Southwest Regional Water District

The district operates two water treatment facilities serving the region. The W. Guy Metcalf Water Treatment Plant in Ross Township began operations in 1972, was expanded in 1980, and can produce 3.6 million gallons daily. Its 80-foot deep production wells yield up to 2.3 million gallons per day, with an annual production of 835 million gallons in 2017, serving approximately 9,000 customers.

The North Water Treatment Plant in St. Clair Township started in 1997, expanded in 2005, and can produce 6 million gallons daily. Its 180-foot deep wells each produce two million gallons daily, with 496 million gallons produced in 2017 serving around 6,900 customers. Emergency connections with Hamilton, Middletown, and Trenton exist but weren't used in 2017.

Both plants draw from the Great Miami Buried Valley Aquifer, which the Ohio EPA determined in 2003 has high contamination susceptibility due to its sensitivity and nearby contamination sources. This is evidenced by nitrate presence in treated water, though concentrations remain well below the 10 parts per million federal standard.

The District participates in the Hamilton to New Baltimore Ground Water Consortium alongside Butler County Water & Sewer Dept., Hamilton, Fairfield, Cincinnati, Miller-Coors Brewery, and Southwest Ohio Water Company. Together they monitor and protect the aquifer through a Source Water Protection Plan that includes education, protection strategies, and emergency planning. More information is available at http://www.gwconsortium.org.

The District belongs to the National Rural Water Association and Ohio Rural Water Association, which advocate for water systems with EPA and regulatory bodies. Staff maintain American Water Works Association memberships to stay current with industry standards.

POTENTIAL CONTAMINANT SOURCES:

• Microbial contaminants: Viruses and bacteria from sewage treatment, septic systems, agricultural operations and wildlife
• Inorganic contaminants: Salts and metals occurring naturally or from urban runoff, industrial wastewater, oil/gas production, mining, or farming
• Pesticides and herbicides: From agriculture, urban runoff, and residential uses
• Organic chemicals: Synthetic and volatile compounds from industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, runoff, and septic systems
• Radioactive contaminants: Naturally occurring or from oil/gas production and mining

The USEPA establishes limits on contaminants in public water systems to ensure safety, similar to FDA regulations for bottled water. All water sources may contain small amounts of contaminants, which doesn't necessarily indicate health risks. For more information about contaminants and potential health effects, call USEPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.

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