Hardin County Water District #1/Ft. Knox

Quality First - We are delighted to present our annual water quality statement. As in recent years, we remain dedicated to delivering the highest quality municipal water possible. We continually address challenges related to new regulations, source water protection, conservation efforts, and community education while meeting our customers' needs. We encourage you to share your thoughts about the information in this report. Well-informed customers are our greatest allies.

For more information about this report or questions about your municipal water, please contact Mr. Bob Gohman, Water Treatment Plant Supervisor, at (270) 862-4340 or by fax at (270) 862-5740. You can also reach him via email at cgohman@hcwd.com.

How Is My Water Treated and Purified?
All three Water Treatment Plants use a three-step process including filtration to remove larger contaminants. The PWP and MWP also add powdered activated carbon to absorb various chemicals and pollutants. The water then passes through a multimedia filtration system using four sizes of sand and small rocks, plus an anthracite coal layer. These filters effectively remove microscopic contaminants. Finally, the treated water is stored in holding tanks where it's completely disinfected to meet all federal and state requirements.

The finished water travels through more than 400 miles of water mains to reach 13 storage containers that can hold approximately 7 million gallons. The PWP, completely rebuilt recently, has won five industry awards. Tours can be arranged for school and civic groups at any of our treatment plants by contacting Mr. Gohman.

Lead in Home Plumbing
If present, elevated lead levels can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in municipal water primarily comes from materials and components in service lines and home plumbing. While we provide high-quality water, we cannot control the materials used in plumbing components. When water sits for several hours, you can minimize lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If concerned, you may have your water tested. Information about lead in water, testing methods, and exposure reduction is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at www.epa.gov/lead.

Wellhead Protection Plan
Hardin County Water District No. 1 and Fort Knox Water updated their Wellhead Protection Programs in 2016. A county-wide public meeting included representatives from all water-producing utilities in the region plus personnel from KY Rural Water Association, KY Geological Survey, and Hardin County Planning and Zoning. This collaborative effort strengthens source water protection.

Previous protection efforts identified drainage basins that feed our raw water sources to determine possible contamination types and develop programs to better safeguard these sources. The Pirtle Spring WTP found that its two separate sources don't share the same water. Pirtle Spring collects water from a 27-square-mile area, while Head of Rough Spring collects from a 17-square-mile area. These watersheds, primarily in agricultural areas, expose our treatment process to agricultural runoff including fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides.

Water Quality Characteristics
Due to the karst water supplies through which our source waters travel, our water contains high calcium levels, averaging about 80 parts per million (ppm) calcium and 200 ppm calcium hardness. This calcium benefits our customers' health, supporting essential functions like blood clotting, muscle contraction (including heart contractions), and bone and tooth formation. The Institute of Medicine recommends 700-1300 mg of calcium daily depending on age and gender. By consuming the recommended 0.2-1.0 gallons of water daily, customers can fulfill over 20% of their recommended calcium intake.

We acknowledge that water hardness has disadvantages. Water heaters, dishwashers, and humidifiers are most affected as calcium precipitates at higher temperatures, causing scale buildup. Regular preventative maintenance every 3-6 months can significantly extend the life of these appliances. Both Fort Knox water treatment plants provide treatment to reduce finished water hardness by 63%.

Substances That May Be in Water
To ensure tap water safety, the EPA establishes regulations limiting contaminant amounts in public water systems. FDA regulations set similar limits for bottled water. Drinking water sources (both tap and bottled) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over land or underground, it dissolves natural minerals, sometimes radioactive materials, and substances from animal or human activity.

Potential contaminants include:

• Microbial Contaminants - viruses and bacteria from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural operations, or wildlife
• Inorganic Contaminants - salts and metals occurring naturally or resulting from urban runoff, wastewater discharges, oil/gas production, mining, or farming
• Pesticides and Herbicides - from agriculture, urban runoff, and residential uses
• Organic Chemical Contaminants - synthetic and volatile organics from industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, urban runoff, and septic systems
• Radioactive Contaminants - naturally occurring or resulting from oil/gas production and mining

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.

Testing Results
Our water undergoes rigorous testing on a strict sampling schedule. The information in our data tables shows only substances detected between January 1 and December 31, 2017. Remember that detecting a substance doesn't mean the water is unsafe - our goal is to keep all detections within regulatory limits.

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