Ponca City Mun Water

To ensure tap water safety, the EPA establishes regulations limiting contaminant levels in public water systems. Similarly, FDA regulations set standards for bottled water to provide equivalent public health protection. All water sources, whether tap or bottled, naturally contain some level of contaminants, though their presence doesn't necessarily indicate a health risk.

Water sources include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels across land or underground, it dissolves natural minerals, sometimes radioactive materials, and substances from animal or human activities.

Potential contaminants in source water include:

• Microbial Contaminants: Viruses and bacteria from sewage facilities, septic systems, agricultural operations, or wildlife
• Inorganic Contaminants: Salts and metals occurring naturally or resulting from urban runoff, wastewater discharge, oil/gas production, mining, or farming
• Pesticides/Herbicides: From agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential usage
• Organic Chemical Contaminants: Synthetic and volatile organic compounds from industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, urban runoff, or septic systems
• Radioactive Contaminants: Naturally occurring or resulting from oil/gas production and mining

For additional information about contaminants and potential health effects, contact the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.

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