North Marshall Utilities

All municipal water, including bottled water products, can reasonably be expected to contain at least minimal amounts of certain contaminants. The presence of these substances doesn't necessarily indicate your water poses a health risk. Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), outlined in this report, are established at very conservative thresholds. To understand potential health effects described for regulated constituents, an individual would need to consume 2 liters of water daily at the MCL level for a lifetime to have a one-in-a-million chance of experiencing the described health effect.

Water sources (both tap and bottled) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels across land surfaces or through soil, it dissolves naturally-occurring minerals and radioactive material, and can pick up substances from animal or human activities. Potential contaminants in source water include:

• Microbial contaminants such as viruses and bacteria from sewage treatment facilities, septic systems, agricultural operations, and wildlife
• Inorganic contaminants including salts and metals that occur naturally or result from urban stormwater runoff, industrial/domestic wastewater discharges, oil/gas production, mining, or farming
• Pesticides and herbicides from various sources including agriculture, stormwater runoff, and residential usage
• Organic chemical contaminants, both synthetic and volatile organic compounds, which are byproducts of industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems
• Radioactive contaminants that can occur naturally or result from oil/gas production and mining operations

To ensure tap water safety, EPA establishes regulations limiting contaminant levels in public water systems. FDA regulations set similar limits for bottled water products. Some individuals may be more vulnerable to water contaminants than the general population. Immunocompromised persons, such as cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplant recipients, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune disorders, some elderly individuals, and infants can be particularly susceptible to infections. These individuals should seek advice about their drinking water from healthcare providers.

EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate measures to reduce infection risk from Cryptosporidium and other microbiological contaminants are available through the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791). We regularly monitor source water for pathogens like Cryptosporidium and Giardia, which can enter water from animal or human waste. All test results have been within federal and state standards.

For immunocompromised individuals, guidance documents developed jointly by the EPA and CDC are available online at www.epa.gov/safewater/crypto.html or from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791. This statement does not indicate the presence of cryptosporidium in our water supply.

Following an ADEM study with EPA approval, Alabama received a statewide monitoring waiver for asbestos and dioxin, making testing for these contaminants unnecessary. If present, elevated lead levels can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water primarily comes from materials and components in service lines and home plumbing systems. While we're responsible for providing high-quality drinking 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 about lead, consider having your water tested. Information about lead in drinking water, testing methods, and minimization steps is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

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