City of Petoskey - Water Quality Report

This report concerns the quality of drinking water that was produced by the City of Petoskey during the 2009 calendar year. This information is a "snapshot" of the quality of the water that the City provided its customers in 2009. Included are details about the origin of the City's water, what it contains, and how it compares with United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) standards.

The City of Petoskey's water originates from four groundwater wells located within the City of Petoskey. One has been installed within the Bayfront Park and three are within Bay Harbor area. The City conducted a detailed water source assessment project, known as a "Wellhead Protection Program". The delineation phase of this program has been completed.

Contaminants and their presence in water: Drinking Water, including bottled water, might 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 U.S. EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800-426-4791).

Vulnerability of sub-populations: Some persons might be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Those who are Immuno-compromised such as cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, those 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. U.S. EPA and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines provide appropriate means to lessen risks of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants and are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

Sources of Drinking Water: The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. The City of Petoskey's water supply originates from 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 and residential uses.
Radioactive contaminants, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture 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.

In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, U.S. EPA prescribes regulations, which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Food and Drug Administration regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which provide the same protection for public health.

Water System Information

The City of Petoskey's water source is four groundwater wells, all located within the City limits. At any given time, all four wells are ready to serve. These wells range in depth from 258 to 405 feet. Water is stored in two above-ground and one below-ground storage tanks. Operation of the water system is computerized. The water system is monitored with an alarm system that notifies the City's Department of Public Work staff of any potential problems, generally before City consumers are inconvenienced. The City's goal is to provide a safe and dependable supply of drinking water. The City performs all water quality testing that is required by both the United States Environmental Protection Agency and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.

Water Quality Data

The table that follows lists all the drinking-water contaminants detected within the City of Petoskey's water supply during the 2009 calendar year. The presence of these contaminants in the water does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk. Unless otherwise noted, the data presented in this table originate from testing that was completed between January 1 – December 31, 2009. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality allows the City to monitor for certain contaminants less frequently than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants are not expected to vary significantly from year to year. All of the data is representative of the water quality, but some are more than one-year old.

Terms and abbreviations used below:

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 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 Residual disinfectant Level (MRDL): The highest level of a dissinfectant 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.
N/A: Not applicable ND: not detectable at testing limit ppb: parts per billion or micrograms per liter ppm: parts per million or milligrams per liter pCi/l: picocuries per liter (a measure of radiation).
Action Level: (AL) The concentration of a contaminant, which, if exceeded, triggers treatment, or other requirements, which a water system must follow.

Monitoring and Reporting Requirements: The MDEQ and U.S. EPA require the City to test our water on a regular basis to ensure its safety. The City of Petoskey met all the monitoring and reporting requirements for 2009

Samples Collected at the Wellhouse:

Violation Y / N

	MCL	MCLG	Highest Level Detected	Range mg/L	Sample Date	Violation Yes / No	Typical Source of Contaminant
Arsenic (ppb)	10	0	ND	ND	JAN-Dec 2009	N	Erosion of natural deposits; Runoff from orchards; Runoff from glass and electronics production wastes.
Barium (ppm)	2	2	0.1	ND TO 0.1	JAN-Dec 2009	N	Discharge of drilling wastes; Discharge of metal refineries; Erosion of natural deposits.
Chromium (ppm)	100	100	0.011	ND TO 0.011	JAN-Dec 2009	N	Discharge from steel and pulp mills; Erosion of natural deposits.
Fluoride (ppm)	4	4	1.86	1.15 - 1.86	JAN-Dec 2009	N	Erosion of natural deposits. Discharge from fertilizer and aluminmum factories.
Nitrate (ppm)	10	10	ND	ND	JAN-Dec 2009	N	Erosion of natural deposits; discharge from Run off from run off from fertilzer and septi tanks.
Mercury	0.002	0.002	ND	ND	JAN-Dec 2009	N	Erosion of natural Deposits; discharge from refineries and factories; runoff from landfills and croplands
Selenium	0.05	0.05	ND	ND	JAN-Dec 2009	N	Erosion of natural deposits; discharge from petroleum refineries; discharge from mines
Lead			ND	ND	JAN-Dec 2009	N	Erosion of natural deposits
Radioactive Contaminant	MCL	MCLG	Highest Level Detected	Range	Sample Date	Violation Yes / No	Typical Source of Contaminant
Alpha emitters (pCi/L)	15	0	5.85	ND to 5.85	2002	No	Erosion of natural deposits
Combined radium (pCi/L	5	0	2.11	ND to 2.11	2002	No	Erosion of natural deposits



Contaminant Subject to AL	Action Level	MCLG	90% of Samples < This Level	Sample Date	Number of Samples Above AL	Typical Source of Contaminant
Lead (ppb) **	15	0	0.62	JAN –JUNE 2009	NONE	Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits
			0.66	JULY- DEC 2009	NONE
Copper (ppm)	1.3	1.3	ND	JAN –JUNE 2009	NONE	Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching from wood preservatives
			ND	JULY- DEC 2009	NONE

*Unregulated contaminants are those for which EPA has not estabished drinking water standards. Monitoring helps EPA to determine where certain contaminants occur and whether it needs to regulate those contaminants.

1These arsenic values are effective January 23, 2006. Until then, the MCL is 50 ppb and there is no MCLG.

While your drinking water meets EPA'S standard for arsenic, it does contain low levels of arsenic. EPS'S standard balances the current understanding of arsenic's possible health effects against the costs of removing arsenic from drinking water. EPA continues to research the health effects of low levels of arsenic, which is a mineral known to cause cancer in humans at high concentrations and is linked to other health effects such as skin damage and circulatory problems.

Information about lead: If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problem, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with serice lines and home plumbing. City of Petoskey 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 wator 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/sagewater/lead

Radioactive Contaminants	MCL	MCLG	Our Water Range	Sample Date	Violation Yes / No	Typical Source of Contaminant
Alpha emitters (pCi/L)	15	0	ND to 5.85	2002	No	Erosion of natural deposits
Combined Radium 226 / 228 (pCi/L	5	0	ND to 2.11	2002	No	Erosion of natural deposits

Unregulated Chemical Contaminants 2	Our Water range	Sample Date	Violation Yes / No	Typical Source of Contaminants
Sodium (ppm)	10 to 32	JAN-JUNE 2009	N/A	Erosion of natural deposits
Sulfate (ppm)	24-370	JAN-JUNE 2009	N/A	Erosion of natural deposits

2 Unregulated contaminants are those for which the U.S. EPA has not established drinking water standards. Monitoring helps U.S. EPA to detemine where certain contaminants occur and whether it needs to regulate those contaminants.

Samples Collected in the Distribution System:

Disinfection Byproducts	Action Level	Our Water Range	Sample Date	Number of Samples Above AL	Typical Source of Contaminants
Free Chiorine Residual (ppm)4	MRDL = 4.0 ppm MRDLG = 4ppm	0.4-1.8	Daily 2009	0	Water additive used to control microbes
Trihalmomethane ppb	80 ppb	ND to 3.3 ppb	2007	0	Disinfection byproducts
HAA5 ppb	60 ppb	60 ppb	2007	0	Disinfection byproducts

4 The MRDL and MRDLG are effective January 1, 2004. Compliance is based on an annual average.

Microbial Contaminants	MCL	MCLG	Positive Samples	Sample Date	Violation Yes / No	Typical Source of Contaminants
Total Coliform Bacteria	1 positive monthly sample (5% of monthly samples positive)	0	0	JAN-DEC 2009	No	Naturally present in the environment
Fecal Coliform and E. coli	Routine and repeat samples are total coliform positive, and one is also fecal or E. coli positive	0	None	JAN-DEC 2009	No	Human and animal fecal waste

Some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous system, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer. The City of Petoskey drinking water is not over the action level for this parameter.

Copper is an essential nutrient, but some people who drink water containing copper in excess of the action level over a relatively short amount of time could experience gastrointestinal distress. Some people who drink water containing copper in excess of the action level over many years could suffer liver or kidney damage. People with Wilson’s Disease should consult their personal doctor. The City of Petoskey drinking water is not over the action level for this parameter.

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has performed an assessment of the City of Petoskey source water in 2009. A determination of sensitivity and susceptibility to contamination was by made by reviewing our source water geology, well construction, water chemistry, and potential contaminant sources nearby the wells, The Department of Environmental Quality has determined that the City's wells have low to moderate geologic sensitivity with an overall very low to moderate susceptibility to contamination. You can obtain a copy of the State report by contacting City Hall. This report will not be sent in the mail. The City of Petoskey is committed to providing its residents and customers safe, reliable, and healthy water. The City is water-supply system. This report will be updated annually, and City water customers will be informed about any problems that might occur throughout the year, when such problems are experienced. Copies of this report can be obtained by calling City Hall. Copies of the annual water reports (CCR) will not be sent.

The City of Petoskey invites public participation in decisions that affect drinking-water quality.
For more information about the City of Petoskey drinking water, or the contents of this report, contact the City Manager at, 101 East Lake Street, Petoskey, Michigan 49770 or telephone 231-347-2500
By _email at Water Quality@cityofpetoskeyservices.com

For more information about safe drinking water, visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at www.epa.gov/safewater or the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality website at www.michigan.gov./deq .

Contaminant Subject to AL

Action Level

MCLG