Your water meets all state and federal regulations for safety
The City of Richmond Hill is pleased to report that your community’s drinking water currently meets and exceeds all safety and quality standards set by the State of Georgia and EPA. Last year we conducted more than 500 tests for more than 90 drinking water contaminants and only two of those parameters were higher than the EPA allows. As our public notice stated at the time, our water only temporarily exceeded standards for this parameter. For more information on this occurrence, see the additional information provided in this report. The City of Richmond Hill, in partnership with CH2M HILL OMI, is committed to providing a safe and dependable water source on a year round basis. We are proud to provide the enclosed information. .
This brochure is a snapshot of the quality of the water we provided in 2008. Details include where your water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards. We are committed to providing you with this information because we want you to be informed. For more information about your water, call David Buchanan at 756-3803.
Special population advisory
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, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. EPA/Center For Disease Control guidelines on how to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791.
Drinking water sources
Your water comes from four groundwater wells withdrawing water from the Floridian Aquifer.
Source water assessment information may be obtained by contacting David Buchanan at 756-3803.
Public participation opportunities
Our City Council meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month. Please feel free to participate in these meetings.
Contaminants in 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 EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 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 can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity.
Contaminants that may be present in source water before we treat it include:
· Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which 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 storm water runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining or farming.
· Pesticides & herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture & residential use.
· Radioactive contaminants, which are naturally occurring.
· Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and also can come from gas stations, urban storm water runoff, and septic systems.
Water quality monitoring
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. We treat our water according to EPA’s regulations. Food and Drug Administration regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health.
Water quality data
The table in this report lists all the drinking water contaminants we detected during the 2008 calendar year. The presence of these contaminants in the water does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk. Unless otherwise noted, the data presented in this table are from testing done January 1 through December 31, 2008. The state requires us to monitor for certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants are not expected to vary significantly from year to year. Some of the data, though representative of the water quality, is more than one year old.
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 pluming. Richmond Hill 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 running your tap for 1 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.