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349 Drinking Water Quality Report 2015 2015 Linda Manor Annual Drinking Water Quality Report Is my water safe? We are pleased to present this year's Annual Water Quality Report(Consumer Confidence Report) as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act(SDWA). 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. Last year,we conducted tests for over 80 contaminants.None were above maximum contaminant levels (mcl). Most results were not detected (nd). 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 (CDC)guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Water Drinking 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/Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Water Drinking Hotline (800-426-4791). Where does my water come from? The Linda Manor Facility is supplied by (2)6 inch diameter wells located in a field behind the (northeast)facility. The wells labeled#1 and#2 are operated together when called for. The wells have a combined approved pumping rate of 15 gallons per minute(gpm)from Well#1 and 9gpm from Well#2. Water is pumped from the wells by inline pumps to two (2)fiberglass storage tanks located 80 feet Southwest of the wells. There is a pH treatment system available but is not in use. A total of 4.3 million gallons was pumped during 2015. Source water assessment and its availability We have a source water assesement plan available from our office that provides more information. This report shows our water quality and what it means . Such as potential sources of contamination. if you have any questions about this report concerning your water utility , please contact John "Quincy" Milligan Head of Maintenance at 413-586-7700. We want our residents to be informed about their water quality. 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 (EPA) Safe Drinking Water Hotline(800-426-4791). 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 (EPA) Safe Drinking Water Hotline(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: 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 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 can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater 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 (FDA)regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health. How can I get involved? Please report any leaks to Maintainace to insure the system is within is design capacity . If you notice any area where the drinking water maybe cross connected with containants , contact the maintenance department on this dangerous threat of back flow conditions 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 5 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 next month's water bill! • Visit www.epa.gov/watersense for more information. 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 Protection of drinking water is everyone's responsibility. 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. • If you have your own septic system, properly maintain your system to reduce leaching to water sources or consider connecting to a public water system. • Dispose of chemicals properly;take used motor oil to a recycling center. • Volunteer in your community. Find a watershed or wellhead protection organization in your community and volunteer to help. If there are no active groups, consider starting one. Use EPA's Adopt Your Watershed to locate groups in your community,or visit the Watershed Information Network's How to Start a Watershed Team. • Organize a storm drain 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 storm drains dump directly into your local water body. Other Information-Failure in Flint The National news coverage of water conditions in Flint,Michigan has created a great deal of confusion and consternation over the past year. The water there has been described as being corrosive;images of corroded batteries and warning labels on bottles of acid come to mind. But is corrosive water bad? Corrosive water can be defined as a condition of water quality that will dissolve metals( iron,lead,copper,etc.) from metallic plumbing at an excessive rate. There are a few contributing factors,but generally speaking, corrosive water has a pH of less than 7; the lower the pH the more acidic,or corrosive,the water becomes. (By this definition,many natural waterways throughout the country can be described as corrosive) While all plumbing will be somewhat affected over time by water it carries, corrosive water will damage plumbing much more rapidly than water with low corrosivity. By itself, corrosive water is not a health concern; your morning glass of orange juice is considerably more corrosive than the typical lake or river. What is of concern is that exposure in drinking water to elevated levels of the dissolved metals increases adverse health risks . And there lies the problem. Public water systems are required to maintain their water at optimal conditions to prevent it from reaching corrosive levels. Rest assured that we routinely monitor your water to make sure that what happened in Flint never happens here. Significant Deficiencies On March 25 2016 we were notified that Linda Manor had a reporting violation on Lead and Copper .Test results that should have been posted after we received them last fall. We returned to compliance for this requirement on 4/18/2016. The lead was not detected(ND) and the copper was below the maximum contaminate level. (MCL) 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. Linda Manor Extended Care Facility 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. 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. Linda Manor Extended Care Facility 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. Water Quality Data Table [n order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations which limit the mount 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 our drinking 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 below the table. MCLG or Contaminants MRDLG Inorganic Contaminants Barium(ppm) MCL, TT,or MRDL Range Your Sample Water Low I High Date Violation Typical Source 2 2 0 NA 2014 No Discharge of drilling wastes; Discharge from metal refineries;Erosion of natural deposits Fluoride(ppm) 4 4 0 NA 2014 No Erosion of natural deposits; Water additive which promotes strong teeth; Discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories Nitrate[measured as Nitrogen] (ppm) 10 10 .058 NA 2015 No Runoff from fertilizer use; Leaching from septic tanks, sewage;Erosion of natural deposits Sodium(optional) (ppm) NA 4.6 NA 2015 No Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching Microbiological Contaminants Fecal coliform/E.coli- in the distribution system(positive samples) A violation occurs when a routine sample and a repeat sample,in any given month,are total coliform positive,and one is also fecal coliform or E.coli positive. 0 0 0 NA 2015 No Human and animal fecal waste Contaminants MCLG or MRDLG MCL, TT,or MRDL Your Water Range Sample Date Violation Typical Source Low High Total Coliform (positive samples/month) 0 I 0 NA NR 2015 No Naturally present in the environment Radioactive Contaminants Alpha emitters(pCi/L) Contaminants 0 15 .453 MCLG AL Your Water NA Sample Date 2015 I No Erosion of natural deposits #Samples Exceeding AL Exceeds AL Typical Source Inorganic Contaminants Copper-action level at consumer taps(ppm) Inorganic Contaminants Lead-action level at consumer taps(ppb) 1.3 1.3 .85 2015 0 No Corrosion of household plumbing systems;Erosion of natural deposits 0 15 0 2015 0 No Corrosion of household plumbing systems;Erosion of natural deposits Unit Descriptions Term Definition ppm ppm:parts per million,or milligrams per liter(mg/L) ppb ppb:parts per billion,or micrograms per liter(tg/L) pCi/L pCi/L:picocuries per liter(a measure of radioactivity) positive samples/month positive samples/month:Number of samples taken monthly that were found to be positive NA NA:not applicable ND ND:Not detected NR NR:Monitoring not required,but recommended. positive samples positive samples/yr:The number of positive samples taken that year Important Drinking Water Definitions Term Definition MCLG 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. MCL 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. TT TT:Treatment Technique: A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water. AL AL:Action Level:The concentration of a contaminant which,if exceeded,triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow. Important Drinking Water Definitions Variances and Exemptions Variances and Exemptions: State or EPA permission not to meet an MCL or a treatment technique under certain conditions. MRDLG MRDLG: Maximum residual disinfection 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. MRDL 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. MNR MNR: Monitored Not Regulated MPL MPL:State Assigned Maximum Permissible Level For more information please contact: Contact Name: Thomas S Newton Address: Leeds, MA Phone: 413-527-7261 tent:When out forms computer, my the tab move your r-do not ie return delivery by ;paper or ings does not tPN irements. nust be :tly delivered nand,land, Ironic). )u did not sell er to another =unity PWS Section C. Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Resource Protection — Drinking Water Program Consumer Confidence Report Certification For calendar year !6- A. PWS Information _ At/f'd& /Y%uavf i'V erA2 Q �e_ 7 i/1 y _distribution sting,land or Idivery, 3lication,and Dd faith efforts) ist be mpleted on or fore July 1v. ien July 1v ids on a :ekend or liday,delivery .st be mpleted earlier meet the :adline. PWS Name , d .5 f /Z7& D/U53 /Town City The community water system named above hereby certifies that its Consumer Confidence Report(CCR)was distributed to customers, appropriate agencies,and notices of availability have been given in compliance with 310 CMR 22.16A. Furthermore,the system certifies that the information contained in the report is correct and consistent with the compliance monitoring data previously submitted to MassDEP. I certify under penalty of law that 1 am the person authorized to fill out this form and the information contained herein is true, accurate, and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. B. Public Notice Certification Is this system using this CCR to pr vide Tier 3 Public Notice? ❑Yes No The PN can be found on page Name the Violation paragraph of the CCR. Date violation occurred ❑ I am reporting multiple Tier 3 PNs. I have listed the additional PN information on page 3 of this form. The public water system indicated above hereby affirms that a Tier 3 public notice has been provided within this CCR to consumers in accordance with 310 CMR 22.16(4)including: delivery,content,format requirements, notification deadlines, and that the public water system will meet future requirements for notifying new billing units and new customers of the violation. PWS ID# dmfr5 /t/ei.4Tvk Name Title v 9/3"Z5716 —770) Phone e//4 Dat / ignature of Owner/Responsible Party or Certified Operator Consultation date with MassDEP C. For Systems Selling Water to Other Community Water Systems ❑ My system delivered the applicable information required at 310 CMR 22.16A(4),to the buying system(s)no later than April 1st of this year,or by the mutually agreed upon date specifically included in a written contract between the parties. D. Consumer Delivery Methods — Based on Population Served Date of del61/6 I ubl For systems serving fewer than 500 persons: Da �r p ;motion (Choose#1 or#2) ❑ 1. My system used one or more of the following methods to notify customers that the CCR would not be mailed directly to them and is available to them upon request. (A copy of the notice is attached). ❑Land mail ❑Door-to-door ❑ Newspaper ❑eMail Post notices hen email is used r delivery,any turned emails ust be redelivered Man M y }�rn,:1y //) g /r, dSoi ,, /9i. Locations of posted n .ces ❑ 2.My system provided a copy of the CCR to each customer by one of six of the following methods: ❑ Published the full CCR in a local newspaper(a copy of the published report is attached). ❑Land mailed or hand-delivered the CCR to consumers. Rev 1-13 Page 1 of 3 livery lin 3 days ❑ eMailed with PDF of CCR ❑ eMailed with embedded CCR July 1. for to hart t also in JRL is ust be a c. ❑ Land mailed or ❑ eMailed a notice of availability of the CCR with a direct URL List URL For systems serving between 500 and 9,999 persons: Date of deii;e:yrpublication (Choose#1 or#2) ❑ 1. My system provided a copy of the CCR to each customer by ❑ Land mail ❑ eMail with PDF ❑ eMail with embedded CCR ❑ Land mailed or ❑ eMailed a notice of availability of the CCR with a direct URL List the URL if used. ❑ 2.My system provided the CCR to each customer by publishing the full report in a newspaper(a copy of the published CCR is attached) and provided notice to consumers of this action by either: ❑ Published a notice of this in a local newspaper ❑ Land mailed a notice of this to consumers. ❑ e-Mailed a notice of this to consumers. For systems serving 10,000 or more persons: ❑ My system provided a copy of the CCR to each customer by: ❑ Land mail ❑ eMail with PDF ❑ e-Mail with embedded CCR El Land mailed or ❑ eMailed a notice of availability of the CCR with a direct URL Date of deliveryipublica:ion List the URL if used. ❑ In addition to one of the delivery methods checked above, my system serves greater than 100,000 persons and, as required, has posted the CCR on a publicly accessible Internet site: www. — — -- List the URL used E. Good Faith Delivery Methods (minimum of 3 is required) To reach people who drink our water but are not billed customers the following were conducted in addition to the required delivery: ❑ Posted the CCR on a publicly accessible Internet site at the following address. (Only for systems under 100,000 population who did not use this method as their primary method) www. List the URL used. El Mailed the CCR to all postal patrons within the service area (list of zip codes used is attached). ❑ Mailed a postcard listing the URL where the CCR can be found,to all postal patrons within the service area (list of zip codes used is attached). List the URL used. ❑ Advertised availability of the CCR in the following news media (a copy of the announcement is attached): ❑ Radio ❑ Newspaper El Television !cable ❑ Social media ❑Digital signboard ❑ Published the CCR in local newspaper(a copy of the published CCR is attached). ❑ Posted the CCR in public places i.e., post office, town hall, library(a list of locations is attached). ❑ Delivered multiple CCR copies to single-bill addresses serving several persons i.e., apartments, businesses, large private employers (a list of locations is attached). Rev 1-13 Page 2 of 3 I systems must )mplete all 4 gencies and msumers must !ceive CCR on or :fore July 1. Drily one email is ecessary.If the CR is e-delivered the Boston office will also be ccessible to the ;gional office as 'ell.No need to e- el ver to regional ffice. ❑ Delivered multiple CCR copies to community organizations (A list of organizations is attached.) ❑ Posted the CCR or a notice of availability in the lobby of apartment complexes (list of the locations is attached). Other F. Mandatory Agency Delivery Requirements U 1. Delivered 1 copy of CCR and the Certification Form to local board of health. (Contact your board of health as to whether they would prefer land or e-delivery of CCR.) 31 2. Delivered 1-copy of CCR and the Certification Form to MA Dept. of Public H alth. [] Hardcopy to: 250 Washington St.; Boston, MA 02108 or FEl PDF e-delivered to: dph.ccr massmail.state.ma.us 3. Delivered 1-copy of CCR, the Certification Form, and all the attachments 6/6//4 [ch k-marked in this form to MassDEP Boston Office at: Date completed Hardcopy to: CCR Program, 1 Winter St.-5th Fl.; Boston, MA 02108 or ❑ PDF e-delivered to: P'ocram.Director-DWPstate.ma.us. Type`CCR'in subject line. Eli 4. Delivered 1-copy of CCR, the Certification Form, and all the attachments 6/06 /6 chick-marked in this form to the your MassDEP regional office at: Date completed Hardcopy to: MassDEP-WERO; Statehouse West 4th Floor; 436 Dwight Street.; Springfield, MA 01103 or ❑ e-delivered to the above MassDEP Boston email address* �et 'IVate'oampleted ❑ Hardcopy to: MassDEP-CERO; 627 Main St.; Worcester, MA 01608 or ❑ e-delivered to the above MassDEP Boston email address* ❑ Hardcopy to: MassDEP-NERO; 205-B Lowell St.; Wilmington, MA 01887 or ❑ e-delivered to the above MassDEP Boston email address* ❑ Hardcopy to: MassDEP-SERO; 20 Riverside Dr.; Lakeville, MA 02347 or ❑ e-delivered to the above MassDEP Boston email address* Rev 1-13 Page 3 of 3