Fort Walton Beach — 2017 Consumer Water Quality Report — reading text

Important Health Information Community Participation Some people may be more vulnerable to You are welcome to attended Fort Walton Beach contaminants in drinking water than the general regularly scheduled Council meetings held on the second WE ARE PLEASED TO REPORT THAT OUR population. Immuno-compromised persons such as and fourth Tuesday of every month. Contact the City FORT WALTON BEACH DRINKING WATER MEETS ALL FEDERAL AND persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, Clerk at 833-9511 to confirm day, time and location of STATE REQUIREMENTS persons who have undergone organ transplants, meeting. people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system Purpose of report disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people Substances that might be in drinking water 2018 Annual The purpose of this report is to provide you with information about the quality of water and services we The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled should seek advice about drinking water from their deliver to you every day. We ask that all our water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, health care providers. EPA/CDC guidelines on customers help us protect our water sources, which springs, and wells. As water travels over the surface of appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by are the heart of our community, our way of life and the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally Cryptosporidium and other microbiological our children’s future. The Water Treatment staff works occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking around the clock to meet our goal to provide you with material, and can pick up substances resulting from the Water Hotline (800-426-4791). a high quality safe and dependable supply of drinking presence of animals or from human activity. water. Contaminants That May Be Present In Source Water A Special Note About Lead In Drinking Include: During the past year we have taken thousands of Water (A) Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and water samples to ensure the quality of your drinking If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, water. The table attached shows only those health problems, especially for pregnant women and septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and WATER TESTING PERFORMED IN 2017 contaminants that were detected in the water. The young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from wildlife. PWS ID# 1460144 State has reduced monitoring requirements for certain materials and components associated with service lines contaminants to less often than once per year (B) Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, and home plumbing. The City of Fort Walton Beach is because the concentration of these contaminants is which can be naturally-occurring or result from urban responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but not expected to vary significantly from year to year. In stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing those cases, the most recent sample data are discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming. components. When your water has been sitting for included along with the year in which the sample was several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead (C) Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a taken. exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If runoff, and residential uses. The City of Fort Walton Beach monitors for you are concerned about lead in your water, you may (D) Organic chemical contaminants, including contaminants in your drinking water according to wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by- Federal and State laws, rules, and regulations. drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take products of industrial processes and petroleum Except where indicated otherwise, this report is based to minimize exposure is available from the Safe production, and can also come from gas stations, urban on the results of our monitoring for the period of Drinking Water Hotline or at stormwater runoff, and septic systems. January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017. Data http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead obtained before January 1, 2017, and presented in (E) Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally this report are from the most recent testing done in Source Water Assessment occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and accordance with the laws, rules, and regulations. In 2017 the Florida Department of Environmental mining activities. Protection performed a Source Water Assessment on In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the EPA If you have any questions about this report or water our system. The assessment was conducted to provide prescribes regulations, which limit the amount of certain quality in the City of Fort Walton Beach, please information about any potential sources of contaminants in water provided by public water systems. contact Daniel Payne, Engineering & Utility Services contamination in the vicinity of our wells. There are 18 The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations Director at 833-9613. potential sources of contamination identified for this establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which system with low to moderate susceptibility levels. The must provide the same protection for public health. Where Does Our Drinking Water Come assessment results are available on the FDEP Source Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably From And How Is It Purified? Water Assessment and Protection Program website at be expected to contain at least small amounts of some The City of Fort Walton Beach’s water system www.dep.state.fl.us/swapp. contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not processed approximately 900 million gallons of water necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk. in 2017. Our water comes from eight deep wells More information about contaminants and potential health drawing ground water from the Floridan Aquifer, effects can be obtained by calling the Environmental which provides a very high quality water source. Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800- With the excellent water quality of the Floridan 426-4791). Aquifer, the only treatments required to meet Federal and State standards are aeration and chlorination.  In the table you will find many terms and abbreviations, some