Annual Water Quality Report

Water testing performed in 2007

TOWN Of CARY

Dept. of Public Works & Utilities

PO Box 8005

Cary, NC 27512-8005

Meeting the Challenge

We are once again proud to present to you our annual drinking water quality report. This edition covers all testing completed from January 1 through December 31, 2007. Over the years, we have dedicated ourselves to producing and delivering the highest quality drinking water that meets all state and federal drinking water standards. We continually strive to adopt new and better methods for delivering the best quality drinking water to you. As potential threats to drinking water safety emerge, we remain vigilant in meeting the challenges of source water protection, water conservation and community education while continuing to serve the needs of all our water users.

Important Health Information

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 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.

Community Participation

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

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. The water is treated 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.

For the fifth consecutive year, in 2007 the Cary/Apex Water Treatment Facility received the Partnership for Safe Water Director’s Award. Our facility proudly joins less than 5% of water utilities nationwide in this honor. For more information about the Partnership for Safe Water and this award, please visit the American Waterworks Association Web site at www.awwa.org/science/partnership/.

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 (PCS’s). The results of the assessments 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 Jordan Lake, the water source for the Town of Cary, was determined by combining the contaminant rating (number and location of PCS’s 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 assessment reported a Higher rating for Jordan Lake. This assessment was most recently updated on May 17, 2007.

The complete SWAP Assessment Report for the Town of Cary may be viewed on the Web at www.deh.enr.state.nc.us/pws/swap. Please note that because SWAP results and reports are periodically updated by the PWS Section, the results available on this Web site may differ from the results that were available at the time this water quality 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 e-mail a request to swap@ncmail.net. Please indicate your system’s name, your PWSID, and your name, mailing address and phone number. If you have any questions about the SWAP Report please contact the Source Water Assessment staff by phone at (919) 715-2633.

Please understand that a susceptibility rating of Higher does not imply poor water quality, but rather the system’s potential to become contaminated by PCSs in the assessment area.

Water Conservation

The recent severe drought in our area reminds us all of how important it is to use water wisely. Established in 1996, the Town of Cary’s nationally recognized Water Conservation Program uses a combination of educational outreach initiatives, financial incentives, and regulations to create and maintain our community’s culture of conservation and responsible water use. You can play a role in using our water resources wisely by being mindful of the amount of water your household uses and by looking for ways to use less when possible. Visit the Water Conservation Web section of www.townofcary.org for information about our programs as well as many helpful tips on easy steps you can take to minimize water waste.

Questions?

For any questions or concerns relating to your drinking water or water service, please contact Customer Service for the Town’s Department of Public Works and Utilities at (919) 469-4090. For more information about this report, please contact Penny Rosser, Chemist at the Cary/Apex Water Treatment Facility at (919) 362-5502.

Substances That Might Be in Drinking 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.

Contamination from Cross-Connections

Cross-connections that contaminate drinking water distribution lines are a major concern. A cross-connection is formed at any point where a drinking water line connects to equipment (boilers), systems containing chemicals (air conditioning systems, fire sprinkler systems, 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 (backpressure). Contamination can also occur when the pressure in the drinking water line drops due to fairly routine occurrences (main breaks, heavy water demand) causing contaminants to be sucked out from the equipment and into the drinking water line (backsiphonage).

Outside water taps and garden hoses tend to be the most common sources of cross-connection contamination at home. The garden hose creates a hazard when submerged in a swimming pool or when attached to a chemical sprayer for weed killing. Garden hoses that are left lying on the ground may be contaminated by fertilizers or garden chemicals. Improperly installed valves in your toilet could also be a source of cross-connection contamination.

Community water supplies are at risk for cross-connections unless appropriate valves, known as backflow prevention devices, are installed and 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. The Town of Cary’s cross connection program meets state and federal requirements and is consistent with backflow manufacturers’ recommendations. For more information, visit the Town’s Web site or contact Customer Service at (919) 469-4090. You can also find additional information by reviewing the Cross-Connection Control Manual on the EPA’s Web site at www.epa.gov/safewater/crossconnection.html.

Testing Results

Once again, we're proud to report that your drinking water continues to be safe. During the past year we have tested thousands of water samples in order to determine the presence of any radioactive, biological, inorganic, volatile organic, or synthetic organic contaminants. The table below shows only those contaminants that were detected in the water. We feel it is important that you know exactly what was detected and how much of the substance was present in your water. Unless otherwise noted, the data presented in this table is from testing performed from January 1 through December 31, 2007. The EPA and the state require us to monitor for certain substances less than once per year because the concentrations of these substances are not expected to vary significantly from year to year. Some of this data, though representative of the water quality, is more than one year old.

Regulated Substances

Substance

(Unit of Measure)

Year

Sampled

MCL

[MRDL]

MCLG

[MRDLG]

Your

Water

Range

Low-High

Violation

Typical Source

Beta/Photon Emitters1 (pCi/L)

2006

4.4

Decay of natural and man-made deposits

Chloramines (ppm)

2007

[4]

2.77

0.07–4.09

Water additive used to control microbes

Chlorine (ppm)

2007

[4]

0.35

0.1–3.36

Water additive used to control microbes

Fluoride (ppm)

2007

1.3

ND–1.3

Erosion of natural deposits; Water additive which promotes strong teeth; Discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories

Haloacetic Acids [HAA] (ppb)

2007

24–59

By-product of drinking water disinfection

Nitrite (ppm)

2007

0.04

ND–0.04

Runoff from fertilizer use; Leaching from septic tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits

TTHMs [Total Trihalomethanes]2 (ppb)

2007

51–101

By-product of drinking water chlorination

Total Coliform Bacteria (% positive samples)

2007

5% of monthly samples are positive

Yes

Naturally present in the environment

Total Organic Carbon [TOC]–TREATED3 (removal ratio)

2007

1.23

1.01–1.40

Naturally present in the environment

Turbidity4 (NTU)

2007

TT ⁼ 1 NTU

0.26