2021 Annual
Drinking Water Quality Report for the City of Parker
We’re very pleased to provide you with this year's Annual Water Quality Report. We want to keep you informed about the quality water and services we have delivered to you over the past year. Our constant goal is to provide to you a safe and dependable supply of drinking water. The City of Parker purchases water from Bay County Water Treatment Plant and the source is surface water drawn from Deer Point Reservoir.
In
2021, the Department of Environmental Protection
performed a Source Water Assessment on the Bay County Water Treatment Plant.
The assessment was conducted to provide information about any potential sources
of contamination in the vicinity of the surface water intakes. The surface
water system is considered to be at high risk because of the many potential
sources of contamination present in the assessment area. The assessment results
are available on the FDEP Source Water Assessment and Protection Program website
at www.dep.state.fl.us/swapp or they can be obtained
from Bay County Utility Services by
calling 850-248-5010.
The Bay County Water
Treatment Plant uses a conventional treatment process consisting of coagulation,
flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, pH adjustment, disinfection,
fluoridation, and corrosion control. The treatment process includes adding lime
occasionally to provide additional alkalinity to the raw water so that it can
react with the primary coagulating chemical, ferric sulfate, which is added to
remove particles and organics. Polymer is also added to assist in the
coagulation process. Sodium Hypochlorite is added to maintain disinfection in
the distribution system. The addition of
zinc orthophosphate reduces the corrosiveness of the water. Fluoride, in the
form of hydrofluorosilicic acid, is added as a supplement to prevent tooth
decay. Lime is also added at the end of
the process to increase the pH. These
processes are needed to meet the drinking water standards as set by the United
States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Florida Department of
Environmental Protection (FDEP).
This report shows our
water quality results and what they mean.
If you have any questions about this report or concerning your water
utility, please contact Tony Summerlin, Public Works Department, at City Hall,
1001 West Park St. (871-4283). We
encourage our valued customers to be informed about their water utility. If you want to learn more, please attend any
of our regularly scheduled City Council meetings. They are held on the first and third Tuesday
of the month at 5:30 p.m. in the council room at City Hall. Public notices of the meetings are announced
regularly publicizing the date, time, and location.
The Bay County Water
Treatment Plant routinely monitors
for contaminants in your drinking water according to Federal and State laws,
rules, and regulations. Except where
indicated otherwise, this report is based on the results of our monitoring for
the period of January 1 to December 31, 2021. Data obtained before January 1, 2021 and
presented in this report are from the most recent testing done in accordance
with the laws, rules, and regulations.
Bay County’s Water System and the City of Parker was in violation of the Cross Connection Control Requirement as specified in the State CCR Rules, F.A.C. Rule 62-555.360 &.330. The system began implementing a written cross connection control and backflow prevention program as required on 11/17/2020.
What are we doing to meet this
requirement? Bay County
adopted a new Cross-Connection Control Program (CCCP) plan on 12/15/2020, which
meets the 2014 rule. Since adaption, all new Bay County water customers with
dedicated irrigation service connections will need
to install the required pressure vacuum breaker (PVB) or reduced pressure (RP) backflow device. Bay County’s CCCP took a 4 zoned approach
to tackle all the existing 1069 meter
that were out of compliance. The 4 zoned approach is to allow each homeowner
ample time to install the required device. Bay County will be in full
compliance by 12/31/2025. Please note, all service connections currently have a
dual check backflow device that is
approved for standard residential connections, however, the device does not
meet minimum protection
for dedicated irrigation meters as
outlined in the 2014 rule. To help customers understand the plan better, Bay
County Utilities will have
a Q&A sheet available, along with
definitions to unfamiliar terms and abbreviations found in the new plan on our
website. Handouts of the material will also be available at Bay County
Utilities Service Office located at 3400 Transmitter Rd.
The City of Parker currently informs residents if they want an
irrigation system, they must have a backflow preventor. The city sends out
monthly reminder letters to residents to make sure all backflow certifications
are up to date and request a copy of the certification.
In the table below, you may find unfamiliar terms and
abbreviations. To help you better
understand these terms we've provided the following definitions:
Maximum Contaminant Level or MCL: 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.
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal or 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.
Action Level (AL): The concentration of a contaminant which, if
exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements that a water system must
follow.
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 control of microbial contaminants.
Maximum residual
disinfectant level goal or 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
contaminants.
Nephelometric Turbidity
Unit (NTU) - measure of the clarity of water.
Turbidity in excess of 5 NTU is just noticeable to the average person.
“ND” means not detected and indicates that the substance was not found by laboratory analysis.
Parts per billion (ppb) or Micrograms per liter (µg/l) – one part by weight of analyte to 1 billion parts by weight of the water sample.
Parts per million (ppm) or Milligrams per liter (mg/l) – one part by weight of analyte to 1 million parts by weight of the water sample.
Picocurie per liter
(pCi/L) - measure of the radioactivity in water.
Treatment Technique
(TT): A required process intended to
reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.
2021 Contaminants Table
Microbiological Contaminants – Sampled by Bay County
|
Contaminant and Unit of Measurement
|
Dates of sampling (mo./yr.)
|
MCL/TT Violation
Y/N
|
The Highest Single Measurement
|
The Lowest Monthly Percentage of
Samples Meeting Regulatory Limits
|
MCLG
|
MCL
|
Likely Source of Contamination
|
Turbidity
(NTU) Sampled by Bay Co
|
Jan – Dec 21
|
N
|
0.93
|
98.4
|
N/A
|
TT
|
Soil runoff
|
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. High turbidity can hinder the
effectiveness of disinfectants. The Treatment Technique standard requires
that 95% of the turbidity readings be at 0.3 NTU or less.
|
Radioactive Contaminants – Sampled by Bay County
|
|
Contaminant and Unit of Measurement
|
Dates of sampling (mo./yr.)
|
MCL Violation Y/N
|
Level Detected
|
Range of Results
|
MCLG
|
MCL
|
Likely Source of Contamination
|
|
Radium 226 +
228 or combined radium (pCi/L)
|
Mar-17 & April- 20
|
N
|
1.54
|
ND-1.54
|
0
|
5
|
Erosion of natural
deposits
|
|
Inorganic Contaminants - Sampled by
Bay County
|
|
Contaminant and Unit of Measurement
|
Dates of sampling (mo./yr.)
|
MCL Violation Y/N
|
Level Detected
|
Range of Results
|
MCLG
|
MCL
|
Likely Source of Contamination
|
|
Barium (ppm)
|
Apr 21
|
N
|
0.0067
|
N/A
|
2
|
2
|
Discharge of drilling
wastes; discharge from metal refineries; erosion of natural deposits
|
|
Fluoride
(ppm)
|
Apr 21
|
N
|
0.69
|
N/A
|
4
|
4.0
|
Erosion of natural
deposits; discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories. Water additive which promotes strong teeth
when at the optimum level of 0.7 ppm
|
|
Nitrate (ppm)
|
Apr 21
|
N
|
0.065
|
N/A
|
10
|
10
|
Runoff from fertilizer
use; leaching from septic tanks, sewage; erosion of natural deposits
|
|
Sodium (ppm)
|
Apr 20
|
N
|
3.5
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
160
|
Salt water intrusion,
leaching from soil
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection By-Products – Sampled by Parker
|
Disinfectant or Contaminant & Unit
of Measurement
|
Dates of sampling (mo./yr.)
|
MCL or MRDL Violation Y/N
|
Level Detected
|
Range of Results
|
MCLG or MRDLG
|
MCL or MRDL
|
Likely Source of Contamination
|
Chlorine
(ppm)
Stage 1
|
Jan – Dec 21
|
N
|
0.71
|
0.52-1.04
|
MRDLG = 4
|
MRDL = 4
|
Water additive used to control
microbes
|
Haloacetic
Acids (five) (HAA5) (ppb)
|
May – Nov 21
|
N
|
34.60
|
ND-58.8
|
N/A
|
MCL = 60
|
By-product of drinking water
disinfection
|
TTHM [Total
trihalomethanes] (ppb)
|
May – Nov 21
|
N
|
44.40
|
18.2-70.5
|
N/A
|
MCL = 80
|
By-product of
drinking water disinfection
|
In the wake of the recent national events, Parker’s water system is aware of elevated concern about lead levels in drinking water. We want to reassure you that our most recent lead and copper testing has shown our levels to be well within Federal limits. 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. Bay
County Utility Services 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 or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
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 activity.
Contaminants that may be
present in source water include:
(A) Microbial
contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage
treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and
wildlife.
(B) Inorganic contaminants, such as
salts and metals, which can be naturally-occurring or result from urban
stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas
production, mining, or farming.
(C) Pesticides and
herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture,
urban stormwater runoff, and residential uses.
(D) 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 stormwater runoff, and septic systems.
(E) 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, the EPA prescribes
regulations, which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided
by public water systems. The 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 the 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 at 1-800-426-4791.
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 microbiological contaminants are available from the
Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).
We, at the City of Parker, 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.