Marion Municipal Utilities

Marion, Indiana


Water Quality Data Table

An Explanation of the Water-Quality Data Table

The table shows the results of our water-quality analyses.  Every regulated contaminant that we detected in the water, even in the most minute traces, is listed here.  The table contains the name of each substance, the highest level allowed by regulation (MCL), the ideal goals for public health, the amount detected, the usual sources of such contamination, footnotes explaining our findings, and a key to units of measurement.  Definitions of MCL and MCLG are important.

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 contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health.  MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.

Inorganic Contaminants
Contaminant Date Sampled MCL MCGL Marion Water Results Range of Results Units Violation Typical Source
Copper 7/13/2005 1300 NA 58 0-580 ppb No Corrosion of household plumbing
Fluoride 2005 4 4 0.8 .75-1.6 ppm No Water Additive which promotes strong teeth
Nitrite/Nitrate 8/3/2005 10 10 0.12 NA ppm No Runoff from fertilizer use
Disinfection Byproducts & Precursors
Total Trihalomethanes 2005 80 NA 31.3 0-6.8 ppb No By-product of drinking water chlorination
Total Haloacetic Acids 2005 60 NA 3.8 ND-ND ppb No By-product of drinking water chlorination
Organic Contaminants
Dichloromethane 12/14/2005 5 0 3.2 NA ppb No Discharge from pharmaceutical and chemical factories
Unregulated Contaminants
Methyl Tert-butyl Ether 12/14/2005 NA NA 1.5 NA ppb No Additive found in gasoline
Sodium 11/18/2005 NA NA 41.6 NA ppm No Erosion of natural deposits

 


Key to Table

AL =Action Level
MCL =Maximum Contaminant Level
MCLG =Maximum Contaminant Level Goal
mrem/year =millirems per year (a measure of radiation absorbed by the body)
MFL =million fibers per liter
NTU =Nephelometric Turbidity Units
pci/l =picocuries per liter (a measure of radioactivity)
ppb =parts per billion, or micrograms per liter (µg/l)
ppm =parts per million, or milligrams per liter (mg/l)
ppt =parts per trillion, or nanograms per liter
ppq =parts per quadrillion, or picograms per liter
TT =Treatment Technique

Water Source

Marion City Water Works is supplied from 14 wells located in the City of Marion and throughout northern Grant County and southern Wabash County.

Required Additional Health Information

To ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes limits on the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems.  FDA regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water.

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)

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 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 storm 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, stormwater runoff, and residential uses.

(D)    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 water provided by public water systems.  FDA regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.  Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than is 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 are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

 

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