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Rate Study l Water
Report l Helpful Numbers
The Water We Drink
Water Quality Roundup
Glossary of Terms
Testing for Quality
What's In Your Water?
Learn More About Alexandria Water
Special Information Available
A Note About Crypto
Other Reports Available
Protect Our Water Supply - Dispose of your
hazardous waste properly
The Water We Drink
Alexandria, City of Public Water Supply ID 1079001
We
are pleased to report that our drinking water is safe and
meets federal and state requirements. If you have any questions
about this report or concerning your utility, please contact
Charles M. Miller at (318) 441-6215. We want our valued customers
to be informed about their water utility. If you want to learn
more, please attend any of our regularly scheduled meetings.
They are generally held monthly and you can call us at the
above telephone number for a specific place, date and time.
The
Louisiana Department of Health/Office of Public Health routinely
monitors for constituents in your drinking water according
to federal and state laws. This table shows the results of
our monitoring for the period of January 1st 2001 to December
31st, 2003. All drinking water, including bottled drinking
water, may be reasonably expected to contain at least small
amounts of some constituents. It’s important to remember that
the presence of these constituents does not necessarily post
a health risk.
We
detected the following regulated contaminants but they were
at levels below the maximum contaminant level. Additionally,
we wish to inform you that these samples, except for lead
and copper results, were collected at our individual sources
and represent water before any treatment, blending or distribution.
As such, the consumer tap levels could be less. The last chemical
sampling of our source water was collected in December 2003.
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Water Quality Roundup
| Regulated at Source |
| Compound |
Date |
Level |
MCL |
MCLG |
Unit |
Sources
of Substances |
Arsenic |
12/01/04 |
0.006 |
0.01 |
0 |
ppm |
Erosion
of natural deposits, runoff from orchards, runoff from
glass and electronic production wastes. |
Informative
Statement: While your drinking water meets
EPA's standard for arsenic, it does contain low levels
of arsenic. EPA's standard balances the current understanding
of arsenic's possible health effects against the cost
of removing arsenic from drinking water, EPA continues
to research the health effects of low levels of arsenic,
which is a mineral known to cause cancer in humans
in high concentrations and is linked to other health
effects such as skin damage and circulatory problems
[40CFR 141 154 (b) (1)]
Arsenic
was detected in one well. Arsenic was not
detected in any other well for the city of Alexandria
Water Systems. The water from this particular well
and 31 other wells in the Kisatchie well fields are
mixed in 2 one million gallon storage tanks before
it is piped to Alexandria and sent to the distribution
system. This mixing should dilute the arsenic to a
level undetectable by lab equipment. |
Fluoride |
08/20/01 |
2.8 |
4.0 |
0 |
ppm |
Erosion
of natural deposits, water additive which promotes strong
teeth; discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories. |
| Health
Effects Language:
Some people who drink water containing fluoride in excess
of the MCL over many years could get bone disease, including
pain and tenderness of the bones. Fluoride in drinking
water at half the MCL or more may cause mottling of
children's teeth, usually in children less than nine
years old. Mottling, also known as dental fluorosis,
may include brown staining and/or pitting of the teeth,
and occurs only in developing teeth before they erupt
from the gums. |
Glossary of Terms
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): 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.
Maximum
Contaminant Level (MCL): 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.
Parts
Per Million (ppm): Equivalent to milligrams per liter.
One ppm is comparable to one minute in two years.
Parts
Per Billion (ppb): One ppb is comparable to one minute
in 2,000 years.
PicoCuries Per Liter
(pCi/l): A measure of radioactivity.
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Testing for Quality
Alexandria Water has been treating and testing the quality
of its water since the department was founded. We have always
made our findings available to the public; this Water Quality
Report is being furnished to give our customers a summary
of what’s in the system’s drinking water.
Alexandria
Water yearly conducts several tests from various samples.
We are happy to inform you that the department’s water has
never violated a regulated standard.
This
report is a review of the data the Water Department compiled
in looking for any potential contaminants during 2003. Included
are details about where your water comes from, what it contains,
and how it compares to EPA and state health standards. Also
listed are phone numbers and information about how you can
find out more about your water system.
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What's In Your Water?
As water travels over the surface of 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.
Contaminants
that might be expected in untreated water include microbial
contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria; inorganic contaminants,
such as salts and metals; pesticides and herbicides; organic
chemicals from industrial or petroleum use, and radioactive
materials. Drinking water, including bottled water, might
reasonable be expected to contain at least small amounts of
contaminants. The presence of contaminates does not necessarily
indicate that water poses a health risk.
More
information about contaminants and potential health effects
can be obtained by calling the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline: 800-426-4791 or on-line
at www.epa.gov/safewater/.
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Learn More About Alexandria Water
The 2004 Water Quality Report of Alexandria reflects the hard
work by our 40 employees to bring you water that is absolutely
safe. Here are some of the major advancements under way to
continue our tradition of quality:
•
Replace 10 miles of two-inch and smaller lines in the older
parts of town.
• Install new twelve inch water mains on Heyman Lane and Bowie
Drive.
• Drill 2 new water wells.
• Conduct study for new water source.
If
you are interested in learning more about Alexandria Water
and water quality, or participating in the decision-making
process, there are a number of opportunities available.
Questions
about water quality can be answered by calling our Water Department
office at (318) 441-6214. Inquiries about public participation
and policy decisions can be made by calling the City Council
at (318) 449-5048. The City
Council meets bi-weekly and the schedule of meetings is
posted at City Hall and online.
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Special Information Available
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking
water than the general population. Immune-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 persons and
infants, can be particularly at risk from infections. These
people should seek advice about drinking water from their
health care providers.
U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency and Centers for Disease Control
guidelines on the Appropriate Means to Lessen Risk of Infection
by Cryptosporidium are available from the Safe Drinking Water
Hotline: 800-426-4791
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A Note About Crypto
The Water Department has tested for cryptosporidium in our
wells and it has never been detected in our drinking water.
Crypto is a microscopic organism that, when ingested, can
result in diarrhea, fever, and other gastrointestinal symptoms.
The organism is in all rivers and streams and comes from animal
wastes from in the water shed. Crypto is eliminated by an
effective treatment combination including filtration, sedimentation,
and disinfecting.
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Other Reports Available
Each state is required by the Safe Drinking Act Amendments
of 1996 to perform source water assessments on all public
drinking water systems. This City of Alexandria Source Water
Assessment has been completed and is available for viewing
at the City of Alexandria Water Department Office locate in
the City Complex Adminsitration Building at 2021 Industrial
Park Road. Hours are Monday-Friday 7:00 am - 3:30 pm.
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Protect Our Water Supply...Dispose of
Your Hazardous Waste Properly
The average household can accumulate as much as 100 pounds
of household hazardous waste. Manage and reduce your Household
Waste by purchasing only non-toxic products, disposing of
chemicals properly and NOT dumping chemicals in storm drainers.
To assist our residential customers with the task of properly
disposing of used oil, paints, pesticides, flourescent light
bulbs, rechargeable batteries, gasoline and other toxic chemicals;
the City of Alexandria sponsors a Household Hazardous Waste
Collection Day each year. The event is scheduled for the 3rd
Saturday in May from 9:00 am - 2:00 pm at the City Complex.
To receive a Recycle Guide to manage your hazardous waste
throughout the year, call Anne Wilson, Environmental Services
Department: 441-6251.
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