Water Quality Report 2006
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Year 2006 Water Quality Report CITY OF MOUNT VERNON The Board of Water Supply of the City of Westchester County Water District #1 or Mount BOARD OF WATER SUPPLY Mount Vernon ( Public Water System Vernon again adds chlorine at the entry point in Identification Number 5903441 ) is pleased to order to provide a detectable chlorine residual present the Annual Drinking Water Quality throughout the distribution system. Additionally, City Hall - Room 2 Report for 2006, as required by Federal and State sodium hydroxide is added for pH adjustment, and Mount Vernon, New York 10550 regulations. The purpose of this report is to raise orthophosphate is added to coat the interior surface your understanding of drinking water and your of the pipes, thereby shielding them from the awareness of the need to protect our drinking corrosive action of the water. The goal of this water resources. It provides information on where treatment is to reduce the amount of lead and your water comes from, what it contains and how copper leaching into the water from the individual it compares with standards set by Federal and service lines and household plumbing. Test State regulatory agencies. For more information results indicate that it has been quite effective. or to discuss any drinking water issues, feel free to Ernest D. Davis contact Marianne Vogel, Superintendent, at (914) Board of Water Supply Responsibilities Mayor 668-7820. Or, you may call the Westchester County Department of Health, Bureau of The Board of Water Supply ensures Mount Environmental Quality at (914) 813-5000. Your Vernon’s compliance with all federal and state water bill also has useful information about your monitoring and reporting requirements, and water supply. Further information about maintains and repairs water mains, service lines contaminants and potential health effects is (from the curb valve to the main), fire hydrants, David A. Ford, Sr. available at www.epa.gov/safewater . and water meters. During 2006, the Water Board installed 15 and repaired 184 hydrants; installed, Commissioner Source of Water Supply repaired, or replaced 380 meters; repaired 14 main breaks and 77 street side service leaks, and made Marianne Vogel The Board of Water Supply receives all its 23 water taps. We also replaced 54 lead and 8 Superintendent water from New York City’s Catskill / Delaware plastic service lines, the majority of them during reservoir system, an unfiltered surface supply the repair of street side leaks. located in a protected watershed area in upstate New York west of the Hudson River. New York Capital Improvements City's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) oversees the operation, maintenance, and During winter 2006, construction began at protection of their reservoir system. It consists of Hillview Station in Yonkers on a new caustic 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes, all of soda storage and feed facility that meets all which allow for maximum flexibility in delivering current chemical bulk storage regulations. This the highest quality water possible. The water facility will treat the water coming into Mount travels through the Catskill and Delaware Vernon from our Hillview connection and it is Aqueducts to the Kensico Reservoir, where it is designed to facilitate pH adjustment as blended under normal operating conditions. This necessary for effective corrosion control. This blending enhances overall water quality. The project will be completed by late spring of 2007 Kensico Reservoir also acts as a large settling and should be on line in time to meet the basin, since it takes from twenty to thirty days for summer demand. the water to travel from one end to the other. In 2007, the Board of Water Supply is YEAR 2006 During this time, any particulate matter or planning to engage a private contractor to "turbidity" from spring run-off or heavy rains can conduct a leak survey of the entire 106 miles of settle out in the reservoir, thereby clarifying the water mains. The purpose is to further reduce WATER QUALITY water. From Kensico, the water continues south, unaccounted for water. entering Mount Vernon at two locations. The first location takes its water from the Cost of Water 48” Kensico Line which is owned and operated REPORT by Westchester County Water District #1. Water Given that the typical annual consumption enters the 48” Kensico Line from the Delaware for a family of four is 100,000 gallons, the Aqueduct at Shaft 22 in Yonkers. Under certain average quarterly water bill was approximately operating conditions, water can enter the $55. Residential water rates (which were raised Kensico Line at Kensico Reservoir and be from $1.60 to $1.75 per 100 cubic feet in delivered all the way south to Mount Vernon. October 2006) are still among the lowest in The second entry point for Mount Vernon is Westchester County. in south central Yonkers. Water from the Catskill PWS ID NY5903441 Aqueduct passes into a large transmission main Health Considerations just before reaching Hillview Reservoir. It travels through Yonkers and into Mount Vernon. All drinking water, including bottled water, From these entry points, the water enters the may reasonably be expected to contain at least 106 miles of distribution piping to serve Mount small amounts of some contaminants. The Vernon’s 68,381 residents through 10,161 presence of contaminants does not necessarily metered service connections. In 2006 alone, 3.08 indicate that water poses a health risk. More billion gallons of water coursed through the city’s information about contaminants and potential mains. The average daily flow was 8.44 million health effects can be obtained by calling the gallons (MG) and the highest single day was EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426- 10.81 MG. Unaccounted for water (resulting 4791). from service leaks and main breaks, fire fighting, The sources of drinking water (both tap hydrant flushing, under-registration of meters, and water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, unauthorized use) comprised 16.7% of the total. streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. The industry average is 25 to 35% unaccounted As water travels over the surface of the land or for water with anything below 20% considered a through the ground, it dissolves naturally SHARE THIS REPORT WITH OTHERS! “tight” system. occurring minerals and, in some cases, TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL COPIES, radioactive material, and can pick up substances CALL THE BOARD OF WATER Water Treatment resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity. Contaminants that may be SUPPLY AT (914) 668-7820. The water is chlorinated (for disinfection present in source water include microbial purposes) and fluoridated (for protection contaminants, inorganic contaminants, pesticides against tooth decay) by New York City DEP and herbicides, radioactive contaminants, and at Kensico Reservoir Shaft 18. Either organic chemical contaminants . Issued May 2007 . 1 In order to ensure that tap water is safe to surveillance and management practices. Water quality is monitored daily by drink, the State and EPA prescribe regulations Additional information on the water quality Board of Water Supply personnel. that limit the amount of certain contaminants and protection efforts in these NYC Bacteriological and chemical samples are in water provided by public water systems. watersheds can be found at DEP’s website at collected as required and analyzed by a New The State Health Department’s and the FDA’s www.nyc.gov/dep/watershed . York State approved Environmental regulations establish limits for contaminants in Laboratory to insure that the water meets all bottled water which must provide the same Information on Cryptosporidium and the physical, chemical, and bacteriological protection for public health. Giardia standards of the New York State Sanitary Although our water met or exceeded Code. In 2006, we conducted more than state and federal regulations, there are some Cryptosporidium is a microbial pathogen 7600 tests for approximately 160 different people who may be more vulnerable to found in surface water and ground water under water contaminants. We only detected 25; disease causing microorganisms or the influence of surface water. Although none of them exceeded the regulated levels. pathogens in drinking water than the general filtration removes Cryptosporidium, the most Under the Surface Water Treatment Rule, population. Immuno-compromised persons commonly used filtration methods cannot surface supplies such as those of New York such as persons with cancer undergoing guarantee 100 percent removal. During 2006, City must be filtered unless certain stringent chemotherapy, persons who have undergone as part of routine and enhanced sampling, water quality and monitoring criteria are met. organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or NYC collected 129 - 50 liter samples from In 1991, New York was initially granted other immune system disorders, some their source water at Kensico Reservoir and filtration avoidance through December 31, elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk analyzed them for Cryptosporidium oocysts. 2002, for the Catskill and Delaware supplies from infections. These people should seek In these samples, 16 oocysts were detected. south of the Kensico Reservoir. This was advice about their drinking water from their Therefore, testing indicates the presence of based on the high quality of the source water health care providers. EPA/CDC guidelines Cryptosporidium in our source water. Current and New York City's long term efforts to on the appropriate means to lessen the risk of test methods do not allow us to determine if protect its watershed areas. infection by Cryptosporidium, Giardia and the organisms are dead or if they are capable In 2002, New York City submitted to the other microbial pathogens are available from of causing disease. The method also cannot EPA their "2002-2007 Filtration Avoidance the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426- distinguish among different species of Proposal". It included an evaluation of their 4791).