City of Emporia

Where does your water come from? The Neosho River, supplemented by Council Grove Reservoir, provides Emporia with an adequate water supply for future needs. An assessment of our source water has been completed and is available by contacting us or downloading results at www.kdhe.state.ks.us/nps.

Sources of municipal water (both tap and bottled) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels across land or underground, it dissolves naturally-occurring minerals and can pick up substances from animal presence or human activity.

Potential contaminants in source water include:

• Microbial contaminants from sewage plants, septic systems, agricultural operations, and wildlife
• Inorganic contaminants like salts and metals, either naturally-occurring or from urban runoff, wastewater discharges, oil/gas production, or farming
• Pesticides and herbicides from various agricultural and residential uses
• Radioactive contaminants that occur naturally
• Organic chemical contaminants from industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, urban runoff, and septic systems

EPA regulations limit contaminant levels in public water systems to ensure tap water safety. We treat our water according to these guidelines. FDA regulations establish similar limits for bottled water to provide equal public health protection.

During 2013, we collected twenty-five coliform bacteria samples monthly, all of which complied with regulations. Our water quality data represents testing from January-December 2017, though some data may be older as certain contaminants are monitored less frequently when concentrations aren't expected to vary significantly year-to-year.

What is Atrazine and how does it affect our water? Atrazine is a common herbicide used for weed control in corn and sorghum production. It's also used in urban areas along railways. The maximum contaminant level (MCL) for Atrazine in municipal water is 3 micrograms per liter using a running annual average.

Regarding Cryptosporidium and Giardia: These protozoan parasites can occur naturally in surface waters. Ingesting Cryptosporidium can cause an infection with symptoms including diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever, and headache. Our water treatment process provides multiple barriers including lime softening, clarification, disinfection, filtration, and process management to reduce risk. OZONE serves as our primary disinfectant, effectively destroying bacteria, giardia, cryptosporidium, and removing tastes and odors.

Lead and Copper testing: Water Plant Personnel collect samples from both the treatment facility and throughout the distribution system. Regulatory testing began in 1992 with semi-annual sampling. Due to our effective treatment methods, we've demonstrated that Lead and Copper aren't problematic in Emporia and now operate under a reduced monitoring schedule of testing once every three years.

This report aims to inform residents about the quality of water and services routinely provided. Our commitment remains providing safe, clean, and reliable municipal water. We continuously monitor, improve, and protect our water system to deliver excellence.

The Greenup Water System draws surface water from the Little Sandy River. An assessment of contamination susceptibility yields a moderate rating. Of 156 potential contaminant sites near the intake, 12 received low ratings, 134 medium ratings, and only 10 high ratings. High-rated concerns include agricultural lands using pesticides, municipal sewer systems due to potential line breaks, and bridges/culverts.

Municipal water, including bottled varieties, reasonably may contain small amounts of certain contaminants. Their presence doesn't necessarily indicate health risks. For more information about contaminants and potential health effects, call the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

To ensure safety, EPA prescribes regulations limiting contaminant levels in public water supplies. FDA regulations establish similar limits for bottled water, providing equivalent public health protection.

Some individuals may be more vulnerable to contaminants than the general population. Immunocompromised persons—including cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplant recipients, people with HIV/AIDS or immune disorders, some elderly individuals, and infants—may face heightened infection risks. These individuals should seek advice from healthcare providers regarding water consumption. EPA/CDC guidelines on reducing Cryptosporidium and other microbial contamination risks are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).