Plantation East & Central

Water sources for both tap and bottled water include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over land surfaces or through the ground, it dissolves naturally-occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive materials. It can also pick up substances resulting from animal presence or human activities.

Potential contaminants in source water include:

• Microbial Contaminants: Viruses and bacteria from sewage treatment facilities, septic systems, agricultural operations, and wildlife
• Inorganic Contaminants: 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, urban stormwater runoff, and residential uses
• Organic Chemical Contaminants: Synthetic and volatile organics, byproducts of industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, urban runoff, and septic systems
• Radioactive Contaminants: Naturally occurring or resulting from oil/gas production and mining activities

To ensure tap water safety, the EPA establishes regulations limiting certain contaminants in public water systems. FDA regulations set similar limits for bottled water to provide equivalent public health protection. All drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants doesn't necessarily indicate a health risk.

For more information about contaminants and potential health effects, contact the Environmental Protection Agency's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection conducted a Source Water Assessment on our system in 2017, identifying 12 unique potential contamination sources with low to moderate susceptibility levels. Assessment results are available at www.dep.state.fl.us/swapp or from the Plantation Utilities Department.

Some individuals may be more vulnerable to water contaminants than the general population. Immuno-compromised persons (cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplant recipients, HIV/AIDS patients, some elderly, and infants) should seek advice from healthcare providers about drinking water. EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to reduce infection risk from Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Water Drinking Hotline (800-426-4791).

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