City of St. Clair Shores

St. Clair Shores is proud to present the 2018 Water Quality Report to our valued water and sewer customers. This report provides essential information about your municipal water supply. The great news: St. Clair Shores maintains one of the cleanest water systems nationwide. We deliver not only safe tap water but are pleased to report that our water meets or exceeds all Federal and State quality and safety standards.

ABOUT THE GREAT LAKES WATER AUTHORITY (GLWA)
January 1, 2016 marked the establishment of a regional water authority in Southeast Michigan. Detroit, Macomb, Oakland, Wayne counties, and the State of Michigan united to form the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA). This new organization gives suburban customers a stronger voice in managing one of the nation's largest water and wastewater systems. GLWA oversees regional services while individual communities maintain control of their local water and sewer operations. Learn more at www.glwater.org.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR BILL
St. Clair Shores bills water by unit—one unit equals 100 cubic feet or 748 gallons. We purchase water from GLWA, and every cent of your water/sewer bill goes toward water procurement and maintaining our 70+ year old infrastructure. Like your home's roof or vehicle, our water system requires continuous maintenance.

REDUCING YOUR WATER COSTS
Lowering your bill depends on managing consumption and preventing water loss. The Water Services Contract with GLWA includes two ordinances designed to regulate peak hour usage at the most economical rates. The first restricts water use during supply emergencies. The second limits irrigation to odd/even numbered days. Following these guidelines results in significant savings for both the City and customers.

WATER SOURCE AND TREATMENT
St. Clair Shores' water comes from the Great Lakes, the world's largest freshwater source. We receive water from two GLWA facilities—the Northeast and Lake Huron treatment plants. These surface water treatment facilities filter and process water before distribution through transmission lines to our system and finally to your home.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
An important fact to remember is that water quality is directly affected by property runoff and improper disposal of materials in the stormwater system. Keeping lawn clippings out of streets and catch basins and using environmentally-friendly lawn care products helps reduce algae and sediment issues.

POTENTIAL CONTAMINANTS
All water, including bottled water, may reasonably contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. Their presence doesn't necessarily indicate a health risk. For more information about contaminants and potential health effects, call 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 across land or underground, it dissolves naturally-occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive materials, and can pick up substances from animal or human activity. Potential contaminants include:

• Microbial contaminants like viruses and bacteria from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural operations, and wildlife
• Inorganic contaminants such as 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 runoff, and residential uses
• Organic chemical contaminants including synthetic and volatile organics from industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, urban runoff, and septic systems
• Radioactive contaminants occurring naturally or resulting from oil/gas production and mining

VULNERABLE POPULATIONS
Some people may be more vulnerable to water contaminants than the general population. Immunocompromised individuals—such as those undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplant recipients, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune disorders, some elderly, and infants—can be particularly at risk. These individuals should seek advice from healthcare providers about their drinking water.

LEAD AWARENESS
Elevated lead levels can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water primarily comes from materials in service lines and home plumbing. While St. Clair Shores provides high-quality water, we can't control the materials used in plumbing components. If your water has been sitting for several hours, minimize potential lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If concerned about lead, consider having your water tested. Information about lead in water, testing methods, and steps to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791 or at www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

For questions about source water and contaminants, call the DPW Water Department at 586-445-5374, Monday-Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

SOURCE WATER ASSESSMENT
Your source water comes from the Detroit River within the Lake St. Clair and several U.S. and Canadian watersheds, as well as the lower Lake Huron watershed, which includes several short seasonal streams draining into Lake Huron. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, in partnership with the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department and other agencies, conducted a Source Water Assessment in 2005 to determine contamination susceptibility. The assessment used a seven-tiered scale from "very low" to "very high" based on geological sensitivity, water chemistry, and contamination sources. The Detroit River source water intakes were determined to be highly susceptible to potential contamination.

1. What contaminants are most concerning in St. Clair Shores water?
   The primary contaminants of concern include trihalomethanes (TTHMs), haloacetic acids, and trace amounts of heavy metals that may occur seasonally.
2. How often is St. Clair Shores water tested?
   The municipal water is tested continuously at treatment facilities and at regular intervals throughout the distribution system in accordance with EPA and MDEQ requirements.
3. Does St. Clair Shores add fluoride to the water?
   Yes, fluoride is added to the water at treatment facilities to promote dental health, maintaining levels between 0.6-0.8 ppm as recommended by health authorities.
4. Where does St. Clair Shores get its water?
   The city purchases surface water from the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA), which sources from Lake Huron and the Detroit River.
5. How hard is St. Clair Shores water?
   The water is considered moderately hard to hard, typically measuring between 8-12 grains per gallon, which may cause scale buildup in pipes and appliances.