East Jefferson Waterworks District 1

To ensure our tap water meets safety standards, the EPA establishes regulations limiting contaminant levels. Similarly, FDA regulations set limits for bottled water to provide equivalent public health protection. Throughout its history, Jefferson Parish has consistently delivered safe water to residents without ever incurring a significant violation of National Primary Municipal Water Regulations.

In 2017, our Water Division continued its tradition of providing high-quality water at reasonable rates - just $2.09 per thousand gallons, among the lowest nationwide for utilities serving populations over 100,000. Last year, testing detected only 15 out of more than 80 EPA-monitored contaminants, all well below allowable limits.

Our mission is providing continuous, safe, high-quality water to Jefferson Parish residents through rigorous monitoring and a multi-stage treatment process including clarification, filtration, primary and secondary disinfection, and corrosion control. The use of powdered activated carbon and participation in the Water Works Warning Network offers protection against chemical spills.

Our nationally recognized Water Quality Lab, recipient of over $5 million in EPA research grants, employs 14 professional scientists who monitor water daily, weekly and monthly, conducting over 80,000 analyses annually. Additional quarterly and annual monitoring is performed by Louisiana's Department of Health and Hospitals.

Jefferson Parish's water comes from the Mississippi River. As water travels across land, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and may pick up substances from human or animal activity. These can include:

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

All drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably contain small amounts of some contaminants. However, 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 (800-426-4791).

A Source Water Assessment Plan is available at our office, listing potential contamination sources near our water intakes. Based on this plan, our water system received a high susceptibility score. Jefferson Parish conducted monthly source water monitoring for Cryptosporidium from April 2015 to March 2017. Of 96 samples collected, Cryptosporidium was found in 3 East Bank samples and 4 West Bank samples, with levels ranging from 0.1-0.2 oocysts per liter.

1. How often is Jefferson Parish water tested?
2. What causes water hardness in our municipal supply?
3. Are there health concerns with the detected contaminants?
4. How does surface water treatment differ from groundwater?
5. What home filtration systems are most effective for our local water?
6. How do seasonal changes affect our water quality?
7. What preventative measures does East Jefferson take during flooding?
8. How does our water compare to national safety standards?