West Jefferson Waterworks District 2

To protect our tap water quality, the EPA establishes regulations limiting contaminant levels in public water supplies. Similarly, FDA regulations set limits for contaminants in bottled water, providing equivalent public health protection. Jefferson Parish has consistently delivered safe water to residents and has never violated the National Primary Municipal Water Regulation.

In 2017, our Water Division continued to provide high-quality municipal water at a reasonable cost - just $2.09 per thousand gallons, among the lowest rates nationwide for utilities serving over 100,000 people. Last year, we detected only 15 of the 80+ contaminants EPA requires monitoring for, as shown in our detailed reports.

Our monitoring program includes extensive testing coupled with a multi-barrier treatment process featuring clarification, filtration, primary and secondary disinfection, and corrosion control. The use of powdered activated carbon and our participation in the Water Works Warning Network provides protection against chemical spills.

Our nationally recognized Water Quality Lab employs 14 professional scientists who monitor our water daily, weekly and monthly, conducting over 80,000 analyses annually. Additional monitoring is performed quarterly and annually by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals.

Jefferson Parish's drinking water comes from the Mississippi River. As water travels over land, it can dissolve minerals or pick up substances from human or animal activity, potentially including:

• Microbial contaminants from sewage treatment, septic systems, livestock, and wildlife
• Inorganic contaminants like salts and metals (naturally-occurring or from urban runoff, wastewater discharge, oil/gas production)
• Pesticides and herbicides from agriculture, urban runoff, and residential use
• Organic contaminants from industrial processes and petroleum production
• Radioactive contaminants (naturally-occurring or from oil/gas activities)

All drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably contain small amounts of some contaminants. This doesn't necessarily indicate a health risk. For more information about contaminants and potential health effects, call the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

Our Source Water Assessment Plan has identified potential contamination sources near our water intakes, resulting in a "high" susceptibility score. Cryptosporidium monitoring conducted from April 2015 to March 2017 found low levels in 3 East Bank samples and 4 West Bank samples, ranging from 0.1-0.2 oocysts per liter.

While most healthy people can overcome cryptosporidiosis within weeks, immuno-compromised individuals, infants, young children, and the elderly face greater risk and should consult their physicians about appropriate precautions.

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