Central Lehigh Division

PWSID: 3390073

Este informe contiene informacion muy importante sobre su agua potable. Traduzcalo o hable con alguien que lo entienda bien.

1

LCA Commitment to Safe Drinking Water

LCA is a public, nonprofit water and sewer utility dedicated to a single mission – to provide continually improved, affordable, reliable and sustainable services to our customers.

Continuous improvement comes from our ongoing participation in programs and associations such as the Partnership for Safe Water program, Lehigh Valley Water Suppliers, American Water Works Association, the PA-DEP Source Water Protection Technical Assistance Program and the Pennsylvania Association of Accredited Environmental Laboratories. It also comes from our professional staff of water plant operators, laboratory technicians, customer service personnel and distribution system operators who provide the highest quality service possible every single day.

What’s inside this report?

3

About Your Water System

Service Area: Portions of Upper Macungie, Lower Macungie, Salisbury, South Whitehall, Upper Milford, Weisenberg and Lowhill townships.

Number of Customers: 18,171 properties served.

Water Supply: 14 wells located throughout the service area, plus an interconnection with LCA’s Allentown Division water system, produce an average of 10.2 million gallons of water per day. The Allentown Division draws its water from two large springs, the Little Lehigh Creek and the Lehigh River.

Water Treatment: Water from LCA’s wells is disinfected with chlorine to kill bacteria. No other treatment is necessary in order to ensure a safe supply of drinking water. The Allentown Division water supply is treated at LCA’s full-scale water filtration plant located in Allentown.

4

Why this report is important!

The information contained in this report may be especially important for some groups of people, such as the elderly, people with compromised immune systems and infants. If you are viewing this report, but the water LCA provides is actually provided to tenants, patients, customers or employees who use your property, please make a copy of this report available to them as well. Thank you!

5

Water Quality Test Results

Entry Point Disinfectant Residual

7

Water Quality Test Results

Chemical Contaminants

8

Water Quality Test Results

Chemical Contaminants (cont’d)

• Nickel: Although we are required to test for nickel, the EPA has rescinded the MCL and MCLG on the amount of nickel allowed in drinking water.
• Fluoride: LCA adds fluoride to the drinking water in Allentown as a requirement of the lease of the water system from the City of Allentown. The Allentown water typically contains fluoride levels up to 0.6 ppm, which is blended with well water to serve your home. Customers may be receiving a blended amount of fluoride at any time that ranges from 0 – 0.6 ppm.

Water Quality Test Results

Lead & Copper Testing

10

Water Quality Test Results

Radioactive Contaminants

* EPA considers 50 pCi/L to be the level of concern for beta particles

11

Water Quality Test Results

Other Contaminants

12

Water Quality Test Results

Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring

Unregulated contaminants are those for which EPA has not established drinking water standards. The purpose of unregulated contaminant monitoring is to assist EPA in determining the occurrence of unregulated contaminants in drinking water and whether future regulation is warranted.

All results are from the 2018-2020 Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 4 (UCMR4) testing.

13

What does this report mean?

The information in this report shows only those substances that were detected in your water. They “passed” because they fall within acceptable limits for health and safety as determined by state and federal regulations. These regulations are put in place to protect the public’s health.

14

Any violations in 2020?

On June 30, 2020, a public notice went out to customers who may have received water from one of Lehigh County Authority’s well sources (known as Well #13) informing them that a recent water sample from Well #13 exceeded the maximum contaminant level for Di(2- ethylhexyl) phthalate. Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate is a manufactured chemical found in discharge from rubber and chemical factories.

We routinely sample and test water throughout our system. On May 27, 2020, a water sample taken at Well # 13 produced a result of 15.7 ppb, which exceeds the federal and state standard of 6 ppb. Upon learning of this problem, LCA immediately notified the Pa. Department of Environmental Protection to discuss the test results. Since no LCA water source, including Well # 13, had ever tested positive for this substance in the past, a review of all sampling and laboratory protocols was completed.

Your water quality has since returned to normal and no further action is necessary. In a follow-up water sample taken on June 11, 2020, Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate was not detected. We will continue to conduct sampling at Well # 13 on a quarterly basis to ensure water quality continues to meet all state and federal safety standards. We will notify you again if Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate is detected above the maximum contaminant level in the future.

Some people who drink water containing Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate well in excess of the MCL over many years may have problems with their liver, or experience reproductive difficulties, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer. While this water quality violation appears to have been an isolated incident for a short duration, you should consult with a health care provider if you have additional concerns.

15

What’s NOT in your water?

In addition to the substances shown in this report, LCA tests your water for many other substances which were NOT detected in your water. These tests are routinely conducted according to schedules and procedures outlined in state and federal regulations for safe drinking water.

With the exception of those listed in the charts in this report, none of the substances we have tested for have been detected in your drinking water. For detailed information about our water quality monitoring program, please give us at call at 610-398-1444 any time with your questions.

16

Other Important Information

Water Testing Frequency

The monitoring results shown in this report includes information from calendar year 2020. Annual testing is not required for all contaminants. Some are on multi- year cycles based on schedules determined by state and federal regulations. We also test for some contaminants such as total coliform and chlorine many times throughout the year as results may change as environmental conditions change.

17

Other Important Information

Nitrates in Drinking Water

Nitrate in drinking water at levels above 10 ppm is a health risk for infants of less than six months of age. High nitrate levels in drinking water can cause blue baby syndrome. Nitrate levels may rise quickly for short periods of time because of rainfall or agricultural activity. If you are caring for an infant, you should ask advice from your health care provider.

18

Other Important Information

Cryptosporidium

Cryptosporidium is a microbial parasite commonly found in surface water, and the City of Allentown has monitored for it in both the surface water sources – the Little Lehigh Creek and the Lehigh River. This monitoring concludes that Cryptosporidium is present in low concentrations, and DEP has determined that no additional treatment is needed for effective removal. Customers should be aware that cryptosporidium is capable of causing a disease called cryptosporidiosis. Symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal cramping and nausea. Healthy individuals usually overcome the illness in a few weeks. However, immuno-compromised individuals are at greater risk of developing serious, chronic illness. These people should consult a physician to discuss precautions to avoid infection. Cryptosporidium must be ingested to develop disease, and it may be

Other Important Information

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. LCA 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 (800- 426-4791) or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

20

A Note From EPA

Where drinking water contamination comes from, and how EPA protects public health

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, in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity.

Contaminants that may be present in source water include microbes, organic or inorganic chemicals, pesticides and herbicides or radioactive materials.

In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. FDA regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health.

21

A Note From EPA (cont’d)

Where drinking water contamination comes from, and how EPA protects public health

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 Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-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/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

22

Water Hardness, pH & Other Useful Info

Water “hardness” is a measure of the mineral content in your water. These minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, are essential to human health and do not need to be removed from your drinking water. However, some customers prefer to remove these minerals with a water softener to avoid mineral deposits on faucets and other fixtures.

Hardness Scale:

0 - 5 grains per gallon = Soft Water

6 - 10 grains per gallon = Moderately Hard Water > 11 grains per gallon = Hard Water

23

Water Hardness, pH & Other Useful Info

Secondary Contaminant Analysis

Secondary contaminant are associated with the aesthetic qualities of drinking water, such as taste, smell, color and formation of deposits on plumbing fixtures. When a secondary contaminant MCL is exceeded, you may notice a change in the color, smell or taste of your tap water.

24

Protecting Your Drinking Water

Here are a few ideas about how you can help:

Don’t Dump: Anything you put on the ground or down a storm drain can make its way into our groundwater or other water sources. Contact the Lehigh County Office of Solid Waste at 610-799-4177 to find out how to dispose of household hazardous wastes.

Lawn Care: Use only as much fertilizer as your lawn or garden really needs, and be sure to pick up after your pets!

Care for Your Car: Oil spots left on driveways and parking lots can wash away with the rain and will end up back in the environment.

Report Spills: Call 9-1-1 if you witness accidental or intentional dumping of unknown substances into our environment!

26

Please contact Lehigh County Authority at 610-398-1444, or visit us online at www.lehighcountyauthority.org.

Board meetings are open to the public and can also be viewed live online! Please visit us online for a meeting schedule and agendas, to view a current or past meeting, or to learn more about LCA projects and programs.

27