5.3 ERMUSR 06-10-2014 �/
Elk River
Municipal Utilities UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING
TO: FROM:
Elk River Municipal Utilities Commission Angela Hauge—Water Operator
John Dietz—Chair Eric Volk—Water Superintendent
Al Nadeau—Vice Chair
Daryl Thompson—Trustee
MEETING DATE: AGENDA ITEM NUMBER:
June 10th, 2014 ; 5.3
SUBJECT:
2014 Water Quality Report(Consumer Confidence Report—CCR)
DISCUSSION:
The ERMU 2014 Water Quality Report has been added to our website and a notice that it's
available to water customers will be sent out in this month's ERMU Connector. We are required
by The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)to include specific text on water quality and
health information. Beyond the scope of water testing, we have the option of adding further
topics for customer education and awareness. This year MDH allowed water suppliers the
option of utilizing a web version as a primary media choice to post our CCR. By selecting that
method, the water supplier must send customers a notice that tells them where to view the
document.
Topics such as: Water line freeze ups, locating curb-stops for water emergencies and water
conservation rebates were the primary topics that were added to supplement the document.
These topics have been most prevalent and will aid the audience in averting issues, and also
saving water and money.
We chose to create our Water Quality Report in the same style that we have used since 2008.
Each year, since we changed to our current CCR printing company, we have printed and posted
an annual copy to our website, with a web-ready version. Since the Water Quality Report
requirements are a MDH standard, we had previously mailed the report to all of our water
customers. This year, in an effort to reduce printing and mailing costs, we had 500 copies of the
report printed for those customers that prefer, or need, the printed medium. This is a notable
decrease in the number of reports we had printed in the past. In previous years we had between
4,500 - 6,500 copies of the report printed.
Web Link to Current Water Quality Report: ERMU Water Quality Report
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3 Page 1 of 1
NATURE
Reliable Public
Power Provider P O W E R ED T o S E R V E
76
5,3
Annual
QUALITY
Reporting Year 2013
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PWS ID#: 1710004
There When You Need Us Substances That Could Be in Water
We are once again proud to present our annual To ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the U.S. EPA
water quality report covering all testing performed 1 prescribes regulations limiting the amount of certain
between January 1 and December 31, 2013. Over the contaminants in water provided by public water systems.
years,we have dedicated ourselves to producing drinking U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations establish
water that meets all state and federal standards. We limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must
continually strive to adopt new methods for delivering provide the same protection for public health. Drinking
the best-quality drinking water to you.As new challenges water,including bottled water,may reasonably be expected
to drinking water safety emerge, we remain vigilant to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants.
in meeting the goals of source water protection, water The presence of these contaminants does not necessarily
conservation,and community education while continuing indicate that the water poses a health risk.
to serve the needs of all our customers. The sources of drinking water(both tap water and bottled
Please remember that we are always available to assist you water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs,
should you ever have any questions or concerns about springs, and wells. As water travels over the surface of
your water. the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally
occurring minerals, in some cases, radioactive material,
and substances resulting from the presence of animals or
Check It Out! from human activity. Substances that may be present in
source water include:
www.elkriverutilities.com has a brand new look!You can Microbial Contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria,
view our current and past Annual Water Quality Reports which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic
on our Web site, along with tons of useful information! systems, agricultural livestock operations, or wildlife;
Inorganic Contaminants,such as salts and metals,which
can be naturally occurring or may result from urban
Something Everyone Should Know stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater
discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming;
\,V f here's your curb-stop?
��//��// Pesticides and Herbicides, which may come from a
First off, do you know what your curb-stop is? It variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater
is the outside water shut-off. It generally dwells in the runoff`, and residential uses;
driveway or lawn.At times, it has random placements. It Organic Chemical Contaminants, including synthetic
is wise to know where your curb-stop is located because and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of
it can help you in a water leak emergency. Sometimes the industrial processes and petroleum production and may
curb-stops can be several feet below grade or covered by also come from gas stations,urban stormwater runoff,and
tar/asphalt. Be sure to locate it and take measurements. septic systems;
By doing so, it helps if you were ever to have plumbing
repaired and the primary valve inside wasn't functioning. Radioactive Contaminants, which can be naturally
occurring or may be the result of oil and gas production
and mining activities.
k , ,f'4 For more information about contaminants and potential
'� health effects, call the U.S. EPA's Safe Drinking Water
Hotline at (800) 426-4791.
W 't _
i QUESTIONS?
., , '_. a= . •1 ,, For more information about this report,or for
any questions relating to your drinking water,
'11'* ''T* °fib , 1... " please call Eric Volk,Water Superintendent,at
(763) 441-2020.
Lead in Home Plumbing
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.
We are 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 www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
Commercial Irrigation Water Conservation Rebate
(f you are a commercial customer, this may be your ticket to saving on water costs. In order to apply, you must have an
irrigation meter,which is charged an irrigation rate. It is a point-based program that requires 10 conservation points on the
initial start-up year. Each year after, 5 points are needed to stay active on the program. By being on the program,you will be
exempt from the Third Tier water rate ($4.00). Beyond the tremendous savings of the water rate reduction,you also save by
your water conservation practices that you use to stay on the program. It's a double WIN!There are also rebates within the
program for supplies you use to obtain points.Rebates include:irrigation inspections,irrigation heads,rain garden installation,
black dirt for grass,etc. Please contact us and check our Web site for further information.
Important Health Information Hydrant Maintenance Program
ome people may be more vulnerable to contaminants
Sin drinking water than the general population. ommercial customers have the opportunity to sign
Cup for our new Hydrant Maintenance Program.It
Immunocompromised persons such as persons with includes an annual inspection, tune-up, and flushing.
cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have There is a small fee associated with the program, but
undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or for the safety of fire protection and insurance coverage,
other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants the program will ensure hydrants are working properly,
may be particularly at risk from infections. These people if an emergency were to arise.Please contact our offices
should seek advice about drinking water from their health with any questions or for sign-up.
care providers. The U.S. EPA/CDC (Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention)guidelines on appropriate means i
to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and .
other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe
Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791 or http://
water.epa.gov/drink/hotline.
1.
Smart Rebate •;
Saving water has never been so easy!!! Get up to $250x�
(average summer use below 250 units)or$500(average
summer use above 250 units) when you install approved i s
irrigation controllers. SMART irrigation controller rebate
users have saved an average of 43% of water since we ,,p
started our rebate in 2009. Look at our Web site to see i
how you can save $ and water! Please contact our offices 1
before controller purchase.
,�
Freeport Tower Hydrant Flushing
The Freeport Tower is donning a new coat of paint! r ach spring (and sometimes fall) we flush our
14hydrants to clean the water mains.This is performed
to clean water mains and to maintain high levels of
water quality. If you encounter any aesthetic changes
like red/brown water color to unusual odors, please
, kS refrain from washing clothes and run your cold water
Elk j IVN_ to see if it passes within 15-20 minutes. If it does not
return to normal,please call our offices and we will be
back in the area to flush again.
i F •
BEFORE
_il 0'' 1 Jill' ,
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i
2014 Frozen Waterlines
Frozen... It may be this year's blockbuster of choice,
but not a great situation for waterlines.After a cold
winter, we are happy for the summer to be back. We
i had an unprecedented amount of frozen water lines,
42 to be exact. Generally,we see zero to two freeze-ups
€€ each year.What can you do to reduce the potential for
f freezing lines?
• Check your water temperature. It should be
warmer than 38 degrees.
• Run water, a pencil width is advisable and even
_ faster water flow is needed if the temperature
',, goes below 38 degrees and makes its way closer to
"14 freezing (32 degrees).
• Snowbirds, please have your water shutoff at the
curb (outside) to reduce freezing issues.
AFTER
Well Sealing Cost Share Opportunity
he Sherburne County Soil & Water ,al
lll11f11i # O 'TA -
IFIl Conservation District (SWCD) has
recently received a grant for source ground water
protection from The Minnesota Department '
IEPi JlFNT 161111_ of Health (MDH). Funding for the Source .
3 T "• e.
Water Protection Grant Program comes from
the Clean Water Land and Legacy Amendment
ii Fund. We are working together to assist Elk
River Wellhead Protection Management Zone
residents with sealing their unused/abandoned -
wells. No work may start before project approval '`
}
f' I u A `ti in order to receive grant funding assistance. The
SWCD will fund up to 50% cost-sharing to the ,c-t.--7, _- *
1 ` 1F P g 'Y
I \N I 1 & landowner for sealing and ERMU will provide -______ N.�
l-1-A i '11' additional funds,up to 75%for high priority wells.
Contact our offices to obtain further information
and application documents regarding the Well Sealing Cost Share -
Program at (763) 441-2020. -
The Clean Water Fund: Protecting and restoring Minnesota's waters
for generations to come.
Wellhead Protection & Storage Tank Awareness
We were approved for our 20-year Wellhead Protection (WHP) Plan in 2013. In the next 20 years, we will be
completing different action strategies in order to meet Minnesota Department of Health standards.The WHP Plan
is implemented to ensure that we are educating the community and utilizing best practices for water protection.
One of our strategies is to inform fuel tank owners about tank containment and leak protection.We want to ensure that
harmful chemicals do not leech down into our water source. It is imperative to protect all wells from contamination. Be
sure to check out our WHP information on our Web site for further information.The water we have today is the water
we will have for future generations.
Elk River's Water Source and System
Elk River Municipal Utilities (ERMU) customers are supplied with water from eight wells ranging from 225 to 406
feet in depth. Our wells draw ground water from the Mt. Simon Hinckley aquifer. ERMU's water system contains
more than 75 miles of water mains,which serve approximately 4,600 customers. Our treatment facilities provided more
than 785 million gallons of clean drinking water in 2013. We currently have four water towers that have a total storage
capacity of 4 million gallons of water.
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