Public Water Supply ID#5404421
Introduction:
To comply with State and Federal Regulations the Town of Newfield will be annually issuing a report describing the quality of your drinking water. The purpose of this report is to raise your understanding of drinking water and awareness of the need to protect our drinking water source. Last year, your tap water met all State Drinking Water Health Standards. We are proud to report our system has never violated a maximum contaminant level or any other water quality statement. This report provides an overview of last year’s water quality. Included are details about where your water comes from, what it contains and how it compares to State Standards.
If you have any questions about this report concerning your drinking water, please contact Sean Redman at 564-3616. We want you to be informed about your drinking water. If you want to learn more, please attend any of our regularly scheduled Town Board Meetings. The meetings are held the second Thursday of each month, 7:00 pm at the Town Hall, 166 Main St.
Where Does Our Water Come From?
In general, 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 can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activities. Contaminants that may be present in source water include: microbial contaminants, inorganic contaminants, pesticides and herbicides, organic chemical contaminants, and radio-active contaminants. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the State and the EPA prescribe regulations which limits the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The State Department of Health and the FDA regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.
Our water source is four drilled groundwater wells 145 feet deep located in a pump house at Pine Circle and the Armstrong well site. The water is disinfected with Sodium Hypochlorite (chlorine). Aqua-pure a corrosion inhibitor is added which effectively sequesters, calcium, iron and manganese to prevent scale deposits and control corrosion in the distribution system. Our water system serves approximately 2300 people through 420 service connections, this includes Newfield Central Schools, Valley Manor, Shelter Valley Mobile Home Parks and MHP.
Are there any contaminants in our drinking water?
As State Regulations require, we routinely test your drinking water for numerous contaminants. These contaminants include: total coliform, Inorganic compounds, nitrate, lead & copper, volatile organic compounds, synthetic and organic compounds.
The table of detected contaminants (see insert) depicts which compounds were detected in your drinking water. The State allows us to test for some contaminants less than once a year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently. Some of our data, though representative, are more than one year old. It should be noted that all drinking water, including bottled water, may be reasonably 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 or the Tompkins County Department of health at 274-6688.
What does this information mean?
(see the Table of Detected Contaminants below)
Our system had no violations. We have learned through our testing that some contaminants have been detected, however, these contaminants were detected below the level allowed by the State.
Is our water system meeting other rules that govern operations?
During 2023 our system was in compliance with all State Drinking Water Standards.
Do I need to take special precautions?
Although our drinking water met or exceeded State and Federal Regulations, some people may be more vulnerable to disease causing microorganism or pathogens in drinking water than the general population. Immunocompromised 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 from their health provider about their drinking water. EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Crytosporidium, Giardia and other microbial pathogens are available from Safe Drinking Water Hotline 1-800-426-4791
Why save water and how to avoid wasting it?
Although our system has an adequate amount of water to meet present and future demands, there are a number of reasons why it is important to conserve water: Saving water saves energy and some of the cost associated with both of these necessities of life. Saving water reduces the cost of energy required to pump water and the need to construct costly new wells, pumping systems and water tanks. Saving water lessens the strain on the water system during a dry spell or drought, helping to avoid severe water use restrictions so that essential firefighting needs are met. You can plan a role in conserving water by becoming conscious of the amount of water your household is using, and by looking for ways to use less whenever you can. It is not hard to conserve water. Conservation tips include: automatic dishwashers use 15 gallons for every cycle, regardless of how many dishes are loaded. So get a run for your money and load it to capacity. Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth. Check every faucet in your home for leaks. Just a slow drip can waste 15 to 20 gallons a year. Check your toilets for leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank, watch for a few minutes to see if the color shows up in the bowl. It is not uncommon to lose up to 100 gallons a day from one of those otherwise invisible toilet leaks. Fix it and you save more than 30,000 gallons a year. Use your meter to detect hidden leaks. Simply turn off the taps and water using appliances, then check the meter after 15 minutes, if it moved, you have a leak.
Source Water Protection
The NYSDOH has completed a source water assessment for this system, based on available information. Possible and actual sources of contamination to this drinking water source were evaluated. The State source water assessment includes a susceptibility rating based on the risk posed by each potential source of contamination and how easily contaminants can move through the subsurface to the wells. The susceptibility rating is an estimate of the potential for contamination of the source water-It does not mean that the water delivered to the consumer is, or will become contaminated. See section “Are there any contaminates in our drinking water?” for a list of the contaminants that have been detected. No contaminants have been detected at levels that impact health. The source water assessments provide the Water System Operators with additional information for protecting source waters into the future. As noted elsewhere in this report, our water is derived from four drilled wells. The Source Water Assessment has rated these wells as having a medium susceptibility to any contamination. It should be noted that all drinking water, including bottled drinking water, may be reasonably expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants from natural sources. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk.
Consumer Tips
Appearance:
If your cold water appears brown or red it is probably dislodged mineral deposits caused by:
- Above normal usage
- Water main break
- Vibration caused by heavy traffic
- Water department flushing hydrants
To report these problems, call the Water Department at 564-3616 or 327-1751 or 564-9981. Once the reason has been identified and the disruption of the water main has ceased, run your cold water tap until it clears.
Taste & Odor:
After chlorinating there remains minute amounts of chlorine, required by State and Federal regulatory agencies to protect public health. The following are some ways to eliminate or improve this taste. *Place water in the refrigerator, in an uncapped bottle. Cool water to less than 60 degrees in the summer, cool water definitely tastes better.
Information on Radon:
Radon is a naturally-occurring radioactive gas found in soil and outdoor air that may also be found in drinking water and indoor air. Some people exposed to elevated radon levels over many years in drinking water may have an increased risk of getting cancer. The main risk is lung cancer from radon entering indoor air from soil under homes.
In 2008 we collected samples that were analyzed for radon. The results are listed in the Table of Detected Contaminants. For additional information call your state radon program (1-800-458-1158) or call EPA’s Radon Hotline (1-800-SOS-Radon).
Definitions:
- Maximum Contaminant level (MCL): The highest level of contaminant that is allowed in drinking water.
- Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLG’s allow for a margin of safety.
- Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU):
- Milligrams per liter (mg/l): Corresponds to one part of liquid in one million parts of liquid. Same as parts per million (ppm).
- Micrograms per liter (ug/I) (same as mg/l)
- Picocuries (pCi/L): Radiological Measurement
Information on Lead:
If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women, infants, and young children. 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 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 (1-800-426-4791) or at www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
Water District #2 Information
In November 2006, the Town of Newfield completed construction on Water District #2. District 2 encompasses the Shelter Valley, Meadowbrook and Valley Manor areas. For more information you can attend the Town Board Meetings the second Thursday of the Month.
Closing:
Thank you for allowing us to continue to provide your family with quality drinking water this year. In order to maintain a safe and dependable water supply we sometimes need to make improvements that will benefit all of our customers. The cost of these improvements may be reflected in the rate structure. Rate adjustments may be necessary in order to address these improvements. We ask that all our customers help us protect our water sources, which are the heart of our community, our way of life and our children’s future. Please call our office if you have any questions. Newfield Town Hall 564-9981.
Table of Detected Contaminants 2023 (PDF)
*1- The level presented represents the 90th percentile of the sites tested. A percentile is the value on a scale of 100 that indicates the percent of the distribution that is equal to or below it. The 90th percentile is equal to or greater than 90%.
*2- Water containing more than 20mg/l of Sodium should not be used for drinking by people on a severally restricted sodium diet. Water containing more than 270 mg/l of Sodium should not be used for drinking by people on a moderately restricted diet.
*3- This level represents the total levels of the following contaminants: Monochloroacetic Acid, Monobromoacetic Acid, Dibromoacetic Acid, Tri chloroaceyic Acid, Dichloroacetic Acid.
*4 This Level was tested 2 times through the year and only had high amounts the first time it was tested.
Table of Detected Contaminants 2022 (PDF)
*1 The level presented represents the 90th percentile of the sites tested. A percentile is the value on a scale of 100 that indicates the percent of the distribution that is equal to or below it. The 90th percentile is equal to or greater than 90%.
*2 Water containing more than 20mg/l of Sodium should not be used for drinking by people on a severally restricted sodium diet. Water containing more than 270 mg/l of Sodium should not be used for drinking by people on a moderately restricted diet.
*3 This level represents the total levels of the following contaminants: Monochloroacetic Acid, Monobromoacetic Acid, Dibromoacetic Acid, Tri chloroaceyic Acid, Dichloroacetic Acid.
*4 This Level was tested 4 times through the year and only had high amounts the first time it was tested.
Table of Detected Contaminants 2021 (PDF)
*2 The level presented represents the 90th percentile of the sites tested. A percentile is the value on a scale of 100 that indicates the percent of the distribution that is equal to or below it. The 90th percentile is equal to or greater than 90%.
*3 Water containing more than 20mg/l of Sodium should not be used for drinking by people on a severally restricted sodium diet. Water containing more than 270 mg/l of Sodium should not be used for drinking by people on a moderately restricted diet.
*4 This level represents the total levels of the following contaminants: Monochloroacetic Acid, Monobromoacetic Acid, Dibromoacetic Acid, Tri chloroaceyic Acid, Dichloroacetic Acid.
*5 This Level was tested 4 times through the year and only had high amounts the first time it was tested.