Jefferson Parish has always provided safe drinking water to its residents and, in its history, has never incurred a serious violation of a National Primary Drinking Water Regulation.

In 2020, our Water Department continued to supply very high-quality drinking water at a reasonable cost, which at $2.21 per thousand gallons, is one of the lowest in the country for utilities serving populations above 100,000.

Our goal is to provide a continuous supply of safe, high-quality drinking water to the residents of Jefferson Parish. This is accomplished through an intensive monitoring program combined with a multi- barrier water treatment process which includes clarification, filtration, primary and secondary disinfection, and corrosion control. The use

of powdered activated carbon and participation in the Water Works Warning Network provides additional protection from chemical spills.

Our Water Quality Laboratory monitors our water on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis, performing over 80,000 analyses annually. Quarterly and annual monitoring is also performed by the Louisiana Department of Health.

Our source of drinking water in Jefferson Parish is surface water from the Mississippi River.

A Source Water Assessment Plan is available for review at the laboratory that includes a list of potential sources of contamination within a delineated area around our water intakes. According to this plan, our water systems had a susceptibility rating of high.

Jefferson Parish supplements the fluoride in the Mississippi River to 0.7 parts per million as recommended by the American Dental Association. Jefferson Parish implemented its fluoridation program in 1983. Last year, both systems received Water Fluoridation Quality Awards from the CDC which commended our consistent and professional adjustment of fluoride. Jefferson Parish was also awarded a certificate of achievement from the Louisiana Oral Health Coalition for our outstanding service and efforts towards ensuring a healthy water system for the people of Louisiana.

Community Participation

The Jefferson Parish Water Department encourages public participation in decisions that may affect water quality at the regularly scheduled meetings of the Jefferson Parish Council. A schedule of these meetings and their agenda is available from www.jeffparish.net under the Government menu. Additional information concerning this report may be obtained from the Jefferson Parish Water Quality Laboratory at (504) 838-4300 or the Louisiana Department of Health at (504) 599-0100.

Is my water hard?

Water described as hard is high in dissolved minerals, specifically calcium and magnesium. Hard water is not a health risk, but a nuisance because of mineral buildup on fixtures and poor soap or detergent performance.

TERMS USED IN THIS REPORT

To help you better understand these terms, the following definitions are provided:

AL (Regulatory Action Level):

The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements that a water system must follow.

BD (Below Detection):

Below detection of the analytical method - the contaminant was not found.

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 a margin of safety.

Unregulated Contaminants

Unregulated contaminants are those that don’t yet have a drinking water standard set by EPA. The purpose of monitoring for these contaminants is to help EPA decide whether the contaminants should have a standard.

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.

NA: Not Applicable

NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Units): Measurement of the clarity, or turbidity, of water. Turbidity in excess of 5 NTU is just noticeable to the average person.

pCi/L (picocuries per liter): A measure of radioactivity.

ppb (parts per billion):

One part substance per billion parts water (or micrograms per liter).

ppm (parts per million):

One part substance per million parts water (or milligrams per liter).

46. (Treatment Technique):

A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

A note from the EPA

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).

Sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs and wells. As water travels over or through the ground, it can dissolve naturally-occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive materials, 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 discharge, 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 can also come from gas stations, urban storm water 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 the water provided by public water systems. FDA regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for human health.

Turbidity has no health effects. However, turbidity can interfere with disinfection and provide a medium for microbial growth. Turbidity may indicate the presence of disease-causing organisms. These organisms include bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can cause symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea and associated headaches.

While our drinking water exceeds the current minimum requirements for safe drinking water as well as those of the foreseeable future, some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-compromised persons such as some elderly and infants, persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, and people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders 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).

While lead levels were below the action level, infants and young children are typically more vulnerable to lead in drinking water than the general population.

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. Jefferson Parish 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 the 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 or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

Some people who drink trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous systems, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer. The MCLs for total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and total haloacetic acids (THAAs) are based on lifetime exposure over 70 years at the indicated level and are measured as annual running averages. These MCLs must be exceeded continuously year after year for 70 years in order for the drinking water to be considered unsafe.

The water systems in Jefferson Parish provide reliable and safe drinking water to almost 450,000 people.

Utility billing reads every meter in the parish bi-monthly, handles payments, new accounts, and troubleshooting services. Outside Maintenance oversees our extensive distribution system by repairing and replacing water mains, valves, and fire hydrants. The operations division staffs the treatment plants around the clock and ensures that only safe,

properly treated water is delivered to the public. The water quality laboratory scrupulously analyzes the water purified at the plant as well as in the distribution system to confirm that all potable water standards are met. Our compliance record is exemplary and with a steadfast goal of maintaining and furthering a culture of excellence through teamwork, we are proud of the service we provide to our customers and the impact we have on the overall quality of life in our parish.

2public water systems serve approximately

450,000

people.

277 employees provide all water-related services to

150,000

accounts.

The department continues to provide high-quality drinking water and has done so for more than 90 years despite the variable water quality of the Mississippi River.

The distribution system in Jefferson Parish is comprised of over: