South-Central Service Area

Is Your Tap Water Safe? Municipal water (both tap and bottled) comes from various sources including 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 materials. It may also pick up substances from animal presence or human activity.

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 like salts and metals that occur naturally or result from urban stormwater runoff, industrial/domestic wastewater, oil/gas production, mining, or farming
• Agricultural chemicals including pesticides and herbicides from various sources including farming, urban runoff, and residential uses
• Organic chemical contaminants including synthetic and volatile organics from industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, stormwater runoff, and septic systems
• Radioactive contaminants that can occur naturally or result from oil/gas production and mining activities

The EPA establishes regulations limiting contaminant levels in public water systems to ensure safety. The FDA sets similar limits for bottled water to provide equivalent public health protection. All water, including bottled water, reasonably contains some contaminants, though their presence doesn't necessarily indicate a health risk. For more information about contaminants and potential health effects, contact the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.

Important Lead Information: The EPA requires utilities to include lead level information in annual water quality reports. Elevated lead levels can cause serious health issues, particularly for pregnant women and young children. Lead in water primarily comes from materials in service lines and home plumbing. While South-Central Service Area provides quality water, we cannot control plumbing component materials. When water sits unused for several hours, 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 water testing. Information about lead in water, testing methods, and exposure minimization is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

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