Keesler's annual water quality report released Published June 23, 2011 By 81st Aerospace Medicine Squadron KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Is my water safe? We are pleased to present this year'sAnnual Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report) as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act. This report is designed to provide details about where your water comes from, what it contains and how it compares to standards set by regulatory agencies. This report is a snapshot of last year's water quality. We are committed to providing you with information because informed customers are our best allies. Do I need to take special precautions? 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/Centers for Disease Control guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Water Drinking Hotline, 1-800-426-4791. Where does my water come from? Keesler drinking water is pumped from the Lower Graham Ferry Aquifer, a groundwater source. All water provided to Keesler is pumped from wells located on base property. The water from the wells is mixed, treated with chlorine and fluoride, stored and distributed. Source water assessment and availability The purpose of a source water assessment is to determine the quality of the raw water used for drinking water. At Keesler, the only treatment performed on source water is the addition of chlorine and fluoride. Because of limited chemical treatment, the analytical results for Keesler's drinking water are representative of its source water. Why are there contaminants in my drinking water? 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, 1-800-426- 4791. 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. Examples of these contaminants include microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, that 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 storm-water runoff, industrial, or domestic waste-water discharges, oil and gas production, mining or farming; pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban storm-water 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 storm-water runoff and septic systems; and 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. Food and Drug Administration regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health. How can I get involved? Education is the key to getting involved and understanding your drinking water.Additional information is available from the Centers for Disease Control at http://www.cdc.gov/safewater/. Description of water treatment process Your water is treated by disinfection. Disinfection involves the addition of chlorine disinfectant to kill dangerous bacteria and micro-organisms that may be in the water. Disinfection is considered to be one of the major public health advances of the 20th century. Water conservation tips Did you know that the average U.S. household uses approximately 400 gallons of water per day or 100 gallons per person per day? Luckily, there are many low-cost and no-cost ways to conserve water. Small changes can make a big difference -- try one today and soon it will become second nature. Take short showers. A five-minute shower uses 4 to 5 gallons of water compared to up to 50 gallons for a bath. Shut off water while brushing your teeth, washing your hair and shaving and save up to 500 gallons a month. Use a water-efficient showerhead. They're inexpensive, easy to install, and can save you up to 750 gallons a month. Run your clothes washer and dishwasher only when they are full. You can save up to 1,000 gallons a month. Water plants only when necessary. Fix leaky toilets and faucets. Faucet washers are inexpensive and take only a few minutes to replace. To check your toilet for a leak, place a few drops of food coloring in the tank and wait. If it seeps into the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak. Fixing it or replacing it with a new, more efficient model can save up to 1,000 gallons a month. Adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered. Apply water only as fast as the soil can absorb it and during the cooler parts of the day to reduce evaporation. Teach your kids about water conservation to ensure a future generation that uses water wisely. Make it a family effort to reduce water bills. For more information, log on to www.epa.gov/watersense. Cross-connection control survey The purpose of this survey is to determine whether a cross-connection may exist at your home or business. A cross-connection is an unprotected or improper connection to a public water distribution system that may cause contamination or pollution to enter the system. We are responsible for enforcing cross-connection control regulations and insuring that no contaminants can, under any flow conditions, enter the distribution system. If you have any of the devices listed below please contact us so that we can discuss the issue, and if needed, survey your connection and assist you in isolating it if that is necessary. · Boiler/radiant heater (water heaters not included) · Underground lawn sprinkler system · Pool or hot tub (whirlpool tubs not included) · Additional source(s) of water on the property · Decorative pond · Watering trough Source water protection tips You can help protect your community's drinking water source in several ways: · Eliminate excess use of lawn and garden fertilizers and pesticides - they contain hazardous chemicals that can reach your drinking water source. · Pick up after your pets. · Dispose of chemicals properly; take used motor oil to a recycling center. · Organize a stormdrain stenciling project with your local government or water supplier. Stencil a message next to the street drain reminding people "Dump No Waste -- Drains to River" or "Protect Your Water." Produce and distribute a flyer for households to remind residents that stormdrains dump directly into your local water body. Other information To comply with the "Regulation Governing Fluoridation of Community Water Supplies," Keesler must report certain results pertaining to fluoridation of our water system. The number of months in the previous calendar year that average fluoride sample results were within the optimal range of 0.7-1.3 ppm was 11. The percentage of fluoride samples collected in the previous calendar year that was within the optimal range of 0.7-1.3 ppm was 61percent. Significant deficiencies Failure tomaintain correct 4-Log disinfection residual. The duration of the violation is from July 26-31, 2010. The corrective action taken by Keesler included increased disinfection and increased monitoring of disinfection residuals. Additional information for 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. Keesler (PWS ID#240049) 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 two 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. Water quality data table In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations which limit the amount of contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The table below lists all of the drinking water contaminants that we detected during the calendar year of this report. Although many more contaminants were tested, only those substances listed below were found in your water. All sources of drinking water contain some naturally occurring contaminants. At low levels, these substances are generally not harmful in ourdrinking water. Removing all contaminants would be extremely expensive, and in most cases, would not provide increased protection of public health. A few naturally occurring minerals may actually improve the taste of drinking water and have nutritional value at low levels. Unless otherwise noted, the data presented in this table is from testing done in the calendar year of the report. The EPA or the State requires us to monitor for certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not vary significantly from year to year, or the system is not considered vulnerable to this type of contamination. As such, some of our data, though representative, may be more than one year old. In this table you will find terms and abbreviations that might not be familiar to you. To help you better understand these terms, we have provided the definitions following the table. Click here and go to page 24 for tables.