Annual Water Quality Report

2015Volume 18 – Issued April 2016

Seacoast Utility Authority (“Seacoast”) is pleased to present you with the 2015 Annual Water Quality Report. The report is designed to inform you about the quality of your drinking water and the services we deliver to you every day.

2015 Annual Water Quality ReportVolume 18 – Issued April 2016

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Health and Safety StandardsWe are glad to report that our drinking water meets all federal, state and local regulations, and

continues to meet our quality standards.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) set both primary and secondary standards to ensure

public water is safe to drink. Primary standards protect public health against substances that may be harmful to humans if consumed for long periods. Secondary standards

control the aesthetic qualities of the water such as taste, odor, and clarity, but do not impact public health.

Our annual report meets the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requirement for “Consumer Confidence Reports (CCR)” and contains information on the source and quality of our water. Our goal is to provide you with a safe and dependable supply of drinking water. We make every effort to continually improve the water treatment process and protect our water resources. Seacoast has an ongoing commitment to provide our customers with the highest quality of drinking water.

Seacoast routinely monitors for contaminants in your drinking water according to federal and state laws, rules, and regulations. Except where otherwise indicated, this report is

based on the results of our monitoring for the period of January 1 to December 31, 2015. Data obtained before January 1, 2015, and presented in this report are from the most recent

testing done in accordance with the applicable laws, rules, and regulations governing water quality. Reported results are for contaminants detected in samples collected from Seacoast’s

water treatment plant, the distribution system, and private homes.

If you have any questions regarding this report, please contact Pamela Olah-Brennan, Laboratory Supervisor, at 561-627-2900 ext. 685 or email: polah-brennan@sua.com.

The Annual Water Quality Report is offered electronically to all our customers. If you would like a printed copy of this report mailed to your address, please contact Jessica Moore, Office Administrator, at 561-627-2900 ext.

383 or email: jmoore@sua.com.

Seacoast is a publicly owned water and sewer utility serving approximately 51,447 Northern Palm Beach County homes and businesses with an approximate population of 93,800 residents. The August 1988 Interlocal Agreement establishing Seacoast vests governing authority in its five member board. Board Members are appointed by the respective political jurisdictions within which Seacoast provides service. Each member’s voting share is as follows: Palm Beach Gardens 60%, Palm Beach County 20%, North Palm Beach 12%, Lake Park 6%, and Juno Beach 2%. Seacoast currently distributes approximately 17.1 million gallons per day (MGD) of drinking water to its customers.

SEACOAST BOARD MEMBERSRon Ferris, Chair: City of Palm Beach Gardens Robert Gebbia, Vice-Chair: Village of North Palm BeachJohn D’Agostino, President Pro-Tem: Town of Lake ParkJoseph Lo Bello, Member: Town of Juno BeachRobert Weisman, Member: Palm Beach County

Please visithttp://www.sua.com/files/BOARDMTGS2016.pdf for Seacoast’s 2016 Board Meeting Schedule.https://www.facebook.com/custsvc to like us on Facebook.

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ConservationWater is fast becoming one of the world’s most precious resources. Here in Palm Beach County, as throughout

the Southeastern United States, water restrictions have become a way of life year-round.

We encourage you to conserve water whenever possible. For more information on water use, restrictions, and conservation, please visit the South Florida Water Management District’s website

at www.sfwmd.gov.

Recycled WaterSeacoast’s reclaimed water production and distribution system delivers high-quality treated reclaimed water from its PGA Wastewater Treatment Plant to several large scale landscape irrigation sites. The reclaimed water system is currently capable of treating and delivering approximately 12 million gallons per day (“MGD”) of reclaimed water to customers located throughout the service area through 24.3 miles of reclaimed water mains. Seacoast is presently contracted to provide up to 11.593 MGD of reclaimed water to a total of 34 separate sites. The reclaimed water system continues to operate at full capacity and in compliance with all regulatory requirements. During fiscal year 2014/2015, Seacoast

delivered an average of 8.389 MGD of highly-treated reclaimed water to customers, virtually 100% of system wastewater generated.

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The Source of Our WaterSeacoast’s goal is to provide you with a safe and dependable supply of drinking water. The Authority obtains its water

from two separate ground water sources: (1) a shallow aquifer, 75 to 200 feet deep, known as the surficial aquifer and (2) from the 1,500 foot deep brackish Floridan aquifer. Seacoast has thirty-eight (38) surficial aquifer ground water wells and

three (3) Floridan aquifer wells located in four (4) separate wellfields. Three (3) of the thirty-eight (38) surficial aquifer wells are presently out of service.

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. Seacoast uses ground water exclusively.

A 2013 Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Source Water Assessment identified three potential sources of wellfield contamination, all representing low to moderate risk. FDEP’s assessment area was based on a projected 5-year ground water travel time around each well. The 5-year ground water travel time is defined by the area from which water will flow to a well

pumping at an average daily permitted rate for a five year period. The assessment results are available on the FDEP Source Water Assessment and Protection website at www.dep.state.fl.us/swapp.

Innovative methods developed by Seacoast to supplement the reclaimed water system include the use of nanofiltration concentrate, three (3) supplemental wells, and the withdrawal of water from the C-17 Canal. As

new customers are connected and wastewater flow increases, reclaimed water produced from the effluent at the PGA Wastewater Treatment Plant and nanofiltration concentrate from the Hood Road Water

Treatment Plant may replace the supplemental water withdrawn from the wells and surface water.

The Future of Our Water and ServiceSeacoast’s aggressive capital improvements program underscores its commitment to the

highest customer service and water quality standards. Projects and improvements scheduled for the next five years of this $75 million program include:

• Conversion of all meters to automated reading systems which will allow customers to

monitor their own water use (Please visit http://www.sua.com/pages/meter_upgrade

to learn more about the program.)

• Replacement of water pumping and distribution piping systems nearing the end of

their useful lives

• Refurbishment of wellfield, pumping and transmission infrastructure

• Construction of additional finished water storage facilities to increase system wide

storage by 25%

• Doubling of brackish (Floridan aquifer) water supply and treatment capacity

• Renovation of water disinfection facilities

• Laboratory expansion

• Expansion of existing technology applications, including records handling,

telemetry, global positioning systems for buried infrastructure, asset tracking, and

communications

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Treating Your WaterSeacoast uses two membrane treatment processes to treat its water: reverse osmosis for brackish

Floridan aquifer water desalination and nanofiltration for demineralization of its fresh surficial aquifer water supply. Both the reverse osmosis and nanofiltration processes operate by forcing pressurized

raw water through a semi-permeable membrane that separates contaminants from the water.

Seacoast’s Hood Road Membrane Water Plant is a 30.5 MGD facility comprised of 26.0 MGD of nanofiltration (NF), 3.5 MGD of low pressure reverse osmosis, and 1.0 MGD of pretreated

local surficial aquifer blend water.

Water fluoridation, the controlled addition of fluoride to drinking water for the purpose of reducing tooth decay, is not practiced by Seacoast. However, fluoride does occur naturally in our water at very low levels (<0.2 ppm).

Contaminants in Tap and Bottled WaterIn order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the EPA prescribes regulations, which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The Food and Drug Administration (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 the

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

at 800-426-4791.

Vulnerability to ContaminantsSome people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population.

Immune compromised persons such as a cancer patient 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 microbiological contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking water Hotline at 800-426-4791.

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Contaminants that May be Present in Source Water• Microbial Contaminants – Viruses and bacteria which may come from sewage

treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations and wildlife.

• Inorganic Contaminants – Salts and metals which can be naturally occurring or

result from urban storm water runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges,

oil and gas production, mining or farming.

• Pesticides and Herbicides – Come from a variety of sources such as agriculture,

urban storm water runoff and residential uses.

• Organic Chemical Contaminants – Synthetic and volatile organic chemicals,

which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can

also come from gas stations, urban storm water runoff and septic systems.

• Radioactive Contaminants – Can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and

gas production and mining activities.

Lead in Public Drinking WaterExposure to elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for

pregnant women and young children. Customer-owned water service lines and plumbing fixtures may, under certain conditions, leach lead into the high quality drinking water delivered

to the customer’s property. This is most likely to occur when the customer has been using no water for an extended period – for example, overnight. As an added precaution, flush your tap for

30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking.

Lead and copper drinking water quality standards were first enacted in 1992. This regulation required public drinking water suppliers to monitor multiple sites twice per year unless, like Seacoast, the utility

demonstrated consistently compliant lead and copper concentrations and made no significant treatment process changes. Seacoast’s switch to membrane treatment technology triggered a return to semiannual

monitoring, requiring sampling to be completed prior to June 2015. Seacoast’s failure to collect its first set of semiannual lead and copper samples until July 2015 and August constituted a violation of the lead and copper rule.

Though the July 2015 and August sampling revealed full compliance with lead and copper water quality standards, public notice of the sampling violation was issued as required by regulations.

If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead and drinking water, testing methods and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

MICROBIAL CONTAMINANTS

Contaminant & Unit of

Measurement

Dates of Sampling (mo/yr)

MCL Violation

(Y/N)

Highest Monthly Percentage/Number

MCLG MCLLikely Source of Contamination

Total Coliform Bacteria

Jan – Dec 2015 N

2.83%3 samples in 106

Aug 20150

Presence of coliform bacteria in 5% of monthly samples

Naturally present in the environment

INORGANIC CONTAMINANTS

Contaminant & Unit of

Measurement

Dates of Sampling (mo/yr)

MCL Violation

(Y/N)

Level Detected

Range of Results

MCLG MCL Likely Source of Contamination

Fluoride (ppm) April 2014 N 0.20 0.18–0.20 4 4

Erosion of natural deposits. Water additive which promotes strong teeth.

Discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories.

Nitrate (as Nitrogen)

(ppm)

August 2015 N 0.041 0.041 10 10

Runoff from fertilizer use; leaching from septic tanks, sewage; erosion of

natural deposits. Nitrite (as Nitrogen)

(ppm)

August 2015 N <0.025 <0.025 1 1

Runoff from fertilizer use; leaching from septic tanks, sewage; erosion or

natural deposits.

Sodium (ppm) April 2014 N 35.8 29.9–35.8 N/A 160 Salt water intrusion, leaching

from the soil.

LEAD AND COPPER (TAP WATER)

Contaminant & Unit of

Measurement

Dates of Sampling (mo/yr)

AL Exceeded

(Y/N)

AL (Action Level)

90th Percentile

Result

No. of Sampling Sites Exceeding

the ALMCLG Likely Source of Contamination

Copper (tap water) (ppm)

July – Aug 2015 N 1.5 0.12 1 1.3

Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural

deposits; leaching from wood preservatives.

Lead (tap water) (ppb)

July – Aug 2015 N 15 5.9 2 0

Corrosion of household plumbing systems, erosion of natural

deposits.

STAGE 2 DISINFECTANTS AND DISINFECTION BY-PRODUCTS

For haloacetic acids or TTHM, the level detected is the highest locational running annual average (LRAA), computed quarterly, or quarterly averages of all samples collected if the system is monitoring quarterly or is the average of all

samples taken during the year if the system monitors less frequently than quarterly. Range of Results is the range of individual sample results (lowest to highest) for all monitoring locations.

Contaminant and Unit of

Measurement

Dates of Sampling (mo/yr)

MCL Violation

(Y/N)

Level Detected

Range of Results

MCLG MCLLikely Source of Contamination

Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) (ppb)

Feb, May, Aug, Nov

2015N 3.7 0.8 – 6.8 N/A 60 By-product of drinking

water disinfection.

Total Trihalomethanes

(TTHM) (ppb)

Feb, May, Aug, Nov

2015N 1.4 0.1 – 2.2 N/A 80 By-product of drinking

water disinfection.

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Seacoast has been monitoring for unregulated contaminants (UCs) as part of a study to help the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determine the occurrence of UCs in drinking water and whether or not these contaminants need to be regulated.

At present, no health standards (for example, maximum contaminant level) have been established for UCs. However, we are required to publish the analytical results for our UC monitoring in our annual water quality report. If you would like more information on the EPA’s Unregulated Contaminants Monitoring Rule, please call the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.

UNREGULATED CONTAMINANTS – WATER TREATMENT PLANTS AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

Contaminant and Measurement Unit Level Detected Range Likely Source of Contamination

Chromium, Total (ppb) 0.56 0.24 – 0.56Naturally-occurring element; used in making steel and other alloys; chromium -3 or -6 forms are used for chrome plating, dyes and pigments, leather tanning, and wood preservation.

Chromium -6+ (ppb) 0.55 0.24 – 0.55Naturally-occurring element; used in making steel and other alloys; chromium -3 or -6 forms are used for chrome plating , dyes, and pigments, leather tanning, and wood preservation.

Molybdenum (ppb) 1.3 <1.0 – 1.3Naturally-occurring element found in ores and present in plants, animals and bacteria; commonly used form

molybdenum trioxide used as a chemical reagent.

Strontium (ppb) 370 330 – 370 Naturally-occurring element; historically, commercial use of

strontium has been in the faceplate glass of cathode-ray tube televisions to block x-ray emissions.

Vanadium (ppb) 1.1 0.73 – 1.1 Naturally-occurring elemental metal; used as vanadium pentoxide which is a chemical intermediate and catalyst.

Chlorodifluoromethane (ppb) 0.13 <0.08 – 0.13Chlorofluorocarbon; occurs as a gas, and used as a

refrigerant, as a low-temperature solvent, and a fluorocarbon resins, especially tetrafluoroethylene polymers.

1, 4-Dioxane (ppb) 0.087 <0.07 – 0.087Cyclic aliphatic ether; used as a solvent or solvent stabilizer

in manufacture and processing of paper, cotton, textile products, automotive coolant, cosmetics and shampoos.

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TABLE DEFINITIOns:N/A – Not Applicable.

DBP – Disinfection by Product.TTHM – Total Trihalomethane.ppm – Parts per million, or milligrams per liter (mg/L).pCi/L – Picocurie per liter, a measure of

radioactivity in water.ppb – parts per billion, or micrograms per liter

(µg/L).ND – Not Detected and indicated that the substance

was not found by laboratory analysis.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. MRDLG’s do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants. MRLG – Maximum Contaminant Level Goal – The level of contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLG’s allow for a margin of safety. MCL – Maximum Contaminant Level – The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCL’s are set as close to the MCLG’s as feasible using the best available treatment technology. AL – Action Level – The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment techniques (TT) or other requirements that a water system must follow.

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Misinformation Leads to Confusion, Fear & Skepticism Seacoast has received reports that firms marketing home water treatment devices have unscrupulously

misrepresented Seacoast’s water quality to our customers. If a marketing representative states or implies that there are problems with the drinking water supplied by Seacoast, ask them:

1. May I have a copy of the analysis made by a certified lab that shows

where Seacoast’s water quality fails to meet drinking water standards? Ask the vendor/caller for information about the laboratory used, Florida lab certification number, and a phone number where the lab can be reached.

2. Ask if the vendor has reported these alleged violations to Seacoast or to the Palm Beach County Health Department. If so, what are the names of the individuals to whom the vendor reported these alleged violations and what was their response?

It is suggested that you refuse to interact further with the vendor/caller until all of this

information is provided. Then if you decide you want to allow the individual into your home, we will be pleased to meet with you either in your home or at Seacoast for a more

in-depth review of the allegations.

Home water treatment devices can be very useful in “polishing” water to suit personal preferences (taste, hardness, etc.). However, the water that Seacoast delivers to your home

meets or exceeds federal, state and local drinking water standards. Reputable dealers do not need to create a false sense of panic to sell their products.

For more information please contact our customer service department at 561-627-2920.

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Open Letter to Seacoast Customers Concerning Recent Flint, Michigan Water Supply Issues Recent news out of Flint, Michigan reminds us that as critical as safe drinking water is to public health, a public water supply utility’s operational transparency and clarity are equally important. To that end, as the owner and operator of the public water supply, treatment, pumping and piping systems serving Lake Park, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, the south end of Juno Beach, and nearby unincorporated areas, Seacoast is pleased to explain why the difficulties plaguing Flint’s water supply do not exist locally. I’ll start by directing attention to the following two documents:

1. A timeline published by Treatment Plant Operator magazine relating to Flint’s water supply issues, found here: http://www.tpomag.com/online_exclusives/2016/01/the_flint_water_crisis_a_timeline, and

2. This Water Quality Report of Seacoast’s system.

Specifically addressing the Flint, Michigan issue, it is essential to note some fundamental differences between that system and Seacoast’s. Primary among these is the difference in source water. Flint’s problems, at least the most publicized ones, seem to be related to the fact that the City’s current raw water source is a river. This typically means that it contains material swept up and sometimes dissolved in runoff (drainage) which can be quite challenging to remove in the treatment plant, particularly one beset with fiscal issues. Further, river water can be aggressive, meaning that if it is not properly stabilized or buffered in the treatment plant before release to the public, it will tend to corrode metallic pipeline and plumbing. Aggressive, unstable water can cause lead and copper leaching from plumbing joints and fixtures into the water supply as well as other highly undesirable impacts. In this regard, it is important to note that as in many older water utilities, service lines connecting Flint’s water mains to customer plumbing are made of lead – a condition which does not exist within Seacoast’s service area.

Seacoast, on the other hand, draws its raw water from 38 wells averaging 150 ft. in depth plus 3 wells approximately 1,500 feet deep. Local runoff cannot find its way to well pump intakes at those depths. So while Seacoast’s source water is highly mineralized, it contains none of the offensive material that one might find in the storm water runoff to many rivers, particularly those running through densely populated industrial areas. Further, Seacoast’s local ground (well) water supply tends to be less aggressive than most surface waters, a fact confirmed by local lead and copper test results that are consistently within federal, state and local drinking water standards.

Finally, though the oldest of Seacoast’s water distribution pipelines have been in service for about 60 years, regular visual inspection performed by engineers and licensed operators reveal no signs of interior deterioration. In addition to its well-buffered ground water source, Seacoast’s newly commissioned, state of the art reverse osmosis/nanofiltration water treatment plant is operated around the clock by highly experienced and licensed water treatment plant operators whose careers depend upon providing a consistently safe, stable, non-corrosive finished water to Seacoast’s customers. Further, Seacoast’s 484 miles of water distribution piping, 3,500 fire hydrants and 7,200 valves are inspected and maintained on a regular schedule which includes line flushing, valve and hydrant maintenance and marking, and timely replacement of infrastructure that is approaching the end of its useful life.

This information, plus Seacoast’s capital budget and much, much more can be accessed at www.sua.com. In summary, Seacoast is blessed with a higher quality raw water source than Flint’s appears to be, is properly funded, professionally operated, and highly responsive to customer questions and concerns. I hope that this addresses any concerns you may have, but if more detail is required, Seacoast will be pleased to provide it.

Rim Bishop, Executive DirectorSeacoast Utility Authority