City of Louisville

Health Information Regarding Water Quality

Infants and young children are typically more vulnerable to lead in municipal water than the general population. Lead levels in your home may be higher than in other residences due to plumbing materials used. If concerned about elevated lead levels, consider having your water tested and flush your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for consumption. Additional information is available from the Safe Municipal Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.

Standard Information

To ensure tap water safety, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment establishes regulations limiting contaminant amounts in public water systems. FDA guidelines similarly restrict impurities in bottled water to provide equivalent public health protection. All water sources, including bottled water, reasonably contain some contaminants, though their presence doesn't necessarily indicate health risks.

Some individuals may be more susceptible to water contaminants than others, including:

• Immunocompromised persons undergoing cancer treatment
• Organ transplant recipients
• People with HIV/AIDS or immune disorders
• Elderly individuals
• Infants

These vulnerable populations should seek advice from healthcare providers regarding water consumption. For information about contaminants and potential health effects, contact the EPA Safe Municipal Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791).

Water sources 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: viruses and bacteria from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural operations, and wildlife
• Inorganic contaminants: salts and metals occurring naturally or resulting from urban runoff, industrial/domestic wastewater, oil/gas production, mining, or farming
• Pesticides and herbicides: from agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential uses
• Radioactive contaminants: naturally occurring or resulting from oil/gas production and mining
• Organic chemical contaminants: synthetic and volatile organic chemicals from industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, urban runoff, and septic systems

Lead in Municipal Water

Elevated lead levels can cause serious health problems, particularly for pregnant women and young children. When water has been sitting for several hours, minimize lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. More information is available from the Safe Municipal Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791) or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

Source Water Assessment and Protection (SWAP)

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has provided a Source Water Assessment Report. For details or to obtain a copy, visit www.colorado.gov/cdphe/ccr under "Guidance: Source Water Assessment Reports" or search using 107487, LOUISVILLE CITY OF, or contact TERRELL PHILLIPS at 303-335-4792.

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