employees of the City of Aberdeen work around the clock to provide top quality water to the entire community. 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. Please call our office if you have questions.

Aberdeen Area/APG

Drinking Water Quality Report

June 1, 2004

Dear Customer:

The City of Aberdeen Department of Public Works is pleased to provide to you the Annual Drinking Water Quality Report. This report shows the results of our monitoring for the period of January 1^st to December 31^st, 2003 (except as noted) and is designed to inform you about the quality of water and services the City delivers to you every day. We are committed to ensuring the quality of your water, and our singular goal is to provide you with a safe and dependable supply of drinking water.

The City of Aberdeen Public Works Department is pleased to report that our drinking water is safe and meets federal and state requirements. This report shows our water quality and what it means. The City routinely monitors for contaminants in your drinking water according to Federal and State laws and under EPA guidelines.

The Aberdeen Area/APG water source is pumped from Deer Creek, a major stream in Harford County that originates in northwestern Harford County and Baltimore County and flows into the Susquehanna River just above Rock Run Mill in Susquehanna State Park. The Chapel Hill Water Treatment Plant processes an average of one million gallons per day to supply the Aberdeen Area. On occasion when Deer Creek water is unavailable, water processed by City of Havre de Grace is purchased from Harford County.

As water travels over the land or underground, it can pick up substances or contaminants such as microbes, inorganic and organic chemicals and radioactive substances. 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.

Any water quality issues, leaks or interruptions should be reported through your contact on Post, however, if you have any questions about this report or your water utility, please contact Ken Benner, Water/Wastewater Superintendent at (410) 272-2650 between the hours of 0830 and 1600. We want our valued customers to be informed about their water utility. If you want to learn more, please attend any of our regularly scheduled City Council meetings. They are held on the second and fourth Monday of each month beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Randolph C. Robertson

Director of Public Works, City of Aberdeen

What does all this information mean 

As you will see in the following tables, our system had NO VIOLATIONS and very few detects. We re proud that your drinking water meets or exceeds all Federal, State and EPA requirements. We have learned through our monitoring and testing that some constituents have been present in the finished water and we will continue to monitor for all identified constituents. Again, it is important to remember that the EPA has determined that your water IS SAFE at these levels.

All sources of drinking water are subject to potential contamination by substances that are naturally occurring or man made. These substances can be microbes, inorganic or organic chemicals and radioactive substances. All 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 (800) 426-4791.

Definitions

In this report you may find many terms and abbreviations you might not be familiar with. To help you better understand these terms we've provided the following definitions:

Non-Detects (ND) - laboratory analysis indicates that the constituent is not present.

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.

Parts per trillion (ppt) or Nanograms per liter (nanograms/l) - one part per trillion corresponds to one minute in 2,000,000 years, or a single penny in $10,000,000,000.

Parts per quadrillion (ppq) or Picograms per liter (picograms/l) - one part per quadrillion corresponds to one minute in 2,000,000,000 years or one penny in $10,000,000,000,000.

Picocuries per liter (pCi/L) - picocuries per liter is a measure of the radioactivity in water.

Millirems per year (mrem/yr) - measure of radiation absorbed by the body.

Million Fibers per Liter (MFL) - million fibers per liter is a measure of the presence of asbestos fibers that are longer than 10 micrometers.

Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU) - nephelometric turbidity unit is a measure of the clarity of water. Turbidity in excess of 5 NTU is just noticeable to the average person.

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.

In addition to the many constituents that were subject to testing but not found, the City did find some regulated constituents present in the water system at levels below the maximum allowable level (MCL) which is determined safe by the EPA. These constituents are shown below, along with the MCL and MCL goal for each one detected. The State requires us to monitor for certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently. Some of our data, though accurate, is more than one year old as indicated by the date (mm/yy).

Detected Contaminants - Chapel Hill Water Supply

Turbidity: Turbidity is the measure of the cloudiness of the water. We monitor it because it is a good indicator of the effectiveness of our filtration system. 100% of samples taken were below MCL.

* 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.

** Nitrates: As a precaution we always notify physicians and health care providers in this area if there is ever a higher than normal level of nitrates in the water supply.

*** TTHM: Some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous systems, and may have increased risk of getting cancer.

Detected Contaminants - Chapel Hill Water Supply (cont.)

Detected Contaminants - County Water Supply

Harford County is required to monitor and report their water quality under the same EPA and Maryland Department of the Environment regulations. In the water that we purchase from the County, they did find some constituents present in the water system at levels below the maximum allowable level (MCL) which is determined safe by the EPA. These constituents are shown below, along with the MCL and MCL goal for each one detected. When necessary, the water supplied to the Aberdeen Area by Harford County is drawn from the Susquehanna River and is processed in Havre de Grace. Additional information about the County water system and water quality can be access on the web at http:www.co.ha.md.us/dpw/ws/waterquality.html

Detected Contaminants - County Water Supply (Cont.)

Health information

It is important to understand that the detection of these substances in the drinking water does not constitute a known threat to public health because they were found only at levels less than the MCL and below the level that EPA currently feels may constitute a health threat. The MCL's are set at very stringent levels, and the Chapel Hill water supply has proved to be below those levels for the constituents listed above.

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 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. 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.

Thank you for allowing us to continue providing your family or workplace with clean, quality water this year. The employees of the City of Aberdeen work around the clock to provide top quality water to the entire community. 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. Please call our office if you have questions.