Silver City Water System

All water sources, including bottled water, can reasonably contain trace amounts of some contaminants. The presence of these substances doesn't necessarily indicate a health hazard. For more detailed information about contaminants and potential health impacts, contact the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Safe Drinking Hotline (1-800-426-4791).

Municipal water sources (both tap and bottled) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels across land or through ground layers, it dissolves naturally-occurring minerals and sometimes radioactive materials, and can pick up substances from animal or human activities.

Common contaminant types include:

• Microbial contaminants like viruses and bacteria from sewage treatment facilities, septic systems, agricultural operations, and wildlife
• Inorganic contaminants such as salts and metals occurring naturally or resulting from urban runoff, industrial wastewater, oil/gas production, or farming
• Pesticides and herbicides from agricultural, urban runoff, and residential usage
• Organic chemical contaminants including synthetic and volatile compounds from industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, and septic systems
• Radioactive contaminants that occur naturally or result from oil/gas production and mining

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

FAQ

1. What can I learn from my utility's annual report?
   Each year, we publish a water quality report detailing your water supply sources and treatment methods. This document is available on our website homepage. Look for any EPA regulation violations and measurements of specific contaminants. If you need information about substances not listed, please contact us for additional details.
2. How can I determine what's in my home's water?
   The annual quality report provides required test results for your community supply. While water quality is generally consistent between homes, variations can occur due to factors like pipe corrosion in household plumbing systems.
3. Why does my water have an unusual taste or odor?
   Three common causes include: chlorine added to eliminate harmful organisms may affect taste/smell; hydrogen sulfide (a harmless chemical) can create a rotten-egg odor when dissolved in water; and seasonal changes in source water characteristics.
4. What is Rapid Response and how can I help?
   Rapid Response is an auto-dialer system similar to Reverse 911 that delivers outbound notifications, primarily during emergencies. To help us provide timely alerts, please provide updated phone numbers to our customer service department. Visit http://www.publicnotify.com for more information.
5. What is PA One Call and when should I contact them?
   Pennsylvania law requires notification to underground utility companies before disturbing earth with powered equipment. Call 8-1-1 or 1-800-242-1776, and PA One Call will notify nearby utility companies of your digging plans. Learn more at www.pa1call.org.