2005-2007

LEAD FACTS

There is no detectable lead in our water supply.

A few homes in our system that have copper plumbing with lead solder are at a higher risk. These homes were built before 1986.

Lead may enter the water by leaching from lead solder in home plumbing.

In 1986 lead solder was banned from use in home plumbing.

If a home had copper plumbing installed in 1983, 1984 or 1985 we need to monitor it.

The treatment changes we have made are working very well and we are making great progress in correcting this problem. Samples we collected in January indicate that the next round of monitoring will be below the limit.

The next monitoring period ends June, 30, 2007.

Please read all of the enclosed information you received.

For more information or questions call Linten Atkins (423) 625-2852.

Quick Tips to Reduce Your Family's Exposure to Lead

Use cold water for drinking or cooking. Never cook or mix infant formula using hot water from the tap.

Make it a practice to run the water at each tap before use.

Is my drinking water safe?

Yes, our water meets all of EPA’s health standards. We have conducted numerous tests for over 80 contaminants that may be in drinking water. As you’ll see in the chart on the back, we only detected 10 of these contaminants. We found all of these contaminants at safe levels.

What is the source of my water?

Your water, which is surface water, comes from the French Broad River . Our goal is to protect our water from contaminants and we are working with the State to determine the vulnerability of our water source to potential contamination. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) has prepared a Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP) Report for the untreated water sources serving this water system. The SWAP Report assesses the susceptibility of untreated water sources to potential contamination. To ensure safe drinking water, all public water systems treat and routinely test their water. Water sources have been rated as reasonably susceptible (high), moderately susceptible (moderate) or slightly susceptible (low) based on geologic factors and human activities in the vicinity of the water source. The Newport Utilities sources rated as moderately susceptible to potential contamination.

An explanation of Tennessee ’s Source Water Assessment Program, the Source Water Assessment summaries, susceptibility scorings and the overall TDEC report to EPA can be viewed online at www.state.tn.us/environment/dws/dwassess.php or you may contact the Water System to obtain copies of specific assessments.

Why are there contaminants in my water?

Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. Community water systems are required to disclose the detection of contaminants; however, bottled water companies are not required to comply with this regulation. 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).

Este informe contiene información muy importante. Tradúscalo o hable con alguien que lo entienda bien.

For more information about your drinking water, please call Linten Atkins at (423) 625-2850.

How can I get involved?

Our Water Board meets on the first Monday of each month at 3:30 p.m., at the main office 170 Cope Blvd. Please feel free to participate in these meetings.

Is our water system meeting other rules that govern our operations?

The State and EPA require us to test and report on our water on a regular basis to ensure its safety. We have met all of these requirements. Results of unregulated contaminant analysis are available upon request. We want you to know that we pay attention to all the rules.

Other Information

Due to all water containing dissolved contaminants, occasionally your water may exhibit slight discoloration. We strive to maintain the standards to prevent this. We at Newport Utilities work around the clock to provide top quality water to every tap. We ask that all our customers help us protect our water sources, which are the heart of our community, our way of life and our children’s future.

Do I Need To Take Special Precautions?

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 under-gone 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 not only their drinking water, but food preparation, personal hygiene, and precautions in handling infants and pets from their health care providers. EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbiological contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

Water System Security

Following the events of September 2001, we realize that our customers are concerned about the security of their drinking water. We urge the public to report any suspicious activities at any utility facilities, including treatment plants, pumping stations, tanks, fire hydrants, etc. to 625-2850.

2006 W a t e r Q u a l i t y D a t a

What does this chart mean?

· MCLG - Maximum Contaminant Level Goal, or 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.

· MCL - Maximum Contaminant Level, or 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. To understand the possible health effects described for many regulated constituents, a person would have to drink 2 liters of water every day at the MCL level for a lifetime to have a one-in-a-million chance of having the described health effect.

· MRDL: Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level or MRDL: The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for the 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.

· AL - Action Level, or the concentration of a contaminant which, when exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow. Non-Detects (ND) - laboratory analysis indicates that the contaminant is not present.

· Parts per million (ppm) or Milligrams per liter (mg/l) – explained as a relation to time and money as one part per million corresponds to one minute in two years or a single penny in $10,000.

· Parts per billion (ppb) or Micrograms per liter - explained as a relation to time and money as one part per billion corresponds to one minute in 2,000 years, or a single penny in $10,000,000.

· Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU) - nephelometric turbidity unit is a measure of the clarity of water. Turbidity in excess of 5 NTU is just noticeable to the average person.

· TT - Treatment Technique or a required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

Contaminant	Violation Yes/No	Level Detected	Range of Detections	Date of Sample	Unit Measurement	MCLG	MCL	Likely Source of Contamination
Total Coliform Bacteria	NO	0		2006		0	<2 positive samples	Naturally present in the environment
Turbidity¹	NO	0.11 Ave	.03-0.11	2006	NTU	n/a	TT	Soil runoff
Copper	NO	90^th%=0.16		2006	ppm	1.3	AL =1.3	Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits; leaching from wood preservatives
Fluoride	NO	1.06	0.86-1.06	2006	ppm	4	4	Erosion of natural deposits; water additive which promotes strong teeth; discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories
Lead²	YES	90^th%= 93		2006	ppb	0	AL =15	Corrosion of household plumbing systems, erosion of natural deposits
Sodium	NO	16		2006	ppm	N/A	N/A	Erosion of natural deposits; used in water treatment
TTHM [Total trihalomethanes]3	NO	32 Ave	8.1-109	2006	ppb	n/a	80	By-product of drinking water chlorination
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	NO	21 Ave	5.5-40	2006	ppb	N/A	60	By-product of drinking water disinfection.
Total Organic Carbon⁴	NO	0.82 Ave	0.51-1.20	2006	ppm	TT	TT	Naturally present in the environment.
Chlorine	NO	2.3	0.5-2.3	2006	ppm	4	4	Water additive used to control microbes.

1. 100% of our samples were below the turbidity limit

2. During the most recent round of 2006 Lead and Copper testing, 9 out of 60 households sampled contained concentrations exceeding the action level.

The following action has been taken to correct the violation listed in the above table for lead:

a. A change was made in the treatment chemicals to make the water less corrosive to lead in household plumbing.

Infants and young children who drink water containing lead could experience delays in their physical or mental development. Children could show slight defects in attention span and learning abilities. Adults who drink this water over many years could develop kidney problems or high blood pressure.

3. While your drinking water meets EPA’s standard for trihalomethanes, it does contain low levels. Some people who drink water containing 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.

^{4. We
met the Treatment Technique for Total Organic Carbon.}