CR-214 Mainland

Currently, elevated lead levels can pose significant health risks, particularly for pregnant women and young children. Lead in tap water primarily comes from materials connected to service lines and home plumbing systems. While we strive to deliver quality water, we cannot control all plumbing component materials used in homes.

When water sits in pipes for several hours, you can minimize potential lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30-120 seconds before using water for consumption or cooking. If concerned about lead presence, consider water testing. Information about lead in water, testing methods, and exposure reduction is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

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, sometimes radioactive materials, and can pick up substances from animal or human activity.

Potential contaminants in source water include:

• Microbial contaminants like viruses and bacteria from sewage plants, septic systems, agricultural operations, and wildlife
• Inorganic contaminants such as salts and metals, occurring naturally or resulting 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, runoff, and septic systems
• Radioactive contaminants, naturally occurring or resulting from oil/gas production and mining

The EPA establishes regulations limiting specific contaminants in public water systems to ensure safety. FDA regulations set similar limits for bottled water. All water sources may reasonably contain small amounts of some contaminants, which doesn't necessarily indicate health risks. For more information about contaminants and potential health effects, call the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791).

Some individuals may be more vulnerable to water contaminants than the general population. Immunocompromised persons, cancer patients undergoing treatment, transplant recipients, people with HIV/AIDS, elderly individuals, and infants may face increased infection risks. These people should consult healthcare providers about drinking water safety. EPA/CDC guidelines on reducing Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminant risks are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

St. Augustine Water Treatment Plant staff works around the clock to provide quality water to every home and business. We ask all customers to help protect our drinking water sources—the heart of our community and our children's future. We participated in the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Regulation (UCMR3) program through additional water testing, helping the EPA determine if new regulatory standards are needed to improve water quality.

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