Annual Drinking Water Quality Report

Town of Independence

PWSID# 1077335

INTRODUCTION

This Annual Drinking Water Quality Report for calendar year 2024, is designed to inform you about your drinking water quality.  Our goal is to provide you with a safe and dependable supply of drinking water, and we want you to understand the efforts we make to protect your water supply.  The quality of your drinking water must meet state and federal requirements administered by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH).

If you have questions about this report, please contact:

Water Operator – Terry Osborne                            Phone: 276-7733703 Fax: 276-773-2634

If you want additional information about any aspect of your drinking water or want to know how to participate in decisions that may affect the quality of your drinking water, please contact:

Town Manager – Kathy Knutson Phone: 276-773-3703 Fax: 276-773-2634

The times and location of regularly scheduled board meetings are as follows:

Second Tuesday of each month at the fire hall, 329 Davis St., Independence, Virginia at 7:00pm

GENERAL INFORMATON

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: (i) microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife; (ii) 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; (iii) pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential uses; (iv) organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are byproducts of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems; (v) 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 that 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.

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).

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-compromised persons such as persons with cancer who are 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 microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).   

SOURCES OF YOUR DRINKING WATER

The sources of your drinking water is groundwater and groundwater under the direct influence of surface water as described below:

Groundwater is supplied from four wells owned by the Town of Independence. Groundwater under the direct influence of surface water and surface water is treated by the Virginia Carolina Water Authority membrane plant before being delivered to the Town of Independence.

The Virginia Department of Health conducted a source water assessment of the Virginia Carolina Water Authority during 2019 and the Town of Independence system during 2020.  All well sources were determined to be of high susceptibility to contamination using the criteria developed by the state in its approved Source Water Assessment Program.  The assessment report consists of maps showing the source water assessment area and an inventory of known land use activities of concern.  The report is available by contacting Terry Osborne at the phone number or address given elsewhere in this drinking water quality report. A source water assessment of the Virginia Carolina Water Authority has not yet been completed.

DEFINITIONS

Contaminants in your drinking water are routinely monitored according to Federal and State regulations.  The table on the next page shows the results of our monitoring for the period of January 1st to December 31st 2024.  In the table and elsewhere in this report you will find many terms and abbreviations you might not be familiar with.  The following definitions are provided to help you better understand these terms:

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.

Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal or MRDLG:  the level of 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.

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.

Non-detects (ND) - lab analysis indicates that the contaminant is not present

Parts per million (ppm) or Milligrams per liter (mg/l) - 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 - one part per billion corresponds to one minute in 2,000 years, or a single penny in $10,000,000.

Picocuries per liter (pCi/L) - picocuries per liter is a measure of the radioactivity in water.

Action Level (AL) - the concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.

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

Level 1 assessment - a study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine (if possible) why total coliform bacteria have been found in our water system.

Level 2 assessment - a very detailed study of the waterworks to identify potential problems and determine (if possible) why an E. coli PMCL violation has occurred and/or why total coliform bacteria have been found in our water system on multiple occasions.

Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU) - nephelometric turbidity unit is a measure of the clarity, or cloudiness, of water. Turbidity in excess of 5 NTU is just noticeable to the average person.  Turbidity is monitored because it is a good indicator of the effectiveness of our filtration system.

To access the full document please click this Sentence.