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Home My WebLink About2021 Consumer Confidence ReportApril 6, 2022 CCR 2021 IOWA CITY WATER DIVISON PWSID: 5225079 Page 1 2021 WATER QUALITY REPORT FOR THE IOWA CITY WATER DIVISION This report contains important information regarding the water quality in our water system. The source of our water is surface water. Our water quality testing shows the following results: Contaminant MCL - (MCLG) Compliance Date Violation (Yes/No) Source Type Value & (Range) Total Trihalomethanes (ppb) [TTHM] 80 LRAA 41.00 (23 - 58) 12-31-2021 No By-products of drinking water chlorination Total Haloacetic Acids (ppb) [HAA5] 60 LRAA 6.00 (4 - 14) 12-31-2021 No By-products of drinking water disinfection Lead (ppb) AL=15 (0) 90th 2.00 (ND - 4) 2020 No Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits Copper (ppm) AL=1.3 (1.3) 90th 0.01 (ND - 0.01) 2020 No Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching from wood preservatives 950 - DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM Chlorine (ppm) MRDL=4.0 (MRDLG=4.0) RAA 0.83 (0.43 - 1.51) 12-31-2021 No Water additive used to control microbes Total Coliform Bacteria <5% of monthly samples TC+ RTCR 2 sample(s) TC+ / EC- 6-28-2021 No Coliforms are bacteria that are naturally present in the environment and are used as an indicator that other waterborne pathogens may be present, or that a potential pathway exists through which contamination may enter the drinking water. 03 - S/EP IA RIVER, J WELLS, S WELLS, C WELLS Sodium (ppm) N/A SGL 18 4-5-2021 No Erosion of natural deposits; Added to water during treatment process Nitrate [as N] (ppm) 10 (10) SGL 3.5 (0.5 - 3.5) 4-5-2021 No Runoff from fertilizer use; Leaching from septic tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits Turbidity* (NTU) TT SGL 0.05 100% compliant No Soil runoff Total Organic Carbon (% removed) TT RAA 35% (30 – 55.6%) 12-31-2021 No Naturally present in the environment Fluoride (ppm) 4 (4) SGL 0.84 (0.58 – 0.84) 9-2-2021 No Water additive which promotes strong teeth; Erosion of natural deposits; Discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories 2,4-D (ppm) 0.07 (0.07) SGL 0.0007 3-11-2022 No Runoff from herbicide used on row crops Manganese† (ppm) UCMR4 MRL=0.0004 SGL 0.002 2-20-2018 No Naturally present in the environment 1-Butanol† (ppm) UCMR4 MRL = 0.002 SGL 0.015 11-6-2018 No It is used in the production of other substances PFAS⁂ (ppt) N/A SGL ND 2-15-2022 No It is used in the production of other substances. This row represents the sum of the PFOA and PFOS compound concentrations only Note: Contaminants with dates indicate results from the most recent testing done in accordance with regulations. April 6, 2022 CCR 2021 IOWA CITY WATER DIVISON PWSID: 5225079 Page 2 DEFINITIONS • AL – Action Level – The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow. • Alkalinity – A measure of how much acid can be added to a liquid without causing a large change in pH. • Hardness – Amount of calcium and magnesium ions in solution. • MCL – Maximum Contaminant Level – 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. • MCLG – Maximum Contaminant Level Goal – 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. • mg/L – milligrams per liter • MRDL – Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level – The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants. • MRDLG – Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal – The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants. • MRL – Minimum Reporting Level – The minimum reportable concentration based on the analysis method • NTU – Nephelometric Turbidity Units – Turbidity is measure of clarity, the lower the number the clearer the sample. For comparison the Iowa River typically has a turbidity value between 10 to 1,500+ NTU. • ppt – parts per trillion | 1 ppt = 0.000001 ppm • ppb – parts per billion | 1 ppb = 0.001 ppm • ppm – parts per million • pCi/L – picocuries per liter • N/A – Not applicable • ND -- Not detected • RAA – Running Annual Average • RTCR – Revised Total Coliform Rule • SGL – Single Sample Result • TC+ / EC- - Total Coliform Positive / E. coli Negative – Coliforms are an easy to culture bacteria used as an indicator to infer if other organisms may be present in a sample. When a sample is TC+ / EC- additional samples are obtained from the water system and analyzed to ensure the system is free of bacteria. • TDS – Total Dissolved Solids – The total filterable dissolved solids present in a fluid • TT – Treatment Technique – A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water. • UCMR – Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule – Process the EPA uses to monitor unregulated drinking water contaminants to determine if regulations are needed and if needed what MCL is feasible. GENERAL INFORMATION General water quality parameters for the Iowa City drinking water are: pH: 9.20 ± 0.10 TDS: 150 - 200 ppm Hardness: 40 - 60 mg/L as CaCO3 Alkalinity: 40 - 70 mg/L as CaCO3 Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate the water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants or 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). 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. The Iowa City Water Division is responsible for providing high quality drinking water but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing April 6, 2022 CCR 2021 IOWA CITY WATER DIVISON PWSID: 5225079 Page 3 components. When you have not used water in your home 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 at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead, or call the Iowa City Water Division to request a free lead test (319-356-5160). ADDITIONAL HEALTH INFORMATION 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. Drinking water health advisory information is available on the Iowa Department of Natural Resources website at: https://www.iowadnr.gov/Environmental-Protection/Water-Quality/Drinking-Water-Compliance/Drinking-Water-Health-Advisories SOURCE WATER ASSESSMENT INFORMATION This water supply obtains its water from the sand and gravel of the Alluvial aquifer. The Alluvial aquifer was determined to be highly susceptible to contamination because the characteristics of the aquifer and overlying materials provide little protection from contamination at the land surface. The Alluvial wells will be highly susceptible to surface contaminants such as leaking underground storage tanks, contaminant spills, and excess fertilizer application. A detailed evaluation of your source water was completed by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and is available at https://programs.iowadnr.gov/sourcewater. This water supply obtains water from one or more surface waters. Surface water sources are susceptible to sources of contamination within the drainage basin. Surface Water Name Susceptibility Iowa River (Sand Pit) high Iowa River high OTHER INFORMATION *Turbidity is an indicator of treatment filter performance and is regulated as a treatment technique. †The contaminant is currently unregulated by a MCL and is being monitored and reported as part of the 2018-2020 UCMR4 ⁂The contaminant is a group of compounds known as per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and is unregulated. Currently there is a health advisory level for the sum of the detectable PFOA and PFOS concentrations at 70 ppt. These two PFAS compounds were not detected (ND) in the Iowa City drinking water. Three other PFAS compounds were detected – PFBA, PFPeA, and PFHxA at 3.0, 2.1, and 1.9 ppt, respectively. CONTACT INFORMATION Public Meeting Information We encourage our customers to attend and participate in the meetings about our water utility. The Iowa City Council meets the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. in: Emma J. Harvat Hall City Hall 410 E Washington Street Iowa City, IA 52240−1826 For Meeting information call (319) 356−5043 For questions regarding this information or how you can get involved in decisions regarding the water system, please contact Iowa City Water Division at 319-356-5160.