Water testing performed in 2011

Presented By:
TOWN of CARY

TOWN of CARY
Dept. of Public Works & Utilities
PO Box 8005
Cary, NC 27512-8005
www.townofcary.org


Maintaining High Standards for Our Customers

The Town of Cary is proud to present our annual drinking water quality report. This report covers all water quality testing performed from January 1 to December 31, 2011. The Town remains committed to providing drinking water that meets all state and federal regulatory standards. To that end, we remain vigilant in meeting the challenges of new regulations, source water protection, water conservation, and community outreach and education while serving the needs of our customers.

At the Town of Cary, we focus every day on enriching the lives of our citizens by creating an exceptional environment and by providing exemplary services that enable our community to thrive and prosper. We strive to provide our customers with the highest quality drinking water possible and are pleased to present this annual report for your review.

Important Health Information

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immunocompromised 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 may be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. The U.S. EPA/CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791 or http://water.epa.gov/drink/hotline.

Community Participation

The Town of Cary encourages public input in decisions affecting our community’s drinking water. Regular meetings of the Cary Town Council are typically held on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Town Hall located at 316 N. Academy Street in Cary. The public is welcome. More information about Council meetings can be found on the Town’s website at www.townofcary.org.

Aquastar

The Town of Cary is completing the installation of Aquastar, an advanced metering infrastructure system for Cary’s water utility. Aquastar replaces monthly manual meter reads with a wireless system that collects multiple remote meter reads every day. The new Aquastar-enabled water meters contain a transmitter that can communicate consumption and use data via wireless technology directly to the Town. This new technology, which offers many benefits to Cary water customers over traditional manual meter reading, will greatly improve the overall efficiency of Town meter reading while enhancing overall quality, accuracy, and responsiveness of service to Cary utility customers. For more information on this exciting initiative, search “Aquastar” on our website at www.townofcary.org, or call (919) 469-4050.

Questions?

For any questions or concerns relating to your drinking water or water service, please contact the Department of Public Works and Utilities Customer Service at (919) 469-4090. For more information about this report, please contact Penny Rosser, Ph.D., Chemist, at the Cary/Apex Water Treatment Facility at (919) 362-5507 or penny.rosser@townofcary.org.

Cary/Apex Water Treatment Facility

Your drinking water is produced at the Cary/Apex Water Treatment Facility, a plant co-owned by the towns of Cary and Apex and located on Wimberly Road in western Wake County. The facility has a current capacity of 40 million gallons per day (MGD) and utilizes a multiple-barrier treatment approach. In this approach, multiple processes are employed within the treatment plant including ozone, an advanced treatment process, as well sediment removal, filtration, and disinfection processes. The result is the production of safe, high-quality drinking water for Town customers that consistently meets all regulatory standards.

Treated water is temporarily stored on-site at the facility and then pumped to water storage tanks located throughout town. The Town operates six elevated storage tanks and one ground-level storage tank. Water system storage provides reliable and continuous water supply during peak demand periods while also providing for emergency storage, consistent water system pressure, and fire protection.

Facility Expansion

In an effort to provide for adequate water supply and meet the needs of Town water customers in the future, plans are currently underway to expand the Cary/Apex Water Treatment Facility to a capacity of 56 million gallons per day (MGD). This expansion project will provide additional treatment units for sediment removal, filtration, and ozonation, as well as upgrade chemical feed systems and increase on-site finished water storage and facility pumping capacity. The project is currently in the design phase, and construction is expected to be completed by summer 2017.

Partnership for Safe Water   

We’re proud to report that in 2011 the Cary/Apex Water Treatment Facility was once again awarded the Partnership for Safe Water Director’s Award for its efforts to achieve excellence in water quality. The Cary/Apex Water Treatment Facility has received this award annually since 2003. The Partnership for Safe Water is a national volunteer initiative developed by the EPA and other U.S. drinking water organizations representing water suppliers striving to provide their communities with drinking water quality that surpasses federal standards. The Director’s Award is presented to water systems who have completed a successful review in the Partnership’s Self-Assessment and Peer Review phase, during which utilities examine the capabilities of their treatment plant operation and their overall utility administration to create a plan for implementing improvements.

In 2011, Cary became a charter member of the Partnership for Safe Water’s Distribution System Optimization Program. The goal of this new program is to further improve and ensure the highest quality drinking water for Cary’s customers by taking proactive steps to optimize water distribution system operations and management.

For more information on the Partnership for Safe Water, please visit the American Water Works Association website at www.awwa.org.

Water Conservation

Established in 1996, Cary’s nationally recognized Water Conservation Program promotes a sustainable approach to the use of Cary’s water resources through a combination of educational outreach initiatives, financial incentives, and water use ordinances. Goals of the water conservation program are promoting WaterWise water use while supporting the high quality of life in Cary; extending the useful life of Cary’s water supply, Jordan Lake; and minimizing costs of infrastructure expansion.

Water conservation initiatives and programs encourage WaterWise practices such as irrigating only when necessary, and according to the appropriate Alternate Day Watering schedule. The Alternate Day Watering ordinance includes a year-round watering schedule that provides three days each week for customers to irrigate with automatic irrigation systems or hose-sprinkler devices based on their numerical street address. Odd addresses can irrigate on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday of each week. Even addresses can irrigate on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday of each week. This schedule extends the life of our facilities by spreading the irrigation demand load over different days. Cary’s annual Beat the Peak campaign is launched each spring to provide assistance with managing water use during irrigation season, when the demand for water nearly doubles.

As an EPA WaterSense Partner, we encourage the use of water-efficient technologies. For example, the Town requires all automatic irrigation systems to include a rain sensor set to a quarter of an inch to prevent watering in the rain. Customers are encouraged to pick up free toilet-leak detection kits during Fix-a-leak Week, and to participate in voluntary programs such as the High Efficiency Toilet Rebate Program, which provides a financial rebate to customers who replace older inefficient toilets with a WaterSense certified toilet that uses a maximum of 1.28 gallons per flush.

By using WaterWise techniques and fixtures, and following the Alternate Day, Rain Sensor, and Water Waste Ordinances, you can trim your peak demand and overall water use. As a result, you not only minimize your water bill, you help the entire Cary community by extending the life of our water allocation from Jordan Lake, and of our water treatment and distribution system facilities.

Should the Town Manager declare a water shortage from drought or an unexpected system-wide issue, Cary’s Water Shortage Response Plan would be implemented. To learn more about this plan, other water conservation programs and initiatives, or WaterWise tips for indoor and outdoor usage, please visit the Water Conservation pages at www.townofcary.org.

Since 1996, Cary’s water-conscious residential customers have reduced water use over 20% from about 75 gallons per person per day to under 60 in 2011.

Where Does Our Water Come From?

The Town of Cary’s drinking water source is the B. Everett Jordan Reservoir, more commonly known as Jordan Lake, which lies approximately 10 miles west of Cary in eastern Chatham County. The lake is a surface water supply developed and managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and is part of the Cape Fear River basin.

Additionally, the Town maintains water system interconnections with the City of Raleigh and City of Durham, which can be used in event of emergency to ensure adequate water supply for Town customers.

Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP) Results

The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Public Water Supply (PWS) Section, Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP) conducted assessments for all drinking water sources across North Carolina. The purpose of the assessments was to determine the susceptibility of each drinking water source (well or surface water intake) to Potential Contaminant Sources (PCSs). The results of the assessment are available in SWAP Assessment Reports that include maps, background information, and a relative susceptibility rating of Higher, Moderate, or Lower.

The relative susceptibility rating of the water source for the Town of Cary was determined by combining the contaminant rating (number and location of PCSs within the assessment area) and the inherent vulnerability rating (i.e., characteristics or existing conditions of the well or watershed and its delineated assessment area).

The complete SWAP Assessment Report for the Town of Cary (PWSID# 03-92-020) may be viewed on the Web at: http://www.ncwater.org/pws/swap. Please note that because SWAP results and reports are periodically updated by the PWS Section, the results available on this website may differ from the results that were available at the time that this Consumer Confidence Report was prepared. To obtain a printed copy of this report, please mail a written request to: Source Water Assessment Program – Report Request, 1634 Mail Service Center, Raleigh NC 27699-1634, or send an email request to swap@ncdenr.gov. Please indicate your system name and PWSID, and provide your name, mailing address, and phone number. If you have any questions about the SWAP report, please contact the Source Water Assessment Program staff by phone at (919) 707-9098.

It is important to understand that a susceptibility rating of “Higher” does not imply poor water quality, only the system’s potential to become contaminated by PCSs in the assessment area.

Cross-Connection Control Program

Cross-connections that can potentially contaminate drinking water distribution lines are a major concern. A cross-connection is formed at any point where a drinking water line connects to industrial equipment (such as boilers), systems containing chemicals (such as air conditioning systems, fire sprinkler systems, and irrigation systems), or water sources of questionable quality. Cross-connection contamination can occur when the pressure in the equipment or system is greater than the pressure inside the drinking water line, causing backpressure. Contamination can also occur when the pressure in the drinking water line drops due to occurrences such as water main breaks or heavy water demand, potentially causing contaminants to backflow from the equipment and into the drinking water system.

Community water supplies are potentially jeopardized by cross-connections unless appropriate valves, known as backflow prevention devices, are installed and properly maintained. We have surveyed all industrial, commercial, institutional, and irrigation facilities in the Town’s service area to make sure that all potential cross-connections are identified and eliminated or protected by a backflow preventer. We also require annual inspection and testing of each backflow preventer to make sure that it is providing maximum protection. These annual inspections are also required for all residential irrigation systems.

For more information on our Cross-Connection Control Program, visit the Town’s website or contact Customer Service at (919) 469-4090. You can also find additional information by reviewing the Cross-Connection Control Manual from the U.S. EPA’s website at http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/drinkingwater/pws/crossconnectioncontrol/index.cfm.

What You Should Know About Lead and 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. We are responsible for providing high-quality drinking water, but we 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 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 www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

Substances That Could Be in Water

To ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the U.S. EPA prescribes regulations limiting the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. U.S. Food and Drug Administration 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 these contaminants does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk.

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, in some cases, radioactive material, and substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity. Substances that may be present in source water include:

Microbial Contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, or wildlife; Inorganic Contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally occurring or may result from urban stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming; Pesticides and Herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources, such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential uses; Organic Chemical Contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production and may also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems; Radioactive Contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or may be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.

For more information about contaminants and potential health effects, call the U.S. EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.

Testing Results

Once again the Town of Cary is proud to report that your drinking water continues to be safe, of high quality, and in compliance with all State and Federal regulations. During the past year, tens of thousands of water samples have been collected and tested in order to determine the presence of any contaminants. The tables below show only those substances that were detected in these tests. We feel that it is important that you know exactly what was detected and how much of the substance was present in your water. The presence of any substance does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. Unless otherwise noted, the data presented in this table are from testing performed from January 1 to December 31, 2011.

The U.S. EPA or the State requires monitoring for certain substances less often than once per year because concentrations of these substances are not expected to vary significantly from year to year. Some of this data, although representative of the water quality, is more than one year old. In these cases, the most recent data are included, along with the year in which the sample was taken.

Unregulated substances are those for which the U.S. EPA has not established drinking water standards. The purpose of unregulated substance monitoring is to assist the U.S. EPA in determining the occurrence of unregulated substances in drinking water and whether future regulation is warranted.

Regulated Substances

Tap water samples were collected for lead and copper analyses from sample sites throughout the community

SECONDARY Substances

UNREGULATED AND OTHER Substances

¹ Compliance with the MRDLs for Disinfectants and MCLs for Disinfection By-Products is based on the running annual average (RAA) shown in the Amount Detected column. The RAA reported is the highest RAA for the year.

² In February 2011, the Town’s target fluoride level in our finished water was lowered to 0.7 ppm in response to and consistent with new Federal guidelines.

³ Based on the average Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and alkalinity levels in our source water, we are required to meet an average % removal for TOC of 45%, which equates to a removal ratio of 1.0 and is classified by the State as the Step 1 compliance method. If we do not achieve that % removal, there is an “alternative % removal” requirement. If we also fail to meet that, we are in violation of a Treatment Technique. In 2011, our running annual average % removal for TOC was 56.25%, or a removal ratio of 1.25. We utilized the Step 1 compliance method and were in compliance with regulatory requirements for TOC removal throughout the year.

⁴ Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of the water. We monitor it because it is a good indicator of the effectiveness of our filtration system. The turbidity rule requires that 95% or more of the monthly samples must be less than or equal to 0.3 NTU.

Definitions

AL (Action Level): The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements that a water system must follow.

MCL (Maximum Contaminant Level): 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.

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.

MRDL (Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level): 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.

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 disinfectants to control microbial contaminants.

NA: Not applicable

ND (Not detected): Indicates that the substance was not found by laboratory analysis.

NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Units): Measurement of the clarity, or turbidity, of water. Turbidity in excess of 5 NTU is just noticeable to the average person.

ppb (parts per billion): One part substance per billion parts water (or micrograms per liter).

ppm (parts per million): One part substance per million parts water (or milligrams per liter).

removal ratio: A ratio between the percentage of a substance actually removed to the percentage of the substance required to be removed.

TT (Treatment Technique): A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.