Fort Walton Beach — 2020 Consumer Water Quality Report — reading text

Important Health Information Contaminants That May Be Present In Source Water WE ARE PLEASED TO REPORT THAT OUR Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in Include: FORT WALTON BEACH drinking water than the general population. Immuno- DRINKING WATER MEETS ALL FEDERAL AND compromised persons such as persons with cancer (A) Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, STATE REQUIREMENTS undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, Purpose of report organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife. The purpose of this report is to provide you with system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should (B) Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which 2021 Annual information about the quality of water and services we seek advice about drinking water from their health care can be naturally-occurring or result from urban stormwater deliver to you every day. We ask that all our customers providers. EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas help us protect our water sources, which are the heart of lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other production, mining, or farming. our community, our way of life and our children’s future. microbiological contaminants are available from the Safe (C) Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a The Water Treatment staff works around the clock to Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791). variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, meet our goal to provide you with a high quality safe and and residential uses. dependable supply of drinking water. A Special Note About Lead In Drinking Water (D) Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial During the past year we have taken thousands of water problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. processes and petroleum production, and can also come from samples to ensure the quality of your drinking water. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems. The table attached shows only those contaminants that components associated with service lines and home plumbing. (E) Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally were detected in the water. The State has reduced The City of Fort Walton Beach is responsible for providing high quality drinking water but cannot control the variety of occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining WATER TESTING PERFORMED IN 2020 monitoring requirements for certain contaminants to less activities. PWS ID# 1460144 often than once per year because the concentration of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the EPA these contaminants is not expected to vary significantly potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds prescribes regulations, which limit the amount of certain from year to year. In those cases, the most recent to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If you contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The sample data are included along with the year in which are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits the sample was taken. your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure protection for public health. The City of Fort Walton Beach monitors for contaminants is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead in your drinking water according to Federal and State expected to contain at least small amounts of some laws, rules, and regulations. Except where indicated contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not Source Water Assessment otherwise, this report is based on the results of our necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk. More In 2020 the Florida Department of Environmental Protection information about contaminants and potential health effects can monitoring for the period of January 1, 2020 to performed a Source Water Assessment on our system. The be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency’s December 31, 2020. Data obtained before January 1, assessment was conducted to provide information about any Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800-426-4791). 2020, and presented in this report are from the most potential sources of contamination in the vicinity of our wells. recent testing done in accordance with the laws, rules, There are 17 potential sources of contamination identified for and regulations. this system with low to moderate susceptibility levels. The assessment results are available on the FDEP Source Water Assessment and Protection Program website at If you have any questions about this report or water www.dep.state.fl.us/swapp. quality in the City of Fort Walton Beach, please contact the Water Operations Supervisor at 850-833-9613. Community Participation Where Does Our Drinking Water Come You are welcome to attended Fort Walton Beach regularly From And How Is It Purified? scheduled Council meetings held on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month. Contact the City Clerk at 850-833- The City of Fort Walton Beach’s water system processed 9511 to confirm day, time and location of meeting. approximately 936 million gallons of water in 2020. Our water comes from eight deep wells drawing ground water Substances that might be in drinking water from the Floridan Aquifer, which provides a very high The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) quality water source. With the excellent water quality of include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and the Floridan Aquifer, the only treatments required to wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through meet Federal and State standards are aeration and the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and, in chlorination. some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity.  2020 WATER TESTING RESULTS In the table to the left you will find many terms and abbreviations, some of which you INORGANIC CONTAMINANTS might not be familiar. To help you better Dates of