S E Daviess County Water District

We're proud to present this year's Annual Municipal Water Quality Report. This document is designed to inform you about the high-quality water and services we deliver daily. Our primary goal is to provide you with safe and reliable water service. We want you to understand the extensive efforts we make to ensure the quality of your water.

Your water doesn't originate from the Ohio River directly. Instead, it begins when Owensboro Municipal Utilities (OMU) draws it from an underground aquifer situated along the Ohio River. The water naturally filters through earth layers as it reaches this aquifer. After extraction, OMU processes the groundwater through aeration, softening, chlorination, filtration, and addition of fluoride and polyphosphate to meet all applicable standards for the water you consume daily.

We then pump this treated water from OMU and distribute it to you, our valued customer. We're pleased to confirm that your municipal water meets all Federal and State requirements. This report details our water quality and what these measurements mean.

All municipal water, including bottled varieties, may reasonably contain at least trace 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 EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

Municipal water sources (both tap and bottled) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels across land or underground, it dissolves naturally-occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances from animal or human activity. Potential contaminants include:

• Microbial contaminants (viruses, bacteria) from sewage facilities, septic systems, agricultural operations, and wildlife
• Inorganic contaminants (salts, metals) either naturally occurring or from urban runoff, wastewater discharges, oil/gas production, mining, or farming
• Pesticides and herbicides from agriculture, urban runoff, and residential usage
• Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organics from industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, urban runoff, and septic systems
• Radioactive contaminants, either naturally occurring or from oil/gas production and mining

To ensure tap water safety, the EPA establishes regulations limiting contaminant levels in public water systems. FDA regulations set similar limits for bottled water to provide equal public health protection.

Some individuals may be more vulnerable to certain contaminants than the general population. Those with compromised immune systems—including cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplant recipients, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune disorders, some elderly individuals, and infants—may face higher risks. These individuals should seek advice from healthcare providers about their municipal water consumption. EPA/CDC guidelines on reducing infection risk from Cryptosporidium and other microbiological contaminants are available through the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

For more information about our water system, you can obtain a Source Water Assessment from the Green River Area Development District at 3860 U.S. Highway 60 West. This assessment rated our water supply's susceptibility to potential contamination sources as moderate, with 2,024 potential sources identified: 263 high-risk, 1,746 medium-risk, and 15 low-risk sources.

Frequently Asked Questions

General Interest

1. How do I start new water service?
2. What should I know about current lead issues?
3. What causes the pink residue in my bathroom?
4. What does a Boil Order mean?
5. How do I contact the District?

Water Service Questions

1. What should I do if I have a leak?
2. How can I turn off water in an emergency?
3. Can I restore water service myself?
4. Could my water be shut off during a District emergency and will I receive notification?
5. Does the municipal water contain fluoride?
6. How do I know the District's water is safe?

Property Management

1. What procedures apply if I own rental property in the District?
2. What steps should I take before leaving for winter, vacation, or temporary work assignments?
3. What should I do when planning to move?

District Information

1. When and where are Board meetings held?
2. Where does our municipal water originate?
3. How do I file a complaint?