Torrington%20Water%20CCR%202013

Annual

Reporting Year 2012

Presented By The Torrington Water Company

PWS ID#: CT1430011 and CT1430021

There When You Need Us

Substances That Could Be in Water

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he Torrington Water Company is pleased to provide our customers with this annual report for the year 2012 on the drinking water supplied to our customers and the City of Torrington. We serve over 9,700 customers. For over a century, our goal has been to deliver a high-quality product to our customers: safe, clean, delicious water. To that end, you may see water company personnel working in the downtown area. This is part of our infrastructure replacement program. We are replacing old smalldiameter water mains, some of which are over 100 years old, with new mains. In 2012, we replaced over 5,600 feet of 4-inch main. The replacement pipe will increase the flow capabilities needed for fire protection and domestic service and improve water quality.

Your drinking water meets, and exceeds, all state and federal standards. We continually strive to adopt new methods for delivering the best-quality drinking water to you. As new challenges to drinking water safety emerge, we remain vigilant in meeting the goals of source water protection, water conservation, and community education while continuing to serve the needs of all our water users.

Please remember that we are always available to assist you should you ever have any questions or concerns about your water.

Thank you, Susan M. Suhanovsky, President

Information on the Internet

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he U.S. EPA Office of Water (www.epa.gov/ watrhome) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov) Web sites provide a substantial amount of information on many issues relating to water resources, water conservation, and public health. Also, the Connecticut Department of Public Health has a Web site (www.dph.state.ct.us) that provides complete and current information on water issues in Connecticut, including valuable information about our watershed.

o ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the U.S. EPA prescribes regulations limiting the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. U.S. Food and Drug Administration 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 these contaminants does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk.

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, in some cases, radioactive material, and substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity.

Substances 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, or wildlife; Inorganic Contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally occurring or may 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 may also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems; Radioactive Contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or may be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.

For more information about contaminants and potential health effects, call the U.S. EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.

Lead in Home Plumbing

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f 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. We are responsible for providing high-quality drinking water, but we 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.

Water Conservation

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ou can play a role in conserving water and save yourself money in the process by becoming conscious of the amount of water your household is using and by looking for ways to use less whenever you can. It is not hard to conserve water. Here are a few tips: t Automatic dishwashers use 15 gallons for every cycle, regardless of how many dishes are loaded. So get a run for your money and load it to capacity. t Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth. t Check every faucet in your home for leaks. Just a slow drip can waste 15 to 20 gallons a day. Fix it and you can save almost 6,000 gallons per year. t Check your toilets for leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank. Watch for a few minutes to see if the color shows up in the bowl. It is not uncommon to lose up to 100 gallons a day from an invisible toilet leak. Fix it and you save more than 30,000 gallons a year. t Use your water meter to detect hidden leaks. Simply turn off all taps and water-using appliances. Then check the meter after 15 minutes. If it moved, you have a leak.

QUESTIONS? For more information about this report, or for any questions relating to your drinking water, please call Steven Cerruto, Vice President of Operations, at (860) 489-4149.

Please visit our Web site at www.torringtonwater. com for more information about The Torrington Water Company.

Important Health Information

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ources of lead in drinking water includes corrosion of household plumbing systems and erosion of natural deposits. Infants and children who drink water containing lead in excess of the action level could experience delays in their physical or mental development. Children could show slight deficits in attention span and learning abilities. Adults who drink this water over many years could develop kidney problems or high blood pressure.

Sources of copper in drinking water includes corrosion of household plumbing systems, erosion of natural deposits, and leaching from wood preservatives.

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 doctors.

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population.

Immunocompromised 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 may be particularly at risk from infections.

These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. The U.S. EPA/ CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.

Where Does My Water Come From?

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he water for Torrington and the surrounding towns we serve comes from two primary reservoirs. The Torrington Water Filtration Plant draws water from the Reuben Hart Reservoir, located in Torrington, which is supplemented by North Pond located in Norfolk. This source supplies the bulk of water to our system and has been the primary source of water for Torrington since 1930. Allen Dam, located in Torrington, which is supplemented by Whist Pond located in Goshen, is also used, primarily during drought conditions or in an emergency.

We vigilantly monitor the water and activities on the surrounding land to safeguard our water supplies. We believe protecting the source is the single most important measure we can employ to protect your health. To this end, we maintain our watershed area in a forested condition.

Drinking water travels to your home via a 163-mile network of water mains, five booster pumping stations, and eight distribution-system storage tanks. We produced a total of 918 million gallons of water in 2012 and delivered approximately 2.5 million gallons per day to our customers.

Source Water Protection

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he Torrington Water Company’s commitment to providing the highest-quality water is evidenced by the efforts we take to protect our reservoirs from contamination. We own over 70 percent of our watershed and maintain it in a forested state. We are vigilant in monitoring activities on those lands. There are no industrial or commercial activities on the watershed that could lead to chemical contamination of our supply.

Source water is untreated water from streams, rivers, lakes, or underground aquifers that is used to supply public drinking water. Preventing drinking water contamination at the source is important. Here are some things that you can do to help make sure that your water supply is protected: t Pump and inspect your septic systems regularly. t Use chemicals such as pesticides and cleaning products wisely. t Dispose of waste chemicals and used motor oil properly. That is, don’t pour chemicals on the ground or down the sink drain, toilet, or storm drain. t Report illegal dumping, chemical spills, or other polluting activities to the CT DEEP’s 24-hour hotline (860) 424-3338, Torrington Water (860) 489-4149, or your local police.

What Causes the Pink Stain on Bathroom Fixtures?

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he reddish-pink color frequently noted in bathrooms on shower stalls, tubs, tile, toilets, sinks, toothbrush holders, and on pets’ water bowls is caused by the growth of the bacterium Serratia marcesens. Serratia is commonly isolated from soil, water, plants, insects, and vertebrates (including man). The bacteria can be introduced into the house through any of the above-mentioned sources. The bathroom provides a perfect environment (moist and warm) for bacteria to thrive.

The best solution to this problem is to continually clean and dry the involved surfaces to keep them free from bacteria. Chlorine-based compounds work best, but keep in mind that abrasive cleaners may scratch fixtures, making them more susceptible to bacterial growth. Chlorine bleach can be used periodically to disinfect the toilet and help to eliminate the occurrence of the pink residue. Keeping bathtubs and sinks wiped down using a solution that contains chlorine will also help to minimize its occurrence.

Serratia will not survive in chlorinated drinking water.

Source Water Assessment

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source water assessment of The Torrington Water Company was completed by the Department of Public Health, Drinking Water Section in 2002. The updated assessment report can be found on the Department of Public Health’s Web site: www.dph.state.ct.us/BRS/Water/ Source_Protection/Assessments/Assessments.htm.

The assessment found that our public drinking water source has a low susceptibility to potential sources of contamination.

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ou may not be aware of it, but every time you pour fat, oil, or grease (FOG) down your sink (e.g., bacon grease), you are contributing to a costly problem in the sewer collection system. FOG coats the inner walls of the plumbing in your house as well as the walls of underground piping throughout the community. Over time, these greasy materials build up and form blockages in pipes, which can lead to wastewater backing up into parks, yards, streets, and storm drains. These backups allow FOG to contaminate local waters, including drinking water. Exposure to untreated wastewater is a public health hazard. FOG discharged into septic systems and drain fields can also cause malfunctions, resulting in more frequent tank pump-outs and other expenses.

FOG

Communities spend billions of dollars every year to unplug or replace grease-blocked pipes, repair pump stations, and clean up costly and illegal wastewater spills. Here are some tips that you and your family can follow to help maintain a well-run system now and in the future: NEVER: t Pour fats, oil, or grease down the house or storm drains. t Dispose of food scraps by flushing them. t Use the toilet as a waste basket.

ALWAYS: t Scrape and collect fat, oil, and grease into a waste container such as an empty coffee can, and dispose of it with your garbage. t Place food scraps in waste containers or garbage bags for disposal with solid wastes. t Place a wastebasket in each bathroom for solid wastes like disposable diapers, creams and lotions, and personal hygiene products including nonbiodegradable wipes.

Sampling Results

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uring the past year, we have taken hundreds of water samples in order to determine the presence of any radioactive, biological, inorganic, volatile organic, or synthetic organic contaminants. The tables below show only those contaminants that were detected in the water. The state requires us to monitor for certain substances less often than once per year because the concentrations of these substances do not change frequently. In these cases, the most recent sample data are included, along with the year in which the sample was taken.

REGULATED SUBSTANCES SUBSTANCE (UNIT OF MEASURE)

YEAR SAMPLED

MCL [MRDL]

MCLG [MRDLG]

AMOUNT DETECTED

LOW-HIGH

VIOLATION

Alpha Emitters (pCi/L)

2009

15

0

0.698

NA

No

Erosion of natural deposits

Barium (ppm)

2012

2

2

0.01

NA

No

Discharge of drilling wastes; Discharge from metal refineries; Erosion of natural deposits

Combined Radium (pCi/L)

2009

5

0

0.667

NA

No

Erosion of natural deposits

Fluoride (ppm)

2012

4

4

0.97

0.74–1.13

No

Erosion of natural deposits; Water additive that promotes strong teeth; Discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories

Haloacetic Acids [HAAs]2 (ppb)

2012

60

NA

37

24–56

No

By-product of drinking water disinfection

TTHMs [Total Trihalomethanes]2 (ppb)

2012

80

NA

37

21–49

No

By-product of drinking water disinfection

Turbidity3 (NTU)

2012

TT=1

NA

0.19

0.02–0.19

No

Soil runoff

Turbidity (Lowest monthly percent of samples meeting limit)

2012

TT=95% of samples <0.3 NTU

NA

100

NA

No

Soil runoff

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RANGE

TYPICAL SOURCE

SECONDARY SUBSTANCES SUBSTANCE (UNIT OF MEASURE)

YEAR SAMPLED

SMCL

MCLG

AMOUNT DETECTED

LOW-HIGH

VIOLATION

Aluminum (ppb)

2012

200

NA

26

NA

No

Erosion of natural deposits; Residual from some surface water treatment processes

Chloride (ppm)

2012

250

NA

6.9

NA

No

Runoff/leaching from natural deposits

Color

2012

15

NA

< 1 average

ND–10

No

Naturally occurring organic materials

Copper (ppm)

2012

1.0

NA

0.007

NA

No

Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits

Manganese (ppb)

2012

50

NA

2.5

NA

No

Leaching from natural deposits

RANGE

TYPICAL SOURCE

pH (Units)

2012

6.4–10

NA

7.3

7.1–7.4

No

Naturally occurring

Sulfate (ppm)

2012

250

NA

14

NA

No

Runoff/leaching from natural deposits; Industrial wastes

Turbidity (NTU)

2012

5

NA

0.19

0.10–1.60

No

Naturally occurring

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4

UNREGULATED SUBSTANCES SUBSTANCE (UNIT OF MEASURE)

Calculated as an annual average.

2 Reported value is the highest annual average of quarterly measurements for disinfection by-products in the distribution system.

Values in the range are the quarterly average measurements.

3 Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of the water. It is monitored because it is a good indicator of the effectiveness of the filtration system. TT = 95% of samples < 0.3 NTU. 4 Measured at representative locations within the distribution system (calculated as annual averages). State-required testing.

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YEAR SAMPLED

AMOUNT DETECTED

LOW-HIGH

Bromodichloromethane (ppb)

2012

1.5

NA

By-product of drinking water disinfection

Chloroform (ppb)

2012

20

NA

By-product of drinking water disinfection

Sodium (ppm)

2012

7.1

NA

Naturally occurring

RANGE

TYPICAL SOURCE

Definitions AL (Action Level): The concentration of a contaminant that, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements that a water system must follow.

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.

MRDL (Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level): 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.

MRDLG (Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal): 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.

NA: Not applicable ND (Not detected): Indicates that the substance was not found by laboratory analysis.

NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Units): Measurement of the clarity, or turbidity, of water. Turbidity in excess of 5 NTU is just noticeable to the average person. pCi/L (picocuries per liter): A measure of radioactivity. ppb (parts per billion): One part substance per billion parts water (or micrograms per liter). ppm (parts per million): One part substance per million parts water (or milligrams per liter).

TT (Treatment Technique): A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.