Annual Drinking Water Quality Report for 2020
VILLAGE OF SCHAGHTICOKE
163 Main Street, PO Box 187
Public Water Supply ID#NY4100045
INTRODUCTION
To comply with State regulations, the Village of Schaghticoke, will be annually issuing a report describing the quality of your drinking water. The purpose of this report is to raise your understanding of drinking water and awareness of the need to protect our drinking water sources. Last year, your tap water did meet all State drinking water health standards. We are reporting that our system did NOT violate a maximum contaminant level.This report provides an overview of last year’s water quality. Included are details about where your water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to State standards.
If you have any questions about this report or concerning your drinking water, please contact Frank Crandall, Operator of Water 956-1444. We want you to be informed about your drinking water. If you want to learn more, please attend any of our regularly scheduled village board meeting. The meetings are held the first Tuesday of each month at the Village Hall 7:00 P.M.
WHERE DOES OUR WATER COME FROM?
In general, the sources of drinking water (both tap water 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 activities. Contaminants that may be present in source water include: microbial contaminants; inorganic contaminants; pesticides and herbicides; organic chemical contaminants; and radioactive contaminants. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the State and the EPA prescribe regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The State Health Departments and the FDA’s regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.
Our water system serves 592 people through 208 service connections. Our water source is groundwater wells: groundwater drawn from four160-185 foot deep drilled wells which is located on the eastern edge of the Village Boundary. The water is chlorinated prior to distribution.
The assessment report that follows summarizes the data and rationale used to evaluate the potential for contaminants to impact the wells for the public water system listed above.
ASSESSMENT SUMMARY
This assessment evaluates the potential for contaminants to enter the groundwater pumped at the following well(s).The assessment area is the estimated surface area that could contribute recharge to the well that was evaluated for potential and actual sources of contamination.
Well Number Well Name
2561291 DRILLED WELL #1-6 IN.DIA-160 FT DP
2596965 DRILLED WELL #4-8 IN.DIA-175 FT DP
DRILLED WELL #5-8 IN.DIA-182 FT DP
DRILLED WELL #6 -8 IN.DIA-185 FT DP
The source water assessment report is on file at the Village Hall.
ARE THERE CONTAMINANTS IN OUR DRINKING WATER?
As the State regulations require, we routinely test your drinking water for numerous contaminants. These contaminants include: total coliform, inorganic compounds, nitrate, nitrite, lead and copper. The table presented below depicts which compounds were detected in your drinking water. The State allows us to test for some contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently. Some of our data, though representative, are more than one year old.
It should be noted that all drinking water, including bottled drinking water, may be reasonably 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 (800-426-4791) or the Rensselaer County Health Department at 270-2626.
| Table of Detected Contaminants | |||||||
| Contaminant | Violation Yes/No | Date of Sample | Level Detected (Avg/Max) (Range) | Unit Measure-ment | MCLG | Regulatory Limit (MCL, TT or AL) | Likely Source of Contamination |
| Manganese | No | 12/08/20 | .002 | mg/l | N/A | .30 | Naturally Occurring |
| Chloride | No | 1/6/09 | 13 | mg/l | N/A | 250 | Naturally Occurring |
| Sulfate | No | 1/2/09 | 8 | mg/l | N/A | 250 | Naturally Occurring |
| Sodium | No | 1/13/09 | 66 | mg/l | N/A | * | Naturally Occurring, road salt or water softener |
| Fluoride | No | 1/7/09 | 0.44 | mg/l | N/A | 2.2 | Natural Deposits |
| Barium | No | 1/14/09 | .10 | mg/l | N/A | 2 | Natural Deposits |
| Calcium | No | 10/5/04 | 28.9 | mg/l | N/A | N/A | Natural Deposits |
| Potassium | No | 10/5/04 | 1.34 | mg/l | N/A | N/A | Natural Deposits |
| Magnesium | No | 10/5/04 | 7.6 | mg/l | N/A | N/A | Natural Deposits |
| Lead | No | 8/17/17 | .003 | mg/1 | .015 | Natural Deposits | |
| Copper | No | 8/17/17 | .06 | mg/1 | 1.3 | Natural Deposits |
Definitions:
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible.
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): 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.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL): 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.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG): 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 contamination.
Action Level (AL): The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.
Treatment Technique (TT): A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.
Non-Detects (ND): Laboratory analysis indicates that the constituent is not present.
Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU): A measure of the clarity of water. Turbidity in excess of 5 NTU is just noticeable to the average person.
Milligrams per liter (mg/l): Corresponds to one part of liquid in one million parts of liquid (parts per million – ppm).
Micrograms per liter (ug/l): Corresponds to one part of liquid in one billion parts of liquid (parts per billion – ppb).
Nanograms per liter (ng/l): Corresponds to one part of liquid to one trillion parts of liquid (parts per trillion – ppt).
Picograms per liter (pg/l): Corresponds to one part per of liquid to one quadrillion parts of liquid (parts per quadrillion – ppq).
Picocuries per liter (pCi/L): A measure of the radioactivity in water.
Millirems per year (mrem/yr): A measure of radiation absorbed by the body.
Million Fibers per Liter (MFL): A measure of the presence of asbestos fibers that are longer than 10 micrometers.
WHAT DOES THIS INFORMATION MEAN?
As you can see by the table, our system had no violations. We have learned through our testing that some contaminants have been detected; however, these contaminants were detected below New York State requirements. We are required to present the following information on lead in drinking water:
| If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women, infants, and young children. It is possible that lead levels at your home may be higher than at other homes in the community as a result of materials used in your home’s plumbing. The Village of Schaghticoke 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 (1-800-426-4791) or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead. |
IS OUR WATER SYSTEM MEETING OTHER RULES THAT GOVERN OPERATIONS?
During 2020, our system was in compliance with applicable State drinking water operating, monitoring and reporting requirements.
DO I NEED TO TAKE SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS?
Although our drinking water met or exceeded state and federal regulations, some people may be more vulnerable to disease causing microorganisms or pathogens 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 from their health care provider about their drinking water. EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium, Giardia and other microbial pathogens are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).
WHY SAVE WATER AND HOW TO AVOID WASTING IT?
Although our system has an adequate amount of water to meet present and future demands, there are a number of reasons why it is important to conserve water:
- Saving water saves energy and some of the costs associated with both of these necessities of life;
- Saving water reduces the cost of energy required to pump water and the need to construct costly new wells, pumping systems and water towers; and
- Saving water lessens the strain on the water system during a dry spell or drought, helping to avoid severe water use restrictions so that essential firefighting needs are met.
You can play a role in conserving water by becoming conscious of the amount of water your household is using, and by looking for ways to use less whenever you can. It is not hard to conserve water. Conservation tips include:
- Automatic dishwashers use 15 gallons for every cycle, regardless of how many dishes are loaded. So get a run for your money and load it to capacity.
- Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth.
- Check every faucet in your home for leaks. Just a slow drip can waste 15 to 20 gallons a day. Fix it and you can save almost 6,000 gallons per year.
- Check your toilets for leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank, watch for a few minutes to see if the color shows up in the bowl. It is not uncommon to lose up to 100 gallons a day from one of these otherwise invisible toilet leaks. Fix it and you save more than 30,000 gallons a year.
CLOSING
Thank you for allowing us to continue to provide your family with quality drinking water this year. In order to maintain a safe and dependable water supply we are making major improvements that will benefit all of our customers. The costs of these improvements may be reflected in the rate structure. Rate adjustments may be necessary in order to address these improvements. We ask that all our customers help us protect our water sources, which are the heart of our community. Please call our office if you have questions.