2023 ANNUAL DRINKING WATER QUALITY REPORT
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PWSID #: 4410175 NAME: Montoursville Borough Water Works
Este informe contiene información importante acerca de su agua potable. Haga que alguien lo traduzca para usted, ó hable con alguien que lo entienda. (This report contains important information about your drinking water. Have someone translate it for you, or speak with someone who understands it.)
WATER SYSTEM INFORMATION:
This report shows our water quality and what it means. If you have any questions about this report or concerning your water utility, please contact Clifford Hoffman at the Borough Office, 617 North Loyalsock Avenue, Montoursville at 570-368-2486. We want you to be informed about your water supply. If you want to learn more, please attend any of our regularly scheduled meetings. They are held the first Monday of each month beginning at 7:00PM in the Borough Office.
SOURCE(S) OF WATER:
Our water source(s) is/are: (Name-Type-Location)
Montoursville Borough Water Works water sources are four municipal wells and one spring. Two of the wells are located on the west side of town and one in the center of town, south of Broad Street. Our spring is located across the river at the base of the mountain.
A Source Water Assessment of our source(s) was completed by the PA Department of Environmental Protection (Pa. DEP). The Assessment has found that our source(s) of is/are potentially most susceptible to [insert potential Sources of Contamination listed in your Source Water Assessment Summary]. Overall, our source(s) has/have [little, moderate, high] risk of significant contamination. A summary report of the Assessment is available on the Source Water Assessment Summary Reports eLibrary web page: www.elibrary.dep.state.pa.us/dsweb/View/Collection-10045. Complete reports were distributed to municipalities, water supplier, local planning agencies and PADEP offices. Copies of the complete report are available for review at the Pa. DEP North Central Regional Office, Records Management Unit at (570) 327-0557.
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 system 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 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 system 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 Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).
MONITORING YOUR WATER:
We routinely monitor for contaminants in your drinking water according to federal and state laws. The following tables show the results of our monitoring for the period of January 1 to December 31, 2023. The State allows us to monitor for some contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently. Some of our data is from prior years in accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act. The date has been noted on the sampling results table.
DEFINITIONS:
Action Level (AL) – The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) – 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.
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) – 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.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL) – The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG) – The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants.
Minimum Residual Disinfectant Level (MinRDL) – The minimum level of residual disinfectant required at the entry point to the distribution system.
Level 1 Assessment – A Level 1 assessment is a study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine (if possible) why total coliform bacteria have been found in our water system.
Level 2 Assessment – A Level 2 assessment is a very detailed study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine (if possible) why an E. coli MCL violation has occurred and/or why total coliform bacteria have been found in our water system on multiple occasions.
Treatment Technique (TT) – A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.
Mrem/year = millirems per year (a measure of radiation absorbed by the body)
pCi/L = picocuries per liter (a measure of radioactivity)
ppb = parts per billion, or micrograms per liter (μg/L)
ppm = parts per million, or milligrams per liter (mg/L)
ppq = parts per quadrillion, or picograms per liter
ppt = parts per trillion, or nanograms per liter
DETECTED SAMPLE RESULTS:
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Chemical Contaminants |
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Contaminant |
MCL in CCR Units |
MCLG |
Level Detected |
Range of Detections |
Units |
Sample Date |
Violation Y/N |
Sources of Contamination |
|
**Chlorine |
MRDL= 4 |
MRDLA G=4 |
0.78 |
0.25-1.46 |
ppm |
2023 |
N |
Water additive used to control microbes |
|
Nitrate |
10 |
10 |
0.77 |
0.77 |
ppm |
2023 |
N |
Runoff from fertilizer |
|
|
|
|
|
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*EPA’s MCL for fluoride is 4 ppm. However, Pennsylvania has set a lower MCL to better protect human health. **distribution system disinfectant residual.
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Entry Point Disinfectant Residual |
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Contaminant |
Minimum Disinfectant Residual |
Lowest Level Detected |
Range of Detections |
Units |
Sample Date |
Violation Y/N |
Sources of Contamination |
|
Chlorine |
.40 |
.40 |
0.40-3.99 |
ppm |
2023 |
N |
Water additive used to control microbes. |
|
Lead and Copper |
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|
Contaminant |
Action Level (AL) |
MCLG |
90th Percentile Value |
Units |
# of Sites Above AL of Total Sites |
Violation Y/N |
Sources of Contamination |
|
Lead |
15 |
0 |
1.7 |
ppb |
N/A |
N/A |
Corrosion of household plumbing. |
|
Copper |
1.3 |
1.3 |
1.27 |
ppm |
N/A |
N/A |
Corrosion of household plumbing. |
|
Microbial (related to Assessments/Corrective Actions regarding TC positive results) |
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Contaminants |
TT |
MCLG |
Assessments/ Corrective Actions |
Violation Y/N |
Sources of Contamination |
|
Total Coliform |
Any system that has |
N/A |
See detailed |
N |
Naturally present |
|
Bacteria |
failed to complete all the required assessments or |
description under “Detected |
in the environment. |
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|
correct all identified |
Contaminants Health |
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|
sanitary defects, is in |
Effects Language |
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|
violation of the treatment |
and Corrective |
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technique requirement |
Actions” section |
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Microbial (related to E. coli) |
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|
Contaminants |
MCL |
MCLG |
Positive Sample(s) |
Violation Y/N |
Sources of Contamination |
|
E. coli |
Routine and repeat |
0 |
0 |
N |
Human and |
|
samples are total |
animal fecal |
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coliform-positive and |
waste. |
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either is E. coli-positive |
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or system fails to take |
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repeat samples |
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following E. coli- |
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positive routine sample |
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or system fails to |
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analyze total coliform- |
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positive repeat sample |
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for E. coli. |
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Contaminants |
TT |
MCLG |
Assessments/ Corrective Actions |
Violation Y/N |
Sources of Contamination |
|
E. coli |
Any system that has |
N/A |
See description |
N |
Human and |
|
failed to complete all |
under “Detected |
animal fecal |
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|
the required |
Contaminants Health |
waste. |
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assessments or correct |
Effects Language |
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all identified sanitary |
and Corrective |
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defects, is in violation |
Actions” section |
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of the treatment |
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technique requirement |
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Raw Source Water Microbial |
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Contaminants |
MCLG |
Total # of Positive Samples |
Dates |
Violation Y/N |
Sources of Contamination |
|
E. coli |
0 |
0 |
2019 |
N |
Human and animal fecal waste. |
DETECTED CONTAMINANTS HEALTH EFFECTS LANGUAGE AND CORRECTIVE ACTIONS:
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 run-off, 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 and DEP prescribes regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. FDA and DEP regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.
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).
Information about Lead
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. Montoursville Borough Water Works 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 http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
OTHER INFORMATION:
PUBLIC NOTICE
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER FAILURE TO MONITOR ESTE INFORME CONTIENE INFORMACION IMPORTANTE ACERCA DE SU AGUA POTABLE. HAGA QUE ALGUIEN LO TRADUZCA PARA LISTED, 0 HABLE CON ALGUIEN QUE LO ENTIENDA.
Monitoring Requirements Not Met for PCB’s _
Our water system violated several drinking water standards over the past year. Even though these were not emergencies, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened and what we did to correct these situations.
We are required to monitor your drinking water for specific contaminants on a regular basis. Results of regular monitoring are an indicator of whether or not our drinking water meets health standards. During 2023 we failed to monitor for the following contaminants and therefore cannot be sure of the quality of our drinking water during that time.
What should I do?
There is nothing you need to do at this time.
The table below lists the contaminant(s) we did not properly test for during the last year, the required sampling frequency, how many samples we took, when samples should have been taken, and the date on which corrective action samples were (or will be) taken.
|
Contaminant |
Required sampling frequency |
Number of samples taken |
When all samples should have been taken |
When samples were or will be taken |
|
PCB’s |
Quarterly |
6 |
December 2023 |
February 5, 2024 |
What happened? What was done? When will it be resolved?
Laboratory broke sample, Montoursville resampled what laboratory requested, the wrong test was completed, Montoursville resampled again which was the correct sample, testing was completed and ok.
Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have
received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.
For more information regarding this notice, please contact: Clifford A. Hoffman at Montoursville Borough
Certified by:
Signature :Clifford A Hoffman Date: 3/4/2024
Title: Street & Water Project Coordinator
As a representative of the Public Water system indicated above, I certify that public notification addressing the above violation was distributed to all customers in accordance with the delivery requirements outlined in Chapter 25 PA Code 109 Subchapter D of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP’s) regulations. The following methods of distribution were used: Included in CCR report
PWS ID#: 4410175
Date Distributed: 4/1/2024