City of Livingston

We're pleased to present this year's Annual Quality Water Report to our Livingston residents. Our commitment remains providing you with safe, reliable municipal water service throughout the past year. Our water comes from six groundwater wells located within city limits, serving approximately 7,500 community members.

For those interested in additional information about potential contamination sources to our water supply, our source water protection plan is available online at http://apps.Msl.Mt.Gov/Geographic_Information/Data/SourceWaterProtectionProgram/

All municipal water, including bottled varieties, may contain small amounts of certain contaminants. Their presence doesn't necessarily indicate a health risk. For more information about contaminants and potential health effects, please contact the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791.

Water sources (both tap and bottled) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over land or underground, it dissolves naturally-occurring minerals and can pick up substances from animal presence or human activity. Potential contaminants include:

• Microbial contaminants from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural operations, and wildlife
• Inorganic contaminants like salts and metals that occur naturally or result from urban runoff, industrial discharges, oil/gas production, mining, or farming
• Pesticides and herbicides from agriculture, urban runoff, and residential usage
• Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile compounds from industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, stormwater runoff, and septic systems
• Radioactive contaminants that occur naturally or result from oil/gas production and mining

To ensure tap water safety, EPA regulations limit certain contaminants in public water systems. Similarly, FDA regulations establish limits for bottled water to provide equivalent public health protection.

We're proud to report that our municipal water meets or exceeds all federal and state requirements. Our certified operator, Tom Schweigert, has years of experience and can be reached at 222-5667 with any questions. Public meetings are held on the first and third Tuesday monthly at 7:00 pm at the City/County Complex Building.

Livingston treats water with chlorine before distribution and regularly monitors water quality according to federal and state laws. We've been granted monitoring waivers for certain inorganic contaminants in Wells 3-7, allowing testing only once every nine years for specific regulated substances. Previous testing shows these aren't present or exist in negligible amounts.

Regarding lead concerns, our sampling complies with the Lead and Copper Rule. Elevated lead levels can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead typically comes from materials in home plumbing systems. You can minimize exposure by flushing taps for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking.

Our continuous monitoring ensures your water remains safe. While it contains trace amounts of arsenic below EPA thresholds, we maintain vigilance as research continues about potential health effects of low-level arsenic exposure.

Some individuals may be more vulnerable to contaminants, including those undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplant recipients, people with immune disorders, elderly individuals, and infants. These people should seek advice from healthcare providers about their drinking water.

1. How is municipal water treated in Livingston?
2. What causes water hardness in our region?
3. Are home water filters necessary for Livingston residents?
4. How often is Livingston's water tested?
5. What should I do if I notice unusual taste or odor in my tap water?