Annual Drinking Water Quality Report for 2003

Village &Town of Champlain

1104 Route 9 (Main Street), Champlain, New York  12919

(Village Public Water Supply ID#0900211)

(Town Public Water Supply ID#0930006)

Introduction

To comply with State and Federal regulations, we will be annually issuing a report describing the quality of your drinking water. The purpose of this report is to raise your understanding of drinking water and awareness of the need to protect our drinking water sources. This report provides an overview of last year's water quality. Included are details about where your water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to State standards.

If you have any questions about this report or concerning your drinking water, please contact our water superintendent, Mr. Joseph Webb at (518) 298-4152. We want you to be informed about your drinking water. If you want to learn more, please attend any of our regularly scheduled Village Board meetings. The Village Board meets on the second Monday night of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Village office.

In general, 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 and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activities. Contaminants that may be present in source water include microbial contaminants; inorganic contaminants; pesticides and herbicides; organic chemical contaminants; and radioactive contaminants. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the State and the EPA prescribe regulations, which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The State Health Department's and the FDA's regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.

Our drinking water source is drawn from three deep wells. The Village has studied source water for the possibility of susceptibility to contamination. During the past year, the Village also contracted for a more extensive study of the source water as well as testing for MTBE and arsenic to assure that no contamination from the chemical was present. Neither arsenic nor MTBE were detected in any of our drinking water wells.

The well water is disinfected with chlorine. Since 1992, the Village has also added orthophosphate for corrosion control and to prevent rusty water problems. Village water, like most well water in our area, is hard water. Many residents have found that installation of a water softener reduces hard water problems and prevents damages to pipes and furnaces.

Our water system serves a population of 1,240 persons within the Village, the newly annexed industrial park, and the five Town Districts. Last year, the Village system pumped 51,265,935 gallons of water. Village users consumed approximately 49,084,000 gallons of water and 2,181,935 gallons were used or lost due to main flushing, fire protection or leakage. It is recommended that customers retrofit their plumbing with water saving devices and water conserving devices. Upon request, DPW employees will show customers water leak detection procedures that can be easily instituted in the home. In 2003, water customers were charged the following fees:

Are there contaminants in our drinking water?

As the State regulations require, we routinely test your drinking water for numerous contaminants. These contaminants include total coliform, gross alpha, inorganic compounds, nitrate, nitrite, lead and copper, volatile organic compounds, and synthetic organic compounds. The table presented below depicts which compounds were detected in your drinking water. The State allows us to test for some contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently. Some of our data, though representative, are more than one year old.

It should be noted that all drinking water, including bottled drinking water, might be reasonably expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791) or the Clinton County Health Department at (518) 565-4840.

Notes:

1 - The level presented represents the 90^th percentile of the 10 sites tested in 2002. A percentile is a value on a scale of 100 that indicates the percent of a distribution that is equal to or below it. The 90^th percentile is equal to or greater than 90% of the copper values detected at your water system. In this case, 10 samples were collected at your water system and the 90^th percentile value was the second highest value. One of the sites tested had results above the lead action level.

2 - The level presented represents the range of the 10 samples collected in 2003.

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible.

Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): 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.

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

Milligrams per liter (mg/l): Corresponds to one part of liquid in one million parts of liquid (parts per million - PPM).

Micrograms per liter (ug/l): Corresponds to one part of liquid in one billion parts of liquid (parts per billion - ppb.).

Iron was detected at our system iron was detected above the State's Iron MCL of 300 ug/L.  Iron has no health effects.  At 1,000 ug/L a substantial number of people will note the bitter astringent taste of iron. Also, at this concentration, it imparts a brownish color to laundered clothing and stains plumbing fixtures with a characteristic rust color. Staining can result at levels of 50 ug/L, lower than those detectable to taste buds. Therefore, the MCL of 300 ug/L represents a reasonable compromise as adverse aesthetic minimized at this level. Many multivitamins may contain 3,000 or 4,000 parts per billion of iron per capsule.

It should also be noted that the action level for lead was exceeded at one of the 10 test sites. Based on this exceedance we are required to present the following information on lead in drinking water: Infants and young children are typically more vulnerable to lead in drinking water than the general population. It is possible that lead levels at your home may be higher than at other homes in the community as a result of materials used in your home's plumbing. If you are concerned about elevated lead levels in your home's water, you may wish to have your water tested and flush your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using tap water. Additional information is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791).

Is our water system meeting other rules that govern operations

Total Coliform Bacteria !! Monitoring and Reporting Violations

Section 5-1.50 of the New York State Sanitary Code requires that two microbiological samples be collected from our distribution system each month and analyzed for total coliform. Coliforms are bacteria that are naturally present in the environment and are used as an indicator that other, potentially harmful, bacteria may be present. All samples were negative during the year 2003.

Some people may be more vulnerable to disease causing microorganisms or pathogens 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 from their health care provider about their drinking water. EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium, Giardia and other microbial pathogens are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

There are a number of reasons why it is important to conserve water:

• Saving water saves energy and some of the costs associated with both of these necessities of life;

• Saving water reduces the cost of energy required to pump water and the need to construct costly new wells, pumping systems and water towers; and

• Saving water lessens the strain on the water system during a dry spell or drought, helping to avoid severe water use restrictions so that essential fire fighting needs are met.

• You can play a role in conserving water by becoming conscious of the amount of water your household is using, and by looking for ways to use less whenever you can. It is not hard to conserve water. Conservation tips include:

• Automatic dishwashers use 15 gallons for every cycle, regardless of how many dishes are loaded. So get a run for your money and load it to capacity.

• Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth.

• Check every faucet in your home for leaks. Just a slow drip can waste 15 to 20 gallons a day. Fix it up and you can save almost 6,000 gallons per year.

• Check your toilets for leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank watch for a few minutes to see if the color shows up in the bowl.  It is not uncommon to lose up to 100 gallons a day from one of these otherwise invisible toilet leaks.  Fix it and you save more than 30,000 gallons a year.

We ask that all our customers help us protect our water sources. If you have any questions regarding the information presented in this report, please do not hesitate to contact our water superintendent, Mr. Joseph Webb at (518) 298-4152.