HomeMy WebLinkAboutWater Quality Report 2008 (PDF)2007 Water SyStem ImprovementS
u Distribution System Improvements
We replaced 10,400 feet (1.97 miles) of undersized
water mains – 5.4% of the 36 miles of water mains in
the distribution system – to improve water service and
fire protection throughout Cohasset.
u Rain Garden Project
Fifteen rain gardens were constructed as well as a
5,000 gallon oil/water separator at the intersection of
Pond Street and Route 3A. Seven additional rain
gardens were partially constructed along Route 3A.
u Leak Detection
We repaired 25 leaks in 2007, including 3 main breaks,
3 freeze-ups, main or service breaks caused by contrac-
tors and 20 leaks on customer service lines.
u Water Storage Tanks
Storage tank mixers were installed in the Scituate
Hill Tank, after draining and cleaning out the tank.
The mixers continually mix the water in the storage
tank and help provide more consistent tap water
quality.
u Fire Hydrants & Valves
We replaced 15 fire hydrants, installed 5 new hydrants
and painted 50 of the 400 hydrants. We replaced 32
gate valves and installed 15 new gate valves.
u Wellfields
The Ellms Meadow Wellfield was returned to service
and proved to be beneficial to the supply of water
during the dry summer conditions of 2007.
u Land Acquisition to Protect Water Supply
We obtained another land acquisition grant, this time
in the amount of $366,850, for the purchase of an
additional 30 acres of land in the watershed of Lily
Pond and the Aaron River Reservoir.2008 Water Quality report339 King Street Cohasset MA 02025
781-383-0057
www.cohassetwater.org
COHASSET BOARD OF
WATER COMMISSIONERS
Glenn A. Pratt, Chairman
Nathaniel Palmer, Vice-Chairman
John K. McNabb, Jr., Clerk
Cohasset Water Department
339 King Street
Cohasset MA 02025
PRESORTEDSTANDARDUS POSTAGEPAIDPERMIT NO. 47COHASSET, MA
POSTAL PATRONCOHASSET, MA 02025
This report is available at the Water Department,
Town Hall, the Paul Pratt Memorial Library, and
on our website: www.cohassetwater.org
CommunIty Involvement
We encourage public interest and participation
in decisions affecting Cohasset’s drinking water.
The Water Commission usually meets every other
week at 6:00 pm at the Lily Pond Water Treatment
Plant, 339 King Street. Meeting notices are posted
at Town Hall. Feel free to attend and to participate.
www.cohassetwater.org
june 1, 2008 Water QualIty report
The Cohasset Water Department (DEP ID#
3065000), under the direction of the elected Board of
Water Commissioners, provides public drinking water
to about 2,400 connections for about 7,100 Cohasset
residents and provides and maintains a water system
for fire fighting. We provide drinking water for almost
90% of the population of Cohasset.
This Water Quality Report describes the sources of
our drinking water and the quality of that water for
the period from January 1 – December 31, 2007.
During 2007 we met or exceeded all applicable
standards for drinking water quality, except that
testing in November showed we exceeded the Action
Level for lead.
ContaCt uS
Please call Superintendant Jared Hill at the Water
Department at 781-383-0057 (fax 781-383-2906)
with any questions or concerns.
For more information about the Water
Department visit our website: www.cohassetwater.org
The new 2007 ‘state of the art’ control area
treatment plant
moDernIZatIon ContInueS
The old 1977 ‘state of the art’ plant control panel
manGaneSe upDate
Dr. Knocke, highly regarded nationally as an expert on
manganese in drinking water, visited the Lily Pond
Treatment Plant on March 18, 2008. In a meeting with
the Water Commissioners, he provided his expert advice
on how we can solve our manganese problem which
while not harmful leads to discolored water.
Dr. Knocke (2nd from left) with Water Commissioners
John McNabb, Nathaniel Palmer, and Glenn Pratt.
2007 CoHASSeT WATeR QuALITy ReSuLTS
The Cohasset Water Department tests for over 80 contaminants on a regular basis, in accordance with State and Federal requirements.
The following contaminants were the only ones detected in the most recent testing required.
REGULATED
CONTAMINANTS
Date(s)
Collected
Highest
Detect
Range
Detected
Highest
Average
MCL
or
MRDL
MCLG
or
MRDLG
Viola-
tion?
(y/N)
Possible Source(s) of Contamination
INORGANIC
Fluoride (ppm) Daily,
2007
1.52 0.0 - 1.52 ----4 4 No Additive to water to promote strong teeth
Nitrate (ppm)4/12/2007 0.17 --------10 10 No Runoff from fertilizer use; Leaching from septic
tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits
Chlorine (ppm)Daily,
2007
1.86 0.6 - 1.86 ----4 4 No Water additive used to protect public health by
controlling microbes
Barium (ppm)4/12/2007 0.008 --------2 2 No Discharge of drilling wastes; discharge from metal
refineries; erosion of natural deposits
VOLATILE ORGANIC
Total Trihalomethanes
(TTHMs) (ppb)
2/23, 5/4,
8/15,
11/29
90 26.3 - 90 75.1 80 -----No Byproduct of drinking water chlorination
Haloacetic Acids
(HAA5’s) (ppb)
2/23, 5/4,
8/15,
11/29
39 6.7 - 39 30.5 60 -----No Byproduct of drinking water chlorination
RADIOACTIVE
Gross Alpha (pCi/l)2/17/04 -1.3+/-
1.0
--------15 0 No Erosion of natural deposits
Gross Beta (pCi/L) 2/17/04 2.9+/-2.2 --------50 0 No Decay of natural and man-made deposits
Radium 226 2/17/04 0.3+/-0.2 --------0.1 0 No Erosion of natural deposits
Radium 228 2/17/04 1.0+/-0.8 --------0.5 0 No Erosion of natural deposits
SYNTHETIC ORGANIC
Simazine (ppb)3/23/06 0.1 --------4 4 No Herbicide runoff
LEAD & COPPER
(20 sites sampled each)
Date(s)
Collected
90th
Percentile
Action
Level
MCLG # sites
above
AL
exceed-
ence?
Possible Sources of Contamination
Lead (ppb)8/09/2007 18 15 0 3 of 20 Yes Corrosion of household plumbing systems
Copper (ppm)8/09/2007 .46 1.3 1.3 0 of 20 No Corrosion of household plumbing systems; leaching
from wood preservatives
TURBIDITY TT Lowest Monthly
% of Samples
Highest Detected
Daily Value
Violation?Possible Sources of Contamination
Daily Compliance (NTU)0.3 ----0.24 No Soil Runoff
Monthly Compliance At least 95%100%----No
Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of the water. We monitor it because it is a good indicator of water quality.
* Monthly turbidity compliance is related to a specific treatment technique (TT). Our system filters the water so at least 95% of our samples each month must be below the turbidity
limits specified in the regulations.
UNREGULATED
CONTAMINANTS
INORGANIC Date(s)
Collected
Results Average
Detected
SMCL oRSG Violation?Possible Sources of Contamination
Sodium (ppm)4/12/2007 26 --------20 No Runoff from use of salt on roadways to protect public safety
Sulfate (ppm)4/12/2007 8.1 ----250 ----No Natural sources
Unregulated contaminants are those for which EPA has not established drinking water standards. The purpose of unregulated contaminant monitoring is to assist EPA in
determining their occurrence in drinking water and whether further regulation is warranted. Exceeding a SMCL or ORSG for an unregulated contaminant is not a violation.
leaD eXCeeDanCe oF aCtIon levelS
The Cohasset Water Department performed its required
sampling for Lead and Copper on August 9, 2007. This
sampling consisted of taking samples from 20 different resi-
dential homes and 4 different schools located in Cohasset.
While lead is not present in the raw water or in the treated
water after it leaves the Lily Pond Treatment Plant, lead can
leach into tap water in some situations from older lead
services, lead solder in service connections, or even from
brass fixtures (some of which contain lead).
These sites were selected by the Water Department and
approved by DEP in compliance with the regulatory
criteria which is based on when the home was constructed
and the type of material used in installing the service line to
the home.
The results of these tests, while an improvement overall from
three years ago, did in fact cause an exceedence of the 90th
percentile Action Level for lead. This means that the 3 out
of the 20 residential sites samples had over 15 parts per
million (ppm) of lead. While this is not a violation, the
DEP requires the Water Department, following an
exceedence such as this one, to provide public education
and public notice about lead in the drinking water and to
conduct additional testing.
The Water Department provided the required public notice
brochures which were mailed to each customer’s home with
the water bills in November, 2007. Public education
brochures were placed in all of the public buildings in
Cohasset and were made available to every customer.
The Department has gone beyond the requirements and also
offered to test any customer’s water, for free, for lead content
in an effort to help identify the homes in town that have lead
services or brass fixtures that could be contaminating the
water. During this free testing period, a total of 64 cus-
tomers requested the free tests, and of them only 6 homes
exceeded the Action Level.
The Water Department is also conducting additional
regulatory testing for lead and is developing a comprehensive
program to locate and eliminate all lead services and fittings
in the distribution system.
vulnerable populatIonS WarnInG
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 appropri-
ate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium
and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe
Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791).
eDuCatIonal Statement ConCernInG leaD
Infants and young children are typically more vulnerable to
lead in drinking water than the general population.
It is possible that lead levels at your home may be higher
than at other homes in the community as a result of materials
used in your home’s plumbing. If you are concerned about
elevated lead levels in your home’s water, you may wish to
have your water tested. Flush your tap for 30 seconds to 2-
minutes before using tap water to reduce lead content.
Additional information is available from the Safe Drinking
Water Hotline, 1-800-426-4791.
DeFInItIonS
90th Percentile 9/10 were at or below this level
pCi/L Picocuries per liter (radioactivity)
ppb parts per billion, micrograms per liter (ug/l)
ppm parts per million, milligrams per liter (mg/l)
AL (Action Level) The concentration of a contaminant that, if
exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which must be
followed.
MCL (Maximum Contaminant Level) Highest level of contami-
nant allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the
DEFINITIONS Continued
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 margin of safety.
MRDL (Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level) The highest level
of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. Disinfection is neces-
sary to control microbiological contamination.
MRDLG (Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal) Level of
drinking water disinfectant which there is no known or expected
risk to health; do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants
to control microbiological contaminants.
NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Units) Measure of how clear the
water is.
ORSG Mass Office of Research and Standards Guideline Concen-
tration of a chemical in drinking water, at or below which, adverse
health effects are unlikely to occur after chronic (lifetime) exposure.
SMCL Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level These standards
protect the aesthetic qualities of drinking water and are not health
based.
TT (Treatment Technique) - 95% of all monthly samples taken
must be less than/equal to 0.50 NTU
Variances & Exemptions State or EPA permission not to meet an
MCL or a treatment technique under certain conditions.
Where YOUr DrINKING Water
COmes FrOm
The Cohasset Water Department
drinking water comes from two surface
water supplies, Lily Pond (DEP ID# 065-
01S), and the Aaron River Reservoir (DEP
ID# 065-02S).
Lily Pond has a maximum capacity of
about 100 million gallons of water and is
52 acres in size. The 136 acre Aaron River
Reservoir, which can hold a maximum of
550 million gallons of water, is used to
supplement Lily Pond in times of high
water demand.
The watershed for Lily Pond and the
Reservoir covers an area of 5,892 acres,
9.21 square miles. Only 2,339 acres (or
40%) is in Cohasset.
The safe yield of our surface water
supplies is 5.2 million gallons per day
(gpd). Our average daily demand is about
800,000 gallons per day, and the
maximum daily demand, in the summer,
is 2.2 million gpd. Projections show that
our existing water supply will be capable of
meeting projected water system
demands for the next 20 years or more.
The Water Department has two well fields.
The Ellms Meadow Well field (ID# 065-
02G), which has been reactivated and
approved for up to 170,000 gallons per day.
The well field was reactivated in 2007.
The Sohier Street Wells (ID# 065-01G &
03G) have been abandoned due to their
close proximity to the Greenbush Right of
Way, but the Water Commision is actively
seeking a new location for a replacement
wellfield.
sWaP rePOrt ON COhasset
The Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) has prepared a Source
Water Assessment Program (SWAP)
Report for the water supply sources
serving the Cohasset Water Department.
The SWAP Report notes that the key
issues for water supply protection are:
n protection of Zone A
n protecting the watershed outside
Cohasset
n public education
n control of residential uses that
might contaminate the watershed
The report commends the water system
for mapping storm drains, conducting a
study on the health of Lily Pond, and
taking preliminary steps to develop a
lawn care program.
The Water Commission plans to
address the protection recommendations
by implementing all the SWAP
recommendations and by implementing
our Surface Water Supply Protection Plan
that was completed and approved by DEP
in 2002.
The complete SWAP report is available at
the Water Department and on our
website, www.cohassetwater.org.
For more information, call the Water
Department at 781-383-0057.HI
NGHAMCOHASSETCOHASSETSCITUATEN ORW E LLSCITUATEDoaneSt
r
eet
BeechwoodStreetK
i
n
g
S
tr
e
e
t
Route3A
BrookPeppermint
AaronRiverHerringBr ook
Aaro n RiverWompatuckStatePark
C
O
H
A
S
S
E
T
H
I
N
G
H
A
M
Avalon Development
at Norfolk Conveyor SohierStreetSohier Street
Wellfield
Little
Harbor
Sanctuary
Pond
Bunker
Area
Lily
Pond
Aaron
River
Reservoir BrookB ro ok
B o und
Lily Pond
Water Treatment
Plant
Cohasset
Heights
Landfill
Mass Highway
Department
Hingham Annex
Former
Beechwood
Dump
Deer Hill
School
Depot Court
(underground
petroleum release)
South Main
&Spring Street
(underground
petroleum release)
Bear Hill
Water Tank
Bound Brook
Control StructureRo
u
t
e
3
A
Route 3A
J a m e s
Brook
Kettle
Brass ForestAvenueJerusalem R o a d
Straits Pond
Cohasset
Harbor
Elms Meadow
WellfieldScituateHill
Water Tank
Library
Cohasset
High
School
Aaron River
Dam
This area of Cohasset is served by the
Aquarion Water Company of Massachusetts.
For a copy of their Water Quality Report,
contact them at (800)832-2373 or go to
http://aquarion.com/MAwaterquality.html
Massachusetts
BayHULL
HINGHAM
Use Environmentally Friendly
Lawn Care.For more information,
contact the Greenscapes Program
at the North and South Rivers
Watershed Association
(781)659-8168
or visit www.nsrwa.org
North Main Street
Town Hall
Police
and
FireJerusalemRoadNicholsRoad
Atlantic Avenue
(abandoned)
Arrowwood
Subdivision
and Septic
Systems
HINGHAM
COHASSET
NORWELL
SCITUATE
1,500 0 1,500 3,000750Feet
GRAPHIC SCALE (in feet)
Massachusetts State Plane Coordinate System --NAD 1983
Where Your Drinking Water Comes From
Inspect your septic system every1-3 years to make sure it is
working properly.Pump out your septic tank as necessary,but
at least once every 5 years.
Recycle used motor oil by bringing it to the Cohasset Recycling
Transfer Facility or to the store where you bought it.NEVER
pour used motor oil on the ground or down the drain!
Dispose of household hazardous waste properly at the next Household
Hazardous Waste Day.NEVER pour hazardous materials down the
drain,on the ground,street,or storm drains.Call the Board of Health at
383-4116 or visit www.ssrc.info to find out when the next HHW day is.
NEVER dump grass and yard waste into storm drains.Grass clippings
and yard waste contain nutrients that can promote weed growth.
Reduce the use of fertilizers and herbicides on your lawn.Use only
slow-release fertilizers.Have your soil tested to determine how much
fertilizer to apply.Water fertilisers in witha hose and do not apply
before a rainfall.Visit www.nswra.org for more information.
Clean your car at a car wash instead of in your driveway.This will
prevent any soaps,polishes,waxes and other chemicals from draining
into storm drains and into the water supply.
Use water wisely.Avoid over-watering your lawn.
Watch out for any activities that might contaminate the water supply,
and report any suspected contamination to the Water Department
(383-0057).the Board of Health (383-4116),or the Fire Department
(383-0260)
Regularly monitors water quality in tap water and in the surface water
and groundwater of the watershed.
Keeps track of known potential sources of contamination within the
watershed and takes action to clean them up.
Reviews all proposed developments in the watershed.
Acquires land in the watershed to protect it from development.
Proposes changes in bylaws &zoning to protect water quality.
Is in the process of implementing the recommendations of the Water
Commission's 2002 Surface Water Supply Protection Plan and the
Source Water Assessment Program report.
2.
1.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
What the Water Department is Doing to Protect
Our Water Supply
8 Things YOU Can Do To Protect Your Water Supply
Watershed Locator MapWatershedLocatorMap
LEGEND
Watershed Area
Zone II Area
Surface Water Source
Lily Pond,Aaron River Reservoir
Public Water Supply Wells
Water Source Tributaries
Zone A Surface Water Supply Protection Area
400'from Surface Water Supply,
200'from Tributaries
Zone B Surface Water Supply Protection Area
1/2 Mile from Surface Water Supply
Potential Threats to Watershed Quality
Water Commission Stream Gauging Locations
Water Commission Surface Water Sampling Locations
Water Commission Monitoring Wells
in Groundwater and in Bedrock Fractures
Town Boundary
The Sources of the Cohasset Water Department's
Public Drinking Water Supply
Your drinking water comes from the watershed for Lily Pond and the Aaron
River Reservoir and the Zone of Contribution for the Elms Meadow wellfield
as shown on this map.The watershed comprises approximately 2,313 acres in
Cohasset with an additional 3,690 acres located in Hingham,Norwell,and Scituate.
The wellfields'Zone of Contribution includes an additional 954 acres.
The Cohasset Water Department serves all of Cohasset except for
approximately 300 homes in North Cohasset that are served by the
Aquarion Water Co.of Massachusetts or by private wells.
Cohasset Raingarden Project
Low Impact Development
Installed Locations for the Rain Gardens
NOTE:Locations are approximate
Sohier Street &Elms Meadow Wellfields'
Zone of Contribution
Consumer Confidence Report Map --2008
Produced By:Norfolk RAM Group
Date:January 30,2008
COHASSET
BOARD OF WATER COMMISSIONERS
GLENN A.PRATT,CHAIRMAN
NATHANIEL PALMER,VICE CHAIRMAN
JOHN K.MCNABB,JR.,CLERK
Funded by Water Revenue,the Federal/State c.319
Grant Program,and the Clean Water SRF Program
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Cohasset Water Department
339 King Street
Cohasset,MA 02025
ph:(781)383-0057
fax:(781)383-2906
CONtamINaNts IN DrINKING 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 EPA’s Safe Drinking Water
Hotline (1-800-426-4791).
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:
n Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage
treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife.
n 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.
n Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as
agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential uses.
n 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.
n Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally-occurring or be the result of oil
and gas production and mining activities.
To ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the DEP and EPA prescribe regulations which
limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Massachusetts Department of
Public Health (DPH) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water
which must provide the same protection for public health.
www.cohassetwater.org