ALGOMA UTILITIES
Introduction
We are pleased to present this year's Annual Water Quality Report, also referred to as the Consumer Confidence Report. This report is designed to inform you about the quality water and services we deliver to you every day. Water is vital to our community, and we are fortunate in Algoma to have a high-quality water supply. One of our priorities is protecting this natural resource! Our constant goal is to provide you with a safe and dependable supply of drinking water. Efforts are made to continually improve the water treatment process and protect our water resources. We are committed to ensuring the quality of your water. Algoma Utilities is pleased to report that our drinking water is safe and meets federal and state requirements.
Este informe contiene información importante acerca de su agua potable. Haga que alguien lo traduzca para usted, o hable con alguien que lo entienda.
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Water System Information
If you would like to know more about the information contained in this report, please contact the general manager at (920) 487-5556. Please call at 920-487-5556 for a hard copy of this report or download at the link above.
Opportunity for input on decisions affecting your water quality
The Algoma Utility Commission meets monthly. Please call for meeting date, time and location.
Health Information
Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency's safe drinking water hotline (800-426-4791).
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune systems disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Environmental Protection Agency's safe drinking water hotline (800-426-4791).
Sources of Water
| Source ID | Source | Depth (in feet) | Status |
| 1 | Groundwater | 589 | Active |
| 2 | Groundwater | 504 | Active |
| 3 | Groundwater | 472 | Active |
To obtain a summary of the source water assessment please contact the general manager at (920) 487-5556.
Educational Information
The sources of drinking water, both tap water and bottled water, include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity.
Contaminants that may be present in source water include:
- Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations and wildlife.
- Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally- occurring or result from urban stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining or farming.
- Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff and residential uses.
- Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff and septic systems.
- Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.
In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. FDA regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which shall provide the same protection for public health.
Definitions
| Term | Definition |
|
AL |
Action Level: The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow. |
|
HAL |
Health Advisory Level: the concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, poses a health risk and may require a system to post a public notice. |
|
MCL |
Maximum Contaminant Level: The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology. |
|
MCLG |
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal: The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety. |
|
pCi/l |
picocuries per liter (a measure of radioactivity) |
|
ppm |
parts per million, or milligrams per liter (mg/l) |
|
ppb |
parts per billion, or micrograms per liter (ug/l) |
|
SMCL |
Secondary drinking water standards or Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels for contaminants that affect taste, odor, or appearance of the drinking water. The SMCLs do not represent health standards. |
Detected Contaminants
Your water was tested for many contaminants last year. We are allowed to monitor for some contaminants less frequently than once a year. The following tables list only those contaminants which were detected in your water. If a contaminant was detected last year, it will appear in the following tables without a sample date. If the contaminant was not monitored last year, but was detected within the last 5 years, it will appear in the tables below along with the sample date.
Disinfection Byproducts
| Contaminant (units) | Site | MCL | MCLG | Level Found | Range | Sample Date (if prior to 2022) | Violation | Typical Source of Contaminant |
| HAA5 (ppb) | D-28A | 60 | 60 | 6 | 6 | No | By-product of drinking water chlorination | |
| TTHM (ppb) | D-28A | 80 | 0 | 19.8 | 19.8 | No | By-product of drinking water chlorination | |
| HAA5 (ppb) | D-31 | 60 | 60 | 4 | 4 | No | By-product of drinking water chlorination | |
| TTHM (ppb) | D-31 | 80 | 0 | 23.5 | 23.5 | No | By-product of drinking water chlorination |
Inorganic Contaminants
|
Contaminant (units) |
Site |
MCL |
MCLG |
Level Found |
Range |
Sample Date (if prior to 2022) |
Violation |
Typical Source of Contaminant |
|
ARSENIC (ppb) |
|
10 |
n/a |
2 |
0 - 2 |
2/11/2020 |
No |
Erosion of natural deposits; Runoff from orchards; Runoff from glass and electronics production wastes |
|
BARIUM (ppm) |
|
2 |
2 |
0.044 |
0.026 - 0.044 |
2/11/2020 |
No |
Discharge of drilling wastes; Discharge from metal refineries; Erosion of natural deposits |
|
FLUORIDE (ppm) |
|
4 |
4 |
0.8 |
0.6 - 0.8 |
2/11/2020 |
No |
Erosion of natural deposits; Water additive which promotes strong teeth; Discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories |
|
NICKEL (ppb) |
|
100 |
|
0.4100 |
0.3700 - 0.4100 |
2/11/2020 |
No |
Nickel occurs naturally in soils, ground water and surface waters and is often used in electroplating, stainless steel and alloy products. |
|
NITRATE (N03-N) (ppm) |
|
10 |
10 |
0.87 |
0.00 - 0.87 |
|
No |
Runoff from fertilizer use; Leaching from septic tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits |
|
SODIUM (ppm) |
|
n/a |
n/a |
130.00 |
110.00 - 130.00 |
2/11/2020 |
No |
n/a |
|
Contaminant (units) |
Site |
MCLG |
90th Percentile Level Found |
# of Results |
Sample Date (if prior to 2022) |
Violation |
Typical Source of Contaminant |
|
COPPER (ppm) |
AL=1.3 |
1.3 |
0.4200 |
0 of 10 results were above the action level. |
8/23/2020 |
No |
Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching from wood preservatives |
|
LEAD (ppb) |
AL=15 |
0 |
4.80 |
0 of 10 results were above the action level. |
8/24/2020 |
No |
Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits |
Radioactive Contaminants
|
Contaminant (units) |
Site |
MCL |
MCLG |
Level Found |
Range |
Sample Date (if prior to 2022) |
Violation |
Typical Source of Contaminant |
|
GROSS ALPHA, EXCL. R & U (pCi/l) |
|
15 |
0 |
2.1 |
0.5 - 2.1 |
2/11/2020 |
No |
Erosion of natural deposits |
|
RADIUM, (226 + 228) (pCi/l) |
|
5 |
0 |
1.2 |
0.0 - 1.2 |
2/11/2020 |
No |
Erosion of natural deposits |
|
GROSS ALPHA, INCL. R & U (n/a) |
|
n/a |
n/a |
2.8 |
0.0 - 2.8 |
2/11/2020 |
No |
Erosion of natural deposits |
|
COMBINED URANIUM (ug/l) |
|
30 |
0 |
1.1 |
0.3 - 1.1 |
2/11/2020 |
No |
Erosion of natural deposits |
What does this mean?
As you can see by the tables, our system had NO VIOLATIONS. We are proud that your drinking water meets or exceeds all Federal and State requirements. We have learned through our monitoring and testing that some constituents have been detected. The EPA has determined that your water IS SAFE at these levels. In our continuing efforts to maintain a safe and dependable water supply, it may be necessary to make improvements in your water system. The costs of these improvements may be reflected in the rate structure. Rate adjustments may be necessary in order to address these improvements. The Utility is continuously involved with system maintenance. Flushing mains through hydrants is one such activity. Flushing helps prevent corrosion products from forming on the wall of the pipe. Flushing is an important part of ensuring that fresh, quality water is delivered to you, the consumer. Please feel free to call our office at (920) 487-5556 if you have questions or would like additional information.
Additional Health Information
If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. Algoma Utilities is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
Why Water Conservation?
Using water efficiently will help ensure reliable water supplies today and for future generations. Water plays a big role in supporting our communities. Without water there would be no local business or industry. Firefighting, municipal parks, and public swimming pools all need lots of water. An array of pipes, canals, and pumping stations managed by public water systems are needed to bring a reliable supply of water to our taps daily.
Our water tells the story of how we use water from nation's lakes, rivers, and groundwater aquifers, and why it's important to be smarter about how we use it.
Did you know that less than 1% of all the water on Earth can be used by people? The rest is salt water (the kind you find in the ocean) or is permanently frozen and we can't drink it, wash with it, or use it to water plants. As our population grows, more and more people are using up this limited resource. Therefore, it is important that we use our water wisely and not waste it.
·
The average family can waste 180 gallons per week, or 9,400 gallons of water annually, from household leaks. That's equivalent to the amount of water needed to wash more than 300 loads of laundry.
·
Household leaks can waste approximately nearly 900 billion gallons of water annually nationwide. That's equal to the annual household water use of nearly 11 million homes
What is Cryptosporidium?
Cryptosporidium is a one-celled primitive form of animal life called a protozoan. Typically, cryptosporidium is found inrivers, lakes, and streams contaminated with animal feces. In only a few cases has treated drinking water samples shown evidence of cryptosporidium. Our water system did not monitor its water for cryptosporidium during 2022. We are not required by State or Federal drinking water regulations to do so.
Water Watchers Program
We ask that all our customers help us protect our water sources, which are the heart of our community, our way of life and our children’s future! If you see any suspicious activity at any Algoma Utilities property, please immediately contact the Algoma Police Department at 920-487-3311 or Algoma Utilities at 920-487-5556.