5.2 ERMUSR 06-03-2025______________________________________________________________________________
Page 1 of 1
UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING
TO:
ERMU Commission
FROM:
Dave Ninow – Water Superintendent
MEETING DATE:
June 3, 2025
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER:
5.2
SUBJECT:
2024 Consumer Confidence Report
ACTION REQUESTED:
Receive and file the 2024 Consumer Confidence Report
DISCUSSION:
The ERMU Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), also known as Water Quality Report, for the
2024 testing year has been added to our website and a notice that it is available to water
customers will be included as a bill print message on the June bills. An email notification to
paperless customers has also been scheduled for June. We have once again opted to utilize the
web version to satisfy the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) notification requirement.
We are required by the 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.
Link to the 2024 CCR: https://www.ermumn.com/services/water/water-quality-report.
ATTACHMENTS:
• 2024 Consumer Confidence Report
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Reporting Year 2024
PWS ID#: 1710004
Presented By
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Source Water Assessment
A Source Water Assessment Plan (SWAP) is now available
at our office, or you may search for “Elk River” at health.
state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/swp/swa.html.
This plan is an assessment of the delineated area around our
listed sources through which contaminants, if present, could
migrate and reach our source water. It also includes an inven-
tory of potential sources of contamination within the delineat-
ed area and a determination of the water supply’s susceptibility
to contamination by the identified potential sources.
Approximately 90 percent of our drinking water supply
management area is considered nonvulnerable, while less
than 10 percent is vulnerable. Our Wellhead Protection
Plan includes measures to mitigate or prevent potential
contamination.
It is important to seal unused wells and update records with
the city and county. Unsealed wells act as direct pathways
for contaminants to enter drinking water sources. Similarly,
substances applied to the ground or in water can eventually
percolate into drinking water sources in variable timelines,
impacting its quality. Please handle chemicals and waste
responsibly to protect our water supply.
If you are not using a well, or you discover an old, abandoned
well, have it sealed. Open wells can impact an entire
community’s water supply if left unprotected. Please call our
office if you have questions.
Our Commitment
We are pleased to present to you this year’s annual water quality report. This report is a snapshot of last year’s water
quality covering all testing performed between January 1 and December 31, 2024. Included are details about
your source of water, what it contains, and how it compares to standards set by regulatory agencies. Our constant goal
is to provide you with a safe and dependable supply of drinking water. We want you to understand the efforts we make
to continually improve the water treatment process and protect our water resources. We are committed to ensuring
the quality of your water and providing you with this information because informed customers are our best allies.
Conservation
Check your irrigation
system regularly
and monitor your irriga-
tion use. Overwatering
is the biggest culprit for
high water bills and the
top use of water in Elk
River. Using less water
more often is the key.
Water for 15 minutes
per zone and then repeat
as needed later in the day for 5 to 15 minutes. Roots need
to absorb the water to help your lawn grow lush and green.
Too much watering at one time forces water to move past
the roots belowground or run into the road or a neighboring
drain aboveground.
Where Does My Water Come From?
ERMU wells are supplied by the Mt. Simon-Hinckley aqui-
fer. We maintain eight wells ranging from 225 to 454 feet
deep, six wells have water treatment facilities that remove iron
and manganese from the source water. There are four water
towers, over 125 miles of water main, 1,334 hydrants and just
under 3,000 valves in our system. In 2024, ERMU pumped
over 841 million gallons of water. We are proud to serve over
5,800 water customers.
Should I be Concerned About What I’m
Pouring Down My Drain?
If your home is served by a sewage system, your drain is an
entrance to your wastewater disposal system and eventu-
ally to a drinking water source. Consider purchasing envi-
ronmentally friendly home products whenever possible, and
never pour hazardous materials (e.g., car engine oil) down
the drain. Check with your health department for more
information on proper disposal methods.
Important Health Information
Some people may be more vulnerable to contami-
nants in drinking water than the general population.
Immunocompromised 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 particu-
larly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice
about drinking water from their health-care providers. U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA)/Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines on appro-
priate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium
and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe
Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791) or epa.gov/safewater.
Questions?For more information about this
report or any questions relating
to your drinking water, please call Elk River Municipal
Utilities (ERMU) at (763) 441-2020 (Dave Ninow, Water
Superintendent) To view this report online, visit ermumn.
com/services/water/water-quality-report.
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Substances That Could Be in Water
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 sub-
stances resulting from the presence of animals or from human
activity. Contaminants that may be present in source water
include:
Microbial Contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which
may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems,
agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife.
Inorganic Contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can
occur naturally in the soil or groundwater or may result from
urban stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater
discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming.
Pesticides and Herbicides, which may come from a variety
of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and
residential uses.
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.
Radioactive Contaminants, which can occur naturally or be
the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.
To ensure that tap water is safe to drink, U.S. EPA prescribes
regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants
in water provided by public water systems. Food and Drug
Administration 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 mean that water poses a health risk. More
information about contaminants and potential health effects
can be obtained by calling the Safe Drinking Water Hotline
(800-426-4791) or visiting epa.gov/safewater.
Reduced Water Pressure Culprits in Your Plumbing
Here is a list of potential causes of low water pressure.
Please be sure to use caution and consult with a licensed
plumbing professional when resolving any of these issues.
1. Water softener issue: Bypass the water softener to test via
valves.
2. Pressure reducer: In higher-pressure areas (80+ pounds
per square inch), these devices are required so appliances
and in-home connections are less likely to leak. They can
be adjusted to control pressure from the water system
into your home plumbing. These devices can be a point
of failure and close off water flow from time to time.
Replacement requires a plumber.
3. Faulty or partially closed valve: A valve in your system
may have failed or isn’t fully open.
4. Service line or curb stop valve issue: There may be a service
line leak or a problem with the outdoor curb stop valve.
Pressure Issue Culprit 2
Pressure Issue
Culprit 1
Valve Construction
Lead in Home Plumbing
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. ERMU is responsible for providing high-quality
drinking water but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components in your home. You share the responsibility
for protecting yourself and your family from the lead in your home plumbing. You can take responsibility by identifying and remov-
ing lead materials within your home plumbing and taking steps to reduce your family’s risk. Before drinking tap water, flush your
pipes for several minutes by running your tap, taking a shower, or doing laundry or a load of dishes. You can also use a filter certified
by an American National Standards Institute-accredited certifier to reduce lead in drinking water. If you are concerned about lead in
your water, resources are available through the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), or contact ERMU at (763) 441-2020. For
detailed information about lead in drinking water, including testing methods and steps you can take to minimize exposure, visit epa.
gov/safewater/lead. You can also access the MDH’s “Lead In Drinking Water” fact sheet at health.state.mn.us/communities/environ-
ment/water/docs/contaminants/leadfactsht.pdf.
To address lead in drinking water, public water systems were required to develop and maintain an inventory of service line materials by
October 16, 2024. Developing an inventory and identifying the location of lead service lines (LSL) is the first step for beginning LSL
replacement and protecting public health. The lead service inventory may be found at https://maps.umn.edu/LSL/. Please contact us if you
would like more information about the inventory or any lead sampling that has been done.
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Monitoring Results – Unregulated Substances/Emerging Contaminants
In addition to testing drinking water for contaminants regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act, we sometimes also monitor
for contaminants that are not regulated. Unregulated contaminants do not have legal limits for drinking water. MDH, U.S. EPA,
and other health agencies may have developed comparison values for some of these compounds. Some of these comparison values are
based solely on potential health impacts and do not consider our ability to measure contaminants at very low concentrations or the
cost and technology of prevention and treatment. These values may be set at levels that are costly, challenging, or impractical for a
water system to meet (for example, large-scale treatment technology may not exist for a given contaminant). Sample data is listed in
the test results table.
PFAS and lithium are two contaminants of concern due to their potential adverse health effects. PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl
substances, are a group of man-made chemicals that can accumulate in the environment and human body, leading to health issues.
Lithium, while a naturally occurring element, can also pose risks when present at elevated levels. The results of UCMR 5 sample
collection and testing in 2024 showed no detection of PFAS or lithium contaminants in Elk River’s drinking water system. Elk River
Municipal Utilities (ERMU) also conducted an independent round of testing for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in
addition to the UCMR 5 testing. ERMU’s independent testing also resulted in no detection of PFAS contaminants, further affirming
the high standards of water quality in Elk River.
Detection of a regulated or unregulated contaminant should not cause concern. The significance of a detection should be determined
considering current health effects information. We are often still learning about the health effects, so this information can change over
time. A person drinking water with a contaminant at or below the comparison value would be at little to no risk for harmful health
effects. If the level of a contaminant is above the comparison value, people of a certain age or with special health conditions—infants,
children, elderly, and people who are pregnant or have impaired immunity—may need to take extra precautions. We are notifying you
of the unregulated or emerging contaminants we have detected as a public education opportunity.
Unregulated contaminant monitoring helps U.S. EPA to determine where certain contaminants occur and whether the agency should
consider regulating those contaminants in the future.
For more information, visit:
• MDH’s A-Z List of Contaminants in Water: health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/contaminants/index.html
• Fourth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 4): health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/com/
ucmr4.html
• Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule: epa.gov/dwucmr/fifth-unregulated-contaminant-monitoring-rule
• UCMR5 Program Overview Fact Sheet: epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-02/ucmr5-factsheet.pdf
In the past year, your drinking water may have been tested for additional unregulated contaminants as part of the Fifth Unregulated
Contaminant Monitoring Rule; results are still being processed. The Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5 (UCMR5) Data
finder (epa.gov/dwucmr/fifth-unregulated-contaminant-monitoring-rule-data-finder) allows people to easily search for, summarize, and
download the available analytical results.
Public Meetings
The Elk River Municipal Utilities (ERMU) Commission meets on the second Tuesday of every month at 3:30 p.m. The meetings
are held in the ERMU Conference Room, 13069 Orono Parkway.
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Test Results
We are pleased to report that your drinking water meets or exceeds all federal and state requirements. Our water is monitored for
many different kinds of substances on a very strict sampling schedule, and the water we deliver must meet specific health standards.
Here, we only show those substances that were detected in our water (a complete list of all our analytical results is available upon request).
Remember that detecting a substance does not mean the water is unsafe to drink; our goal is to keep all detects below their respective
maximum allowed levels.
The state recommends monitoring for certain substances less than once per year because the concentrations of these substances do not
change frequently. In these cases, the most recent sample data is included, along with the year in which the sample was taken.
REGULATED SUBSTANCES
SUBSTANCE
(UNIT OF MEASURE)
YEAR
SAMPLED
MCL
[MRDL]
MCLG
[MRDLG]
AMOUNT
DETECTED RANGE
LOW-HIGH VIOLATION TYPICAL SOURCE
Barium (ppm)2024 2 2 0.03 NA No Discharge of drilling wastes; Discharge from
metal refineries; Erosion of natural deposits
Chlorine (ppm)2024 [4][4]0.72 0.54–0.91 No Water additive used to control microbes
Fluoride (ppm)2024 4 4 0.71 0.65–0.73 No Erosion of natural deposits; Water additive
which promotes strong teeth; Discharge from
fertilizer and aluminum factories
Gross Alpha Particle
Activity (pCi/L)
2020 15.4 0 3.6 ND–3.6 No Erosion of natural deposits
Haloacetic Acids [HAAs]
(ppb)
2024 60 NA 8.3 4.40–8.30 No By-product of drinking water disinfection
Nitrate (ppm)2024 10 10 1.30 ND–1.30 No Runoff from fertilizer use; Leaching from septic
tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits
TTHMs [total
trihalomethanes] (ppb)
2024 80 NA 16.3 12.50–16.30 No By-product of drinking water disinfection
Xylenes (ppm)2023 10 10 ND NA No Discharge from petroleum factories; Discharge
from chemical factories
Tap water samples were collected for lead and copper analyses from sample sites throughout the community
SUBSTANCE
(UNIT OF MEASURE)
YEAR
SAMPLED AL MCLG
AMOUNT DETECTED
(90TH %ILE)
RANGE
LOW-HIGH
SITES ABOVE
AL/TOTAL SITES VIOLATION TYPICAL SOURCE
Copper (ppm)2022 1.3 1.3 0.23 NA 1/30 No Corrosion of household plumbing systems;
Erosion of natural deposits
Lead (ppb)2022 15 0 1.37 NA 0/30 No Lead service lines; Corrosion of household
plumbing systems, including fittings and
fixtures; Erosion of natural deposits
UNREGULATED SUBSTANCES
SUBSTANCE
(UNIT OF MEASURE)
YEAR
SAMPLED
AMOUNT
DETECTED
RANGE
LOW-HIGH TYPICAL SOURCE
Perfluorobutanoic Acid [PFBA] (ppt)2024 ND ND NA
Sodium1 (ppm)2024 3.32 3.16–3.32 NA
Sulfate (ppm)2024 8.34 2.89–8.34 NA
1 In-home water softening can
increase the level of sodium in
your water.
Definitions
90th %ile: The levels reported for lead
and copper represent the 90th percentile of
the total number of sites tested. The 90th
percentile is equal to or greater than 90% of
our lead and copper detections.
AL (Action Level): The concentration of
a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers
treatment or other requirements which a
water system must follow.
MCL (Maximum Contaminant Level):
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.
MCLG (Maximum Contaminant Level
Goal): 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.
MRDL (Maximum Residual Disinfectant
Level): 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.
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.
NA: Not applicable.
ND (Not detected): Indicates that the
substance was not found by laboratory
analysis.
pCi/L (picocuries per liter): A measure of
radioactivity.
ppb (parts per billion): One part substance
per billion parts water (or micrograms per
liter).
ppm (parts per million): One part
substance per million parts water (or
milligrams per liter).
ppt (parts per trillion): One part substance
per trillion parts water (or nanograms per
liter).
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