City of Martinsville

GENERAL INFORMATION

As water flows over land or through soil layers, it naturally dissolves minerals and may pick up substances from human and animal activity. These substances, called contaminants, can potentially affect your water quality.

Contaminants that might be present in source water include:

• Microbial contaminants (viruses, bacteria) from sewage facilities, septic systems, agricultural operations, and wildlife
• Inorganic contaminants (salts, metals) from natural sources, urban runoff, industrial discharges, or agricultural activities
• Pesticides and herbicides from farming, urban stormwater runoff, and residential usage
• Organic chemical contaminants from industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, and septic systems
• Radioactive elements that occur naturally or result from oil/gas production

The Virginia Division of Health conducted a source water assessment of our system. The Beaver Creek Reservoir and tributary creeks were determined to have high susceptibility to contamination, similar to most surface water sources across Virginia. This assessment includes maps of the evaluation area, an inventory of potential contamination sources, and documentation of any known issues within the past 5 years.

WATER SAFETY STANDARDS

The EPA establishes regulations limiting contaminant levels in public water systems, while FDA regulations set similar standards for bottled water. All water sources, including bottled water, may reasonably contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants doesn't necessarily indicate a health risk. For more information, contact the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

Some individuals may be more vulnerable to certain water contaminants than the general population. People with compromised immune systems (cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplant recipients, HIV/AIDS patients), elderly individuals, and infants should seek advice from healthcare providers. The EPA and CDC offer guidelines on reducing infection risks, available through the Safe Drinking Water Hotline.

WATER SOURCES AND TREATMENT

Our primary water source is the Beaver Creek Reservoir, with supplemental supply from Leatherwood Creek when needed. Before distribution, your water undergoes comprehensive treatment at the Martinsville Water Treatment Plant to remove potentially harmful substances.

The treatment process includes:

• Chlorine application for disinfection
• Alum addition for coagulation and flocculation
• Lime to adjust pH and increase hardness
• Fluoride to help prevent tooth decay
• Sedimentation to allow particles to settle
• Filtration to remove remaining particles

Before distribution, we add chlorine to maintain disinfection throughout the system, sodium hydroxide for pH balance, and sodium hexametaphosphate to minimize pipe corrosion.

.. ...