Hardin County Water District #2

Each year, professionals from Kentucky and Tennessee conduct Best Tasting Municipal Water competitions. In 2017, our District earned the title of "best tasting water" at the Kentucky/Tennessee American Water Works Association's annual conference. This prestigious recognition isn't new to us, and we take immense pride in delivering excellence to our consumers.

The District will represent the region at the American Water Works Association national conference this June. We've previously won the Kentucky/Tennessee competition and placed in the top 5 nationally. Our water not only tastes exceptional, but we also maintain some of the lowest water rates in Kentucky – a winning combination of value and quality!

What is a water quality report?
This report provides information about contaminants the District tests and monitors in your water. We make this data available so you can understand our rigorous measures to ensure your water safety. The District conducts routine sampling, monitoring, and maintains an ongoing flushing program for optimal water quality. We perform thousands of tests annually to exceed federal and state standards.

Did you know?

• By the time you feel thirsty, your body has already lost over 1% of its total water
• One billion people worldwide lack access to safe municipal water
• According to the World Water Development Report, many girls in developing countries miss school because they're responsible for collecting household water
• Americans discard 2.5 million plastic water bottles hourly, each taking 500 years to decompose
• Bottled water requires 1,100-2,000 times more energy to produce than tap water
• In blind taste-tests, consumers often find tap water tastes equal to or better than bottled water

What is the source of my water?
Your home receives water through a network of pipes originating from one or both of our treatment plants: White Mills and City Springs, plus the Louisville Water Company. City Springs Plant uses a combination of surface and groundwater from Old City Spring, Gaither Spring (Dyer Spring), and four wells. White Mills plant utilizes surface water from Nolin River. Louisville Water operates a surface water treatment plant with an Ohio River intake.

In October 2003, the Kentucky Division of Water approved a Source Water Assessment and Protection Plan for Jefferson County. The plan evaluates Louisville Water's vulnerability to potential contamination sources, identifying hazardous material leaks on the Ohio River and permitted sanitary sewer discharges as the highest contamination risks.

Hardin County Water District No. 2 has developed Source Water Action Plans (SWAP) that analyze our water sources' contamination susceptibility. These approved plans are available for inspection at our Customer Service Center at 360 Ring Road in Elizabethtown.

Why are there contaminants in my water?
All water sources, including bottled water, reasonably contain at least small amounts of contaminants. Their presence doesn't necessarily indicate a health risk. For information about contaminants and potential health effects, contact the EPA's Safe Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

To understand potential health implications, consider that a person would need to consume two liters of water daily at the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for a lifetime to have a one-in-a-million chance of experiencing described health effects.

Water sources (both tap and bottled) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels across land or underground, it dissolves natural minerals, sometimes radioactive materials, and can pick up substances from animal or human activity.

Potential contaminants include:

• Microbial contaminants (viruses, bacteria) from sewage treatment, septic systems, agricultural operations, and wildlife
• Inorganic contaminants (salts, metals) occurring naturally or from urban runoff, industrial discharges, oil/gas production, mining, or farming
• Pesticides and herbicides from agriculture, urban runoff, and residential uses
• Organic chemical contaminants from industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, runoff, and septic systems
• Radioactive contaminants that occur naturally or result from energy and mining activities

Is our water system meeting other regulations?
The EPA establishes regulations limiting contaminant amounts in public water systems to ensure drinking water safety. Similarly, FDA regulations set limits for contaminants in bottled water to provide the same public health protection.

Should I take special precautions?
Some individuals may be more vulnerable to water contaminants than the general population. Immunocompromised persons—including cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplant recipients, HIV/AIDS patients, elderly individuals, and infants—should seek advice from healthcare providers about drinking water.

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