2008 Water Quality Report

The Monroeville Municipal Authority (MMA) is proud to present its 2008 Water Quality Report. This report provides our customers with a summary of where their drinking water comes from, how it is treated, and the results of water quality monitoring performed on a daily basis. To meet the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ruling requiring all U.S. water utilities to provide customers with this information, we will be mailing our 2008 water quality report to all MMA customers by July 1, 2009.

The MMA has consistently met and exceeded drinking water standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) and the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD). How do we do this? All of the employees at the MMA share the same goal – to provide our customers with safe and reliable drinking water at the lowest rate possible.

WHERE DOES MY DRINKING WATER COME FROM? The MMA’s primary surface water supply is the Allegheny River. The Allegheny River begins as a spring in a farmer’s field in the upper Appalachian Mountains of northern Pennsylvania. It then collects in the Allegheny Reservoir (Kinzua Dam) and flows to the confluence with the Monongahela River. The Allegheny River Watershed encompasses 11,770 square miles and includes most of Western Pennsylvania and parts of South West New York. The MMA water is drawn from the Allegheny River near Oakmont, Pennsylvania. The quality of the water from the Allegheny River can be affected by mine acid drainage, sewage treatment plant discharge, agriculture and livestock runoff, leaking underground and under river pipelines, leaking chemical storage tanks, river barges and railroad cars transporting chemicals.

 HOW DO DRINKING WATER SOURCES BECOME POLLUTED?

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 human activity. Contaminants that may be present in source water include:

	Microbiological contaminants (bacteria, viruses, protozoan, etc.) can come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural live stock operations, and wildlife.
	Inorganic chemical contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally occurring or result from urban stormwater run off, industrial and/or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming.
	Pesticides and herbicides which may occur 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 byproducts of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gasoline stations, urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems.
	Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production, or mining activities.

Este informe contiene informacion muy importante sobre su agua de beber. Traduzcalo o hable con alguien que lo entienda bien. (This report contains very important information about your drinking water. Translate it or speak to someone who understands it.)

ABOUT MONITORING FOR CRYPTOSPORIDIUM AND GIARDIA:

Cryptosporidium and Giardia are microscopic organisms that, when ingested, can result in diarrhea, fever and other gastrointestinal symptoms. These organisms are found in animal and human wastes, and enter the rivers and streams when it rains, or from improperly operated sewage treatment plants, livestock operations, and/or wildlife.

During 1998, 1999 the MMA's primary finished water supplier (WPJWA) was required by the US EPA to participate in the Information Collection Rule. This required the analysis of the source water from the Allegheny River and the finished water supplied to our consumers for Cryptosporidium and Giardia for eighteen months. At no time during this monitoring period were any Giardia, Cryptosporidium, or total culturable viruses found in the finished water. Cryptosporidium was only found once in the source water during the eighteen-month monitoring period.

ADDITIONAL TESTING PERFORMED

In response to those consumers who would like to see chemicals tested for, but not included in a year to year tally, we have included some in this year’s report. The US EPA only requires us to list those chemicals that are above the method detection level.

REQUIRED CCR STATEMENT ADDRESSING LEAD IN DRINKING WATER

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. Monroeville Municipal Authority 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.

HOW IS MY DRINKING WATER TREATED AND PURIFIED?

The MMA receives its primary supply of finished water for resale from the Wilkinsburg – Penn Joint Water Authority (WPJWA) system. Like the majority of water utilities in the U.S., the WPJWA uses a multi-step treatment process at their water treatment plant. River water is pumped from the Allegheny River to the treatment plant and chlorinated. The water is then coagulated (which means the smaller particles in the river water join together by adding chemicals, which encourage this attraction). The water is mixed to ensure that the added chemicals are well blended and reacting with all of the smaller particles. The water is allowed to settle so that the newly joined particles sink by gravity to the bottom of the sedimentation tanks. The sediment is then removed and sent to the Allegheny County Sanitation Authority (ALCOSAN) for treatment. The settled water is then filtered to remove any remaining particles. Chlorine is then again added to prevent the growth of bacteria during transport and storage.

The finished water enters the MMA system through two separate metered connections. By agreement with WPJWA, the MMA is permitted to withdraw 6.0 million gallons per day (mgd) of monthly average flow and 7.5 mgd of peak daily flow from the above connections. In addition to the primary source of supply, the MMA maintains two emergency interconnections with the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County (MAWC) system. The MMA maintains four storage tanks to serve as a reserve for fire protection and to maintain adequate water pressure. These tanks have a combined capacity of 13.5 million gallons. The water is then delivered to your home or business through a network of over 165 miles of waterlines varying in size from 4 to 24 inches in diameter. If you desire more information about the quality of the water provided by the MMA, please call the MMA Manager, John A. Capor at (412) 372-2677 or log on to our web site at http://www.monroevillewater.org. The MMA Board of Directors meets at 7:00 p.m. on the fourth Monday of the month at 219 Speelman Lane, Monroeville, PA 15146, and these meetings are open to the public. The MMA water system identification number is 5020027. 

WHY IS CHLORINE USED TO DISINFECT MY DRINKING WATER?

State and federal regulations require the disinfection of all public water supplies. The EPA and other health agencies recognize that using chlorine is one of the most effective ways to protect public health from disease causing organisms that can be found in surface waters. Because chlorine used alone can react with natural materials in the river water to chemically form disinfection by-products such as Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), the Authority has been evaluating chlorination procedures to reduce the formation of TTHMs. However, we will continue to ensure that the water distributed to your home has a sufficient "chlorine residual" to prohibit the growth of bacteria and other organisms, to not increase TTHMs, and to not have an offensive chlorine smell and/or taste.

WHAT’S IN MY WATER?

In order to ensure that the water coming from your tap is suitable to drink, the EPA and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) have established regulations that limit the amount of certain chemicals in water provided for public water systems. Refer to the attached charts detailing our water quality test results for a complete listing of detected contaminants.

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. To obtain more information about chemicals and potential health effects, call the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791) or visit their web site: http://www.epa.gov/safewater
 

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219 Speelman Lane
Monroeville, PA  15146
Phone - 412-372-2677
(24 hours/day and emergencies)
Fax - 412-372-2523
General Manager - John A. Capor 

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