2006 study shows base water is safe Published June 19, 2007 Information courtesy of the 509th Medical Operations Squadron WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- (Editor's note: This is an annual report on the quality of water delivered by Whiteman Air Force Base. This report is intended to provide Team Whiteman with important information about your drinking water and the efforts made to provide safe drinking water. Users will not be mailed individual copies of this report. Under the Consumer Confidence Reporting Rule of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, community water systems are required to report this water quality information to the consuming public. Presented in this report is information on the source of our water, its constituents and the health risks associated with any contaminants.) During the month of April 2006, we received a positive result of coliform. Coliforms are bacteria, which are naturally present in the environment and are used as an indicator that other, potentially-harmful, bacteria may be present. Although this is not a violation, coliforms were found in more samples than allowed and this was a warning of potential problems. Further sampling indicated that harmful bacteria were not present. Sampling was repeated to confirm a negative result and the sampling procedure and techniques were reviewed to reduce the possibility of a false positive. Your drinking water comes from the Whiteman Water Treatment Plant operated by 509th Civil Engineering Squadron. Our system has been assigned the identification number Mo., 1079501. The plant treats water from the Ozark Aquifer pumped from wells located on base. Your water is filtered and treated with chlorine to disinfect the water. These wells have been tested and the results are available from the 509th Medical Operations Squadron, Bioenvironmental Engineering Flight at 687-4324. If you would like to observe the decision-making processes that affect your drinking water quality or if you have any questions, the water plant can be reached at 687-1984. The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs and groundwater 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. 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 at (800) 426-4791. Contaminants that may be present in source water 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 stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming. Pesticides and herbicides, which may come 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 by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff and septic systems. Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities. 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. Department of Health regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health. 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 at (800) 426-4791. For more information, call 1st Lt. Heidi Grandin at 687-4324. Table of Detected Contaminants Inorganic Units MCL MCLG Level Found Range of Detections Violation Sample Year BARIUM ppm 2 2 0.0230 0.023 No 2005 Sources Discharge of drilling wastes; Discharge from metal refineries; Erosion of natural deposits FLUORIDE ppm 4 4 0.0640 0.064 No 2005 Sources Erosion of natural deposits; Water additive which promotes strong teeth; Discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories Radionuclide Units MCL MCLG Level Found Range of Detections Violation Sample Year GROSS ALPHA PARTICLE ACTIVITY, TOTAL pCi/L 0 15 1.3000 1.3 No 2004 Sources Erosion of natural deposits Combined Radium Level RA226 and RA228 Units Combined Radium Detected MCL MCLG pCi/L 0.6 5 0 Copper Collection Period Units Action Level 90th Percentile Sites exceeding AL 1/1/2004-12/31/2004 ppm AL=1.3 0.0339 0 Sources Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching from wood preservatives Lead Collection Period Units Action Level 90th Percentile Sites exceeding AL 1/1/2004-12/31/2004 ppb AL=15 0.000 0 Sources Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits Coliform The MCL for total coliform is determined by the number of samples taken per month. Systems that collect less than 40 samples per month are in violation if more than one sample tests positive. Systems that collect more than 40 samples per month are in violation if 5% or more of the samples test positive # Positive Samples % Positive Samples Month Violation Sources 1 n/a April No Naturally present in the environment Health Effects Coliforms are bacteria that are naturally present in the environment and are used as an indicator that other, potentially-harmful, bacteria may be present. Coliforms were found in more samples than allowed and this was a warning of potential problems. Fecal Coliform The MCL for Fecal Coliform is where a routine sample and a repeat sample are total coliform positive, and one is also fecal coliform or E. coli positive # Positive Samples for Year Violation Sources 0 No Naturally present in the environment Optional Contaminants Inorganic Units Level Found Range of Detections Sample Year ALKALINITY mg/L 109.0000 109 2005 ALUMINUM mg/L 0.194 0.194 2005 CALCIUM mg/L 15.7000 15.7 2005 CHLORIDE mg/L 42.0000 42 2005 HARDNESS, TOTAL (AS CAC03) mg/L 97.7000 97.7 2005 IRON mg/L 0.0104 0.0104 2005 MAGNESIUM mg/L 14.2000 14.2 2005 PH pH 8.4400 8.44 2005 POTASSIUM mg/L 3.8500 3.85 2005 SODIUM mg/L 48.9000 48.9 2005 SOLIDS, TOTAL DISSOLVED (TDS) mg/L 234.0000 234 2005 SULFATE mg/L 49.4000 49.4 2005 Volatile Organic Units Level Found Range of Detections Sample Year Bromodichloromethane g/L 1.1200 1.12 2004 Bromoform g/L 7.6700 7.67 2004 Dibromochloromethane g/L 4.1400 4.14 2004 Definitions: MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level Goal, or 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, MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level, or 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, AL: Action Level, or the concentration of a contaminant which, when exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow, TT: Treatment Technique, or a required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water, 90th percentile: For lead and copper testing. 10 percent of test results are above this level and 90 percent are below this level, Level Found: is the average of all test results for a particular contaminant, Range of Detections: Shows the lowest and highest levels found during a testing period, if only one sample was taken, then this number equals the Level Found Abbreviations: PPB: parts per billion or micrograms per liter, PPM: parts per million or milligrams per liter, n/a: not applicable, MFL: million fibers per liter, used to measure asbestos concentration, nd: not detectable at testing limits