Consumer Confidence Report For
Customers of East Side Spring
Public Water System ID# NY 3304340
The Onondaga County Water Authority (by contract) is responsible for
maintaining the water system for customers receiving water originating from
East Side spring. East Side spring is located in Tully, NY on the east side of
Route 11A approximately one-half mile south of the intersection of Solvay Road.
A Source Water Assessment for East Side spring has recently been completed by
the New York State Department of Health. It can be found at the end of this
report.
East Side spring is a ground water source. Water fills the covered springhouse
and flows by gravity into a chlorination building located off Route 11A
approximately one-fourth mile north of the spring. The water then continues on
feeding approximately 11,123 gallons a day to twelve customers. These customers
are located on Route 11A from a point starting just north of the spring and
ending about 2 miles away. There are two customers between the spring and the
chlorination building that receive unchlorinated water that is not suitable for
drinking. OCWA customers in this area are intermingled with houses having
their own wells.
The only treatment this water receives is disinfection by the addition of
chlorine. The chlorine level in the system is checked daily by a resident, and
the chlorination building is visited by an OCWA employee at least every other
day. Testing for bacteria is performed weekly, and additional monitoring for
chemical contaminants is done on a schedule which meets or exceeds requirements
set by the New York State Sanitary Code.
Below is a list of contaminants found in your water in 2007. In cases where a
contaminant is tested for less than once per year, the most recent results
(prior to 2007) are included.
Please refer to the main part of OCWA's Consumer Confidence Report for more information and for a listing of abbreviations used.
Entry point samples are taken at the effluent of the chlorination building.
Distribution system samples are taken at customers taps.
Likely source of contamination: Discharge of drilling wastes, discharge from metal refineries, erosion of natural deposits
Barium
Violation yes/no
Sampling date(s)
Level found (range)
Units
MCLG
Regulatory limit (MCL, TT, or AL)
No
Aug 07
0.31
mg/L
2
2
Likely source of contamination: Naturally occurring
Calcium
Violation yes/no
Sampling date(s)
Level found (range)
Units
MCLG
Regulatory limit (MCL, TT, or AL)
No
Aug 07
83
mg/L
NA
NA
Likely source of contamination: Naturally occurring, road salts
Chloride
Violation yes/no
Sampling date(s)
Level found (range)
Units
MCLG
Regulatory limit (MCL, TT, or AL)
No
Aug 07
47
mg/L
NA
250
Likely source of contamination: Added to water to kill harmful bacteria and to prevent the regrowth of bacteria
Chlorine, free, no residual
Violation yes/no
Sampling date(s)
Level found (range)
Units
MCLG
Regulatory limit (MCL, TT, or AL)
No
Every other day in 2007
1.04 (0.64-1.60)
mg/L
NA
4 (MRDL)
Likely source of contamination: Indicates the presence of metals such as iron
Color
Violation yes/no
Sampling date(s)
Level found (range)
Units
MCLG
Regulatory limit (MCL, TT, or AL)
No
Aug, Sep, Nov 07
10.3 (ND-30)
units
15
NA
Likely source of contamination: Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits, leaching from wood preservatives
Copper
Violation yes/no
Sampling date(s)
Level found (range)
Units
MCLG
Regulatory limit (MCL, TT, or AL)
No
Aug 07
0.023
mg/L
1.3
AL = 1.3
Likely source of contamination: Erosion of natural deposits, discharge from fertilizer. OCWA does not add fluoride to the water here.
Fluoride
No
Aug 07
0.18
mg/L
NA
2.2
Likely source of contamination: Naturally occurring
Iron
Yes
Aug, Sep, Nov 07
983 (ND-2900)
µg/L
300
NA
Violation for iron:
On August 23, 2007 OCWA sampled the water leaving the East Side Chlorination
Building and had it tested for inorganic contaminants. The concentration of
iron in this sample was found to be 2900 µg/L. Since the MCL for Iron is 300
µg/L, this is a violation. The water was again sampled and tested for iron on
Sep 28 and Nov 19. Iron was not detected in either of these samples. The high
concentration of iron that was found in the Aug 23 sample may have come from
pipe material that exists between the Springhouse and the Chlorination
Building. Rust particles may have been dislodged from heavy flushing of the
water line. Sampling may have occurred before settling was possible.
Nevertheless, we are presenting the following information on iron in drinking
water.
Health effects of iron:
Iron has no health effects. At 1000 µg/L, a substantial number of people will
note the bitter, astringent taste of iron. Also at this concentration, it
imparts a brownish color to laundered clothing and stains plumbing fixtures
with a characteristic rust color. Staining can result at levels of 50 µg/L,
lower than those detectable by taste buds. Therefore, the MCL of 300 µg/L
represents a reasonable compromise as adverse aesthetic effects are minimized
at this level. Many multivitamins may contain 3000 or 4000 µg/L of iron per
capsule.
Likely source of contamination: Corrosion of household plumbing systems, erosion of natural deposits
Lead
No
Aug 07
9.4
µg/L
0
AL = 15
Likely source of contamination: Naturally occurring, indicates contamination from landfill
Manganese
No
Aug, Sep, Nov 07
14.3 (5-33)
µg/L
300
NA
Likely source of contamination: Naturally occurring
Magnesium
No
Aug 07
32
mg/L
NA
NA
Likely source of contamination: Erosion of natural deposits
Nickel
No
Aug 07
2.1
µg/L
NA
NA
Likely source of contamination: Runoff from fertilizer use, leaching from septic tanks, sewage, erosion of natural deposits
Nitrate
No
Aug 07
6.5
mg/L
10
10
Health effect of nitrate:
Although nitrate was detected below the MCL, it was detected at 6.5 mg/L, which
is greater than one-half of the MCL. Therefore, we are required to present the
following information on nitrate in drinking water.
Nitrate in drinking water at levels above 10 mg/L is a health risk for infants
of less than 6 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 for advice from your health care provider.
Likely source of contamination: Erosion of natural deposits.
Radium 228
Violation yes/no
Sampling date(s)
Average level found (range)
Units
MCLG
Regulatory limit (MCL, TT, or AL)
No
Sep 07
0.946
pCi/L
0
5
Radium 228:
The MCL for combined radium 226 and 228 is 5 pCi/L. this sample was found to
have 0.946 pCi/L of radium 228. Radium 226 was not detected.
Likely source of contamination: Naturally occurring, road salts, water softeners, animal wastes
Sodium
Violation yes/no
Sampling date(s)
Average level found (range)
Units
MCLG
Regulatory limit (MCL, TT, or AL)
No
Aug 07
20
mg/L
NA
See note
Health effects of sodium: Sodium has no MCL,
but water containing more than 20 mg/L of sodium
should not be used for drinking by people on severely
restricted sodium diets. Water containing more than
270 mg/L of sodium should not be used for drinking by
people on moderately restricted diets.
Likely source of contamination: Naturally occurring
Sulfate
Violation yes/no
Sampling date(s)
Average level found (range)
Units
MCLG
Regulatory limit (MCL, TT, or AL)
No
Aug 07
27
mg/L
NA
250
Likely source of contamination: Naturally occurring, mining waste
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas found
in soil and outdoor air that may also be found in
drinking water and indoor air. Some people exposed to
elevated radon levels over many years in drinking
water may have an increased risk of getting cancer.
The main risk is lung cancer from radon entering
indoor air from soil under homes. For additional
information call your state radon program
(800-458-1158) or call EPA’s Radon Hotline
(800-SOS-RADON).
In anticipation of the EPA adopting regulations for radon in ground water
systems OCWA tested for it in Jul 07. The effluent from the Chlorination
Building was used as the sampling point. The amount of radon detected was 293
pCi/L.
Likely source of contamination: Added to water to kill harmful bacteria and to prevent the regrowth of bacteria.
Chlorine (free, residual)
Violation yes/no
Sampling date(s)
Average level found (range)
Units
MCLG
Regulatory limit (MCL, TT, or AL)
No
Every other day in 2007
1.00 (0.75-1.30)
mg/L
NA
4 (MRDL)
About chlorine: Chlorine is added to your water to kill bacteria. In 2007, OCWA
took weekly bacteriological samples along with the weekly chlorine samples. All
fifty-two samples were negative for coliform bacteria. No violations occurred.
Likely source of contamination: Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching from wood preservatives.
Copper
Violation yes/no
Sampling date(s)
Average level found (range)
Units
MCLG
Regulatory limit (MCL, TT, or AL)
No
Sep 05
0.17 (0.069-0.20)
mg/L
1.3
AL = 1.3
OCWA must test five houses in this district every 3 years
for lead and copper. The highest and second highest
concentrations of lead/copper of these five hoses are
then averaged together. This result must be at or
below the Action Levels, or corrosion control treatment
techniques must be started. In 2005 none of the houses
tested were above the Action Level for lead or copper.
OCWA will test for lead and copper again in 2008.
Likely source of contamination: Corrosion of household plumbing systems, erosion of natural deposits
Lead
Violation yes/no
Sampling date(s)
Average level found (range)
Units
MCLG
Regulatory limit (MCL, TT, or AL)
No
Sep 05
2.4 (ND-3.3)
µg/L
0
AL = 15
Likely source of contamination: By-product of drinking water chlorination. TTHMs form when source water contains large amounts of organic matter.
Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Violation yes/no
Sampling date(s)
Average level found (range)
Units
MCLG
Regulatory limit (MCL, TT, or AL)
No
Aug 07
6.5
µg/L
NA
80
Disinfection by-products:
During disinfection, certain by-products form as a
result of chlorine reacting with naturally occurring
organic matter. The disinfection process is carefully
monitored so that disinfection is effective, while
levels of disinfection by-products are kept low.
Trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs) are
classes of chemicals that OCWA is required to monitor
in its distribution system.
Likely source of contamination: By-product of drinking water chlorination
The NYS DOH has evaluated the East Side Spring's susceptibility to
contamination under the Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP), and their
findings are summarized in the paragraph below. It is important to stress that
these assessments were created using available information and only estimate
the potential for source water contamination. Elevated susceptibility ratings
do not mean that source water contamination has or will occur for East
Side Spring. The East Side Spring water supply provides treatment and regular
monitoring to ensure the water delivered to consumers meets all applicable
standards.
Based on the analysis of available information, this spring source is rated as
having a medium susceptibility to protozoa and pesticide contamination. This
rating is due primarily to the high percentage of pasture and row crop land
covers (respectively) in the assessment area. No permitted discharges or
other regulated facilities have been identified in the assessment area using
GIS.
Questions about water quality: Bob Rusyn, 315-673-4304 x11
Onondaga County Health Dept for questions about Source Water Assessment
Program: 315-435-6600
EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline: 800-426-4791.
More information: or 315-455-7061 After hours & weekend emergency answering service 315-475-7601
