IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER

2/5/10

City of Palatka WTP Has Levels of Disinfection Byproducts Above Drinking Water Standards

The City of Palatka water system recently exceeded a drinking water standard related to Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs). Although this is not an emergency, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened, what you should do, and what we are doing to correct this situation.

What happened? What does this mean?

We routinely monitor for the presence of drinking water contaminants. Results for testing done in December 2009 show that two of the four testing locations in our system exceeded the Locational Running Annual Average (LRAA) Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs).  The standard for TTHMs is 80 micrograms per liter (μg/L). The Locational Running Annual Average (LRAA) level of TTHMs at the four testing sites in the first quarter of 2009 was as follows: 1) Wells Street & Kennedy Street – 54.5 µg/L; 2) Oleander Drive & Holly Lane – 89.4 µg/L; 3) Napoleon Street & 19^th Street – 65.0 µg/L; 4) Madison Street & 1^st Street – 107.3 µg/L. Although the LRAA for Oleander Drive & Holly Lane and Madison & 1^st Street exceeded the MCL, the test results for the quarter were well below the MCL. The overall RAA for the fourth quarter was 79.0 µg/L.

This is not an immediate risk. If it had been, you would have been notified immediately.

Where disinfection is used in the treatment of drinking water, disinfectants combine with organic and inorganic matter present in water to form chemicals called disinfection byproducts (DBPs). EPA sets standards for controlling the levels of disinfectants and DBPs in drinking water, including trihalomethanes (THMs).

MCLs are set at very stringent levels. Although the possibility of becoming ill by drinking from this water source is very small, it is true that some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous system, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer. To better help you understand the possible health effect risk; a person would have to drink 2 liters of water every day at the MCL level for a lifetime to have a one-in-a-million chance of having the described health effect.

What is being done? What should I do?

The City of Palatka has implemented a treatment technology that has reduced the level of Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) in its drinking water. A new treatment facility has been constructed and is in operation. The new treatment process has significantly lowered the level of TTHM’s in the drinking water and no action by you, the consumer, is necessary.

For more information, please contact Melvin Register at (386) 329-0144, by e-mail: palatkawaterplant@att.net , the Palatka Water Treatment Plant at 320 North Moody Road Palatka, FL 32177 or contact the Department of Environmental Protection, Potable Water Section, at (904) 807-3300.

Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

This notice is being sent to you by the City of Palatka and the Palatka Water Treatment System.

State Public Water System ID#: 2544260.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER

2/5/10

City of Palatka WTP Has Levels of Disinfection Byproducts Above Drinking Water Standards

The City of Palatka water system recently exceeded a drinking water standard related to Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs). Although this is not an emergency, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened, what you should do, and what we are doing to correct this situation.

What happened? What does this mean?

We routinely monitor for the presence of drinking water contaminants. Results for testing done in December 2009 show that two of the four testing locations in our system exceeded the Locational Running Annual Average (LRAA) Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs).  The standard for TTHMs is 80 micrograms per liter (μg/L). The Locational Running Annual Average (LRAA) level of TTHMs at the four testing sites in the first quarter of 2009 was as follows: 1) Wells Street & Kennedy Street – 54.5 µg/L; 2) Oleander Drive & Holly Lane – 89.4 µg/L; 3) Napoleon Street & 19^th Street – 65.0 µg/L; 4) Madison Street & 1^st Street – 107.3 µg/L. Although the LRAA for Oleander Drive & Holly Lane and Madison & 1^st Street exceeded the MCL, the test results for the quarter were well below the MCL. The overall RAA for the fourth quarter was 79.0 µg/L.

This is not an immediate risk. If it had been, you would have been notified immediately.

Where disinfection is used in the treatment of drinking water, disinfectants combine with organic and inorganic matter present in water to form chemicals called disinfection byproducts (DBPs). EPA sets standards for controlling the levels of disinfectants and DBPs in drinking water, including trihalomethanes (THMs).

MCLs are set at very stringent levels. Although the possibility of becoming ill by drinking from this water source is very small, it is true that some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous system, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer. To better help you understand the possible health effect risk; a person would have to drink 2 liters of water every day at the MCL level for a lifetime to have a one-in-a-million chance of having the described health effect.

What is being done? What should I do?

The City of Palatka has implemented a treatment technology that has reduced the level of Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) in its drinking water. A new treatment facility has been constructed and is in operation. The new treatment process has significantly lowered the level of TTHM’s in the drinking water and no action by you, the consumer, is necessary.

For more information, please contact Melvin Register at (386) 329-0144, by e-mail: palatkawaterplant@att.net , the Palatka Water Treatment Plant at 320 North Moody Road Palatka, FL 32177 or contact the Department of Environmental Protection, Potable Water Section, at (904) 807-3300.

Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

This notice is being sent to you by the City of Palatka and the Palatka Water Treatment System.

State Public Water System ID#: 2544260.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER

2/5/10

City of Palatka WTP Has Levels of Disinfection Byproducts Above Drinking Water Standards

The City of Palatka water system recently exceeded a drinking water standard related to Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs). Although this is not an emergency, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened, what you should do, and what we are doing to correct this situation.

What happened? What does this mean?

We routinely monitor for the presence of drinking water contaminants. Results for testing done in December 2009 show that two of the four testing locations in our system exceeded the Locational Running Annual Average (LRAA) Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs).  The standard for TTHMs is 80 micrograms per liter (μg/L). The Locational Running Annual Average (LRAA) level of TTHMs at the four testing sites in the first quarter of 2009 was as follows: 1) Wells Street & Kennedy Street – 54.5 µg/L; 2) Oleander Drive & Holly Lane – 89.4 µg/L; 3) Napoleon Street & 19^th Street – 65.0 µg/L; 4) Madison Street & 1^st Street – 107.3 µg/L. Although the LRAA for Oleander Drive & Holly Lane and Madison & 1^st Street exceeded the MCL, the test results for the quarter were well below the MCL. The overall RAA for the fourth quarter was 79.0 µg/L.

This is not an immediate risk. If it had been, you would have been notified immediately.

Where disinfection is used in the treatment of drinking water, disinfectants combine with organic and inorganic matter present in water to form chemicals called disinfection byproducts (DBPs). EPA sets standards for controlling the levels of disinfectants and DBPs in drinking water, including trihalomethanes (THMs).

MCLs are set at very stringent levels. Although the possibility of becoming ill by drinking from this water source is very small, it is true that some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous system, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer. To better help you understand the possible health effect risk; a person would have to drink 2 liters of water every day at the MCL level for a lifetime to have a one-in-a-million chance of having the described health effect.

What is being done? What should I do?

The City of Palatka has implemented a treatment technology that has reduced the level of Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) in its drinking water. A new treatment facility has been constructed and is in operation. The new treatment process has significantly lowered the level of TTHM’s in the drinking water and no action by you, the consumer, is necessary.

For more information, please contact Melvin Register at (386) 329-0144, by e-mail: palatkawaterplant@att.net , the Palatka Water Treatment Plant at 320 North Moody Road Palatka, FL 32177 or contact the Department of Environmental Protection, Potable Water Section, at (904) 807-3300.

Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

This notice is being sent to you by the City of Palatka and the Palatka Water Treatment System.

State Public Water System ID#: 2544260.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER

2/5/10

City of Palatka WTP Has Levels of Disinfection Byproducts Above Drinking Water Standards

The City of Palatka water system recently exceeded a drinking water standard related to Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs). Although this is not an emergency, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened, what you should do, and what we are doing to correct this situation.

What happened? What does this mean?

We routinely monitor for the presence of drinking water contaminants. Results for testing done in December 2009 show that two of the four testing locations in our system exceeded the Locational Running Annual Average (LRAA) Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs).  The standard for TTHMs is 80 micrograms per liter (μg/L). The Locational Running Annual Average (LRAA) level of TTHMs at the four testing sites in the first quarter of 2009 was as follows: 1) Wells Street & Kennedy Street – 54.5 µg/L; 2) Oleander Drive & Holly Lane – 89.4 µg/L; 3) Napoleon Street & 19^th Street – 65.0 µg/L; 4) Madison Street & 1^st Street – 107.3 µg/L. Although the LRAA for Oleander Drive & Holly Lane and Madison & 1^st Street exceeded the MCL, the test results for the quarter were well below the MCL. The overall RAA for the fourth quarter was 79.0 µg/L.

This is not an immediate risk. If it had been, you would have been notified immediately.

Where disinfection is used in the treatment of drinking water, disinfectants combine with organic and inorganic matter present in water to form chemicals called disinfection byproducts (DBPs). EPA sets standards for controlling the levels of disinfectants and DBPs in drinking water, including trihalomethanes (THMs).

MCLs are set at very stringent levels. Although the possibility of becoming ill by drinking from this water source is very small, it is true that some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous system, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer. To better help you understand the possible health effect risk; a person would have to drink 2 liters of water every day at the MCL level for a lifetime to have a one-in-a-million chance of having the described health effect.

What is being done? What should I do?

The City of Palatka has implemented a treatment technology that has reduced the level of Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) in its drinking water. A new treatment facility has been constructed and is in operation. The new treatment process has significantly lowered the level of TTHM’s in the drinking water and no action by you, the consumer, is necessary.

For more information, please contact Melvin Register at (386) 329-0144, by e-mail: palatkawaterplant@att.net , the Palatka Water Treatment Plant at 320 North Moody Road Palatka, FL 32177 or contact the Department of Environmental Protection, Potable Water Section, at (904) 807-3300.

Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

This notice is being sent to you by the City of Palatka and the Palatka Water Treatment System.

State Public Water System ID#: 2544260.