Citizens Water Service, Inc.

Working alongside the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), Citizens' Water Services, Inc. has established a comprehensive Source Water Assessment plan to safeguard our water resources. This assessment has been completed, public notifications issued, and ADEM has approved our plan. Residents can review this document at our office during regular business hours or request a copy for a nominal fee.

Citizens' Water Service regularly conducts water storage facility inspections and maintains a rigorous Bacteriological Monitoring Plan. We maintain required chlorine levels throughout our distribution network to protect against external contaminants. Our Cross-Connection Policy further ensures safe water delivery to all customers.

We ask all residents to help protect our precious water sources by:

• Following instructions carefully when using lawn and garden chemicals
• Properly disposing of household chemicals, paints, and waste oil
• Supporting our efforts to protect community water resources for current and future generations

All water, including bottled water, naturally contains small amounts of certain substances. The presence of these substances doesn't necessarily indicate a health risk. Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) are set at very stringent levels. To understand potential health effects, a person would need to consume 2 liters of water daily at the MCL level for a lifetime to have a one-in-a-million chance of experiencing the described health effect.

EPA regulations limit contaminant levels in public water systems, while FDA regulations establish limits for bottled water. Water sources (both tap and bottled) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over land or underground, it dissolves minerals and can pick up substances from animal or human activity. Potential contaminants include:

• Microbial contaminants: viruses and bacteria from sewage treatment, septic systems, livestock, and wildlife
• Inorganic contaminants: naturally-occurring salts and metals, urban runoff, industrial/domestic waste, oil/gas production, mining, and farming
• Pesticides and herbicides: from agriculture, urban runoff, and residential use
• Organic chemical contaminants: industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, urban runoff, and septic systems
• Radioactive contaminants: naturally occurring or from oil/gas production and mining

Some individuals may be more vulnerable to water contaminants than the general population. Those with compromised immune systems (cancer patients, organ transplant recipients, HIV/AIDS patients), the elderly, and infants may face higher risks. These individuals should consult healthcare providers about their water consumption. EPA/CDC guidelines on reducing Cryptosporidium risk are available at 800-426-4791.

Lead in drinking water typically comes from service lines and home plumbing rather than source water. Elevated lead levels pose serious health risks, especially for pregnant women and young children. We recommend using only cold water for drinking, cooking, and especially baby formula, as hot water increases lead leaching. After water has been sitting for several hours, flush your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using it.

Water conservation remains important despite recent precipitation improvements. We encourage all residents to use water wisely as we continue to face long-term precipitation deficits.

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