Easton Suburban Water Authority

2020 Water Quality Report

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Easton Suburban Water Authority (Public Water Supply Number 3480050) is firmly committed to providing our customers with high quality drinking water that meets or surpasses state and federal standards for quality and safety. To ensure delivery of a quality product, we have made significant investments in treatment facilities, water quality monitoring and our distribution system. We are pleased to provide this Water Quality Report with results of our 2020 water testing. In addition to results of laboratory testing, this report also includes details regarding the source of our drinking water and how it compares to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state standards. Any questions or concerns may be directed to Don Mauro at 610-258-7181 or visit us online at www.eswater.net.

Where does your water come from?

The water source for Easton Suburban Water Authority is the Delaware River. The water treatment and filtration plant has a capacity of producing 16 MGD (million gallons of water per day). Major improvements and plant upgrades, costing $25,000,000, were completed in 2011 and are continuing to meet new Surface Water Treatment Regulations.

Under Section 1453 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act, states must evaluate all drinking water sources that serve public systems and provide a mechanism for development of local protection programs. In accordance with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Source Water Assessment and Protection Program (SWAP), a source water assessment has been completed and Easton’s water treatment plant has been evaluated. The potential sources of contamination for this section of this surface water include both point and non-point sources of pollution. The Delaware River Basin Commission, USGS and USEPA are resources for information on levels of flow, water quality and planning issues for the Delaware River and its basin. SWAP programs of both Pennsylvania and New Jersey affect the surface water source for the Easton Water Treatment Plant. The complete assessment is available for public review at the regional DEP office. With proper credentials and purpose anyone can request a file review of the report. Any questions regarding this program or assessment should be addressed to DEP Central Office at 717-772-4014.

Educational Information

The sources of drinking water (both tap 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:

• 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 and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban storm water runoff and residential uses.
• 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.
• Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or a 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. We treat your water according to EPA’s regulations. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for 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 EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791.

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Customer Participation

Residents can help ensure the safety of our water supply by reporting any suspicious activity near any water tank, reservoir or fire hydrant, to our office at 610-258-7181, 24 hours any day of the week.

The Board of Directors of Easton Suburban Water Authority meets on the second Monday of each month at 3:00 pm at the Authority office located at 3700 Hartley Avenue in Palmer Township. Please feel free to attend and participate in these meetings.

Water Conservation Tips

Did you know that the average U.S. household uses approximately 400 gallons of water per day or 100 gallons per person per day? Luckily, there are many low-cost and no-cost ways to conserve water. Small changes can make a big difference – try one today and soon it will become second nature.

• Take short showers – a 5 minute shower uses 4 to 5 gallons of water compared to up to 50 gallons for a bath.
• Shut off water while brushing your teeth, washing your hair and shaving and save up to 500 gallons a month.
• Use a water-efficient showerhead. They’re inexpensive, easy to install, and can save you up to 750 gallons a month.
• Fix leaky toilets and faucets. Faucet washers are inexpensive and take only a few minutes to replace. To check your toilet for a leak, place a few drops of food coloring in the tank and wait. If it seeps into the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak. Fixing it or replacing it with a new, more efficient model can save up to 1,000 gallons a month.
• Adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered. Apply water only as fast as the soil can absorb it and during the cooler parts of the day to reduce evaporation.
• Teach your kids about water conservation to ensure a future generation that uses water wisely. Make it a family effort to reduce next month’s water bill!
• Visit www.epa.gov/watersense for more information.

Special Warning

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.

Cryptosporidium Testing

Cryptosporidium is a microbial organism found in rivers and streams throughout the United States. Easton Suburban Water Authority began testing in August 2016 to monitor for Cryptosporidium and concluded monitoring in July 2018. One sample per month was collected from the Delaware River. Current test methods do not allow us to determine if the organisms are dead or if they are capable of causing disease. Our treatment processes include, disinfection to inactivate organisms and filtration that will remove Cryptosporidium, but this does not guarantee that 100% of the organisms will be removed.

Cryptosporidium must be ingested to cause illness, and it may be spread by means other than drinking water. Ingestion of Cryptosporidium may cause an abdominal infection with symptoms including nausea, diarrhea and abdominal cramps. Most healthy individuals can overcome the illness within a few weeks. However, immuno- compromised people are at greater risk of developing life-threatening illness. We encourage immuno-compromised individuals to consult their doctor regarding appropriate precautions to take to avoid infection.

Unregulated Contaminants Rule (UCMR)

The 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) amendments require that once every 5 years EPA issue a new list of 30 unregulated contaminants to be monitored by public water systems. Unregulated contaminants are those for which the EPA has not established drinking water standards. The purpose of unregulated contaminants monitoring is to assist the EPA in determining the occurrence of unregulated contaminants in drinking water and whether future regulation is warranted. UCMR lists 1, 2 and 3 were monitored and completed in compliance with EPA requirements. Monitoring of UCMR list 4 had begun 2018 and was concluded in November 2020.

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Water Quality Data

The tables on the following pages list all of the drinking water contaminants that we detected during the 2020 calendar year. The presence of contaminants in the water does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk. Unless otherwise noted, the data presented is from testing done January 1 – December 31, 2020. The state requires us to monitor for certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently.

Additional Information for Lead

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. Easton Suburban Water Authority 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 at 800-426-4791or at www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

Additional Monitoring

Corrosion inhibitor / Zinc Orthophosphate

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Terms and Abbreviations

Mentions: Although not a violation, we reported distribution chlorine results late for the 3rd week in July & the 1st week of October.

Violations:

None.

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