This 2010 Water Quality Report is being mailed to every resident in the Cortlandt Consolidated Water District as mandated by the New York State Department of Health.

Dear Cortlandt Resident:

The quality and protection of our water supplies are critical issues that we in our administration consider one or our major priorities. We are pleased to state that the quality of our town’s drinking water is excellent.

The monitoring of our water and meeting the federal mandate to filter the water has been a project that our Department of Environmental Services/Water Division addresses with the Northern Westchester Joint Waterworks on a daily basis.

I am pleased to inform you that the Northern Westchester Joint Waterworks (Cortlandt, Yorktown, Montrose Improvement District and Somers) have completed the upgrade to our water treatment facilities. It provides filtration of our drinking water and a dual backup water system for our residents. This regional plan is historic and pro­active in the region and will ultimately save our taxpayers money as we continue to provide water services and meet the Federal Mandates for filtering drinking water.

            Sincerely,

            Linda D. Puglisi

            Supervisor

Town Board

Members:

Richard Becker           Francis X. Farrell

Ann Lindau                   John Sloan

 

TOWN OF CORTLANDT

Contact Us

For a copy of this report, or to report unusual water characteristic please call

(914) 734-1026

Important Numbers
Town of Cortlandt Consolidated Water (914) 734-1026

To report any polluting activities occurring in the watershed, call: 1-888-H2O-SHED or

1-888-426-7433, 24-hours a day.
 

Annual Drinking Water Quality Report for 2010

Cortlandt Consolidated Water District

167 Roa Hook Road
Cortlandt Manor, NY 10567
(New York State I.D.#: 5903423)
(Westchester County I.D.#: 00017)
contacts:

Jeffrey Coleman, P.E., Director of Environmental Services

Lee Beauchamp, P.E., Deputy Director
Robert J. Foster, Distribution Superintendent

 

INTRODUCTION

To comply with State regulations, the Cortlandt Consolidated Water District, will be annually issuing a report describing the quality of our 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 sources. 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.  In 2010 the Cortlandt Consolidated Water District was reassigned to come under the leadership of the Director of Environmental Services Mr. Jeff Coleman, PE. The office for the Water Division is now located at 167 Roa Hook Road Across from Camp Smith.

If you have any questions about this report or concerning your drinking water, please contact Lee Beauchamp, PE or Robert Foster at (914) 734-1026.

WHERE DOES MY WATER COME FROM

In general, the sources of drinking water (both tap and bottled) 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 activities.  Contaminants that may be present in source water include the following: microbial contaminants, inorganic contaminants, pesticides and herbicides, organic chemical contaminants, and radioactive contaminants.  In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the State and the EPA prescribe regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The State Health Department’s and the FDA’s regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health.

Our water source is the Catskill Aqueduct in the Town of Cortlandt. Water at The Catskill Water Treatment Plant is treated with the following processes prior to distribution: pH adjustment, coagulation, filtration, chlorine disinfection and corrosion control.  A connection with the City of Peekskill water system is maintained as a supplementary supply in the event that the Catskill water is not available. Also, treated water from the Amawalk Water Treatment Plant on Route 35 in Somers, can be used as an emergency water supply via the Yorktown 24” transmission main.

The NYS DOH has evaluated the susceptibility of water supplies statewide to potential contamination under the Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP), and their findings are summarized in the paragraphs below. It is important to stress that these assessments were created using available information and only estimate the potential for source water contamination. Elevated susceptibility ratings do not mean that source water contamination has or will occur for this potable water supply (PWS).This PWS provides treatment and regular monitoring to ensure the water delivered to consumers meets all applicable standards.

This PWS obtains water from the New York City water supply system. Water either comes from the Catskill/Delaware watersheds east of the Hudson River and/or from the Croton watershed in Putnam and Westchester counties. The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) implements a series of programs to evaluate and protect source water quality within these watersheds. Their efforts focus on three important program areas: the enforcement of strengthened Watershed Rules and Regulations; the acquisition and protection of watershed lands; and implementation of partnership programs that target specific sources of pollution in the watersheds.

CONTAMINANTS THAT MAY BE PRESENT IN SOURCE WATER

 

• Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, soil, farming, domestic animals, and wildlife.
• Inorganic contaminants, such as salts, nutrients and metals, which can be naturally occurring or result from urban storm water runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, or farming.
• Pesticides and herbicides, which come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban storm water runoff, and residential uses.
• Organic contaminants, including 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, septic systems, and naturally occurring organic matter from decaying vegetation.

ARE THERE CONTAMINANTS IN OUR DRINKING WATER?

As the State regulations require, we routinely test your drinking water for numerous contaminants. These contaminants include: total coli form, turbidity, inorganic compounds, nitrate, nitrite, lead and copper, volatile organic compounds, total Trihalomethanes, and synthetic organic compounds. None of the compounds we analyzed for were detected in your drinking water.

Some people may be more vulnerable to disease causing microorganisms or pathogens in drinking water than the general population. Immunity compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with or 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 care providers about their

drinking water. EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by cryptosporidium giardia and other microbial contaminants are available from the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800) 426-4791.

It should be noted that all drinking water, including bottled drinking water, might 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 (800-426-4791) or the Westchester County Health Department at (914) 813-5000.

The table presented in the next section depicts which compounds were detected in your drinking water. The State may allow us to test for some contaminants less than once per year because the concentration of these contaminants does not change frequently. Some of our data, though representative, may be more than one year old.

1.         People on severely restricted sodium diets should not consume water containing more than 20 mg/L of sodium. Water containing more than 270 mg/L of sodium should not be used for drinking by people on moderately restricted sodium diets. 

2.         Turbidity is a good indicator of the effectiveness of our filtration system.  This value is the highest single combined filter measurement. At least 95% of the samples collected must be less than or equal to 0.30 NTU.  

1.        People on severely restricted sodium diets should not consume water containing more than 20 mg/L of sodium.  Water containing more than 270 mg/L of sodium should not be used for drinking by people on moderately restricted sodium diets. 

2.        Turbidity is a good indicator of the effectiveness of our filtration system.  This value is the highest single combined filter measurement.  At least 95% of the samples collected must be less than or equal to 0.30 NTU.

3.        This sampling is from the Amawalk Water treatment plant.  The State considers 50 pCi/L to be a level of concern for Beta particles.

1.        This concentration represents the 90th percentile of the 30 sites tested for lead in 2009.  The action level for lead of 15mg/L was not was not exceeded at the 90th percentile. The action level was not exceeded at any of the sites tested.

2.        This concentration represents the 90th percentile of the 30 sites tested for copper in 2009.  The action level for copper of 1300mg/L was not was not exceeded at the 90th percentile. The action level was not exceeded at any of the sites tested.

NON-DETECTED SUBSTANCES AND THE FREQUENCY OF TESTING FOR

TOWN OF CORTLANDT, MONTROSE, AND YORKTOWN HEIGHTS

According to State regulations, the following lists of substances (along with test frequencies) were tested for in your drinking water and not detected. Bromochloromethane, Bromoform, and dibromoacetic acid was tested quarterly from four sites. Antimony, arsenic, asbestos, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cyanide, mercury, nickel, nitrite, selenium, silver, thallium, and zinc were tested for annually.  Bromomethane, carbon tetrachloride, chloroethane, chloromethane, dibromomethane, dichlorodifluoromethane, 1,1-dichlorrethane, 1,2-dichloroetnane, 1,1-dichloroethene, cis-1, 2-dichlroethene, trans-1, 2-dichloroethene, 1,2-dichloropropane, 1,3-dichloropropane, 2,2-dichloropropane, 1,1-dichloropropene, cis-1, 3-dichloropropene, trans-1, 3-dichlroprpene, methylene chloride, 1,1,1,2-tetrachlorosthane, 1,1,2,2-tetrachlroethane, tetrachloroethene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, trichloroethene, trichlorofluoromethane, 1,2,3-trichloropropane, vinyl chloride, benzene, bromobenzene, n-butylbenzene, sec-butylbenzene, tert-butylbenzene, chlorobenzene, 2-chlorotoluene, 4-chlorotoluene, 1,2-dichlorobenzene, 1,3-dichlorobenzene, 1,4-dichlorobenzene, ethyl benzene, hexachlorobutadiene, isopropylbenzene, p­isopropyltoluene, napthalene, n-propylbenzene, styrene, toluene, 1,2,3-trichlorobenzene, 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, 1,3,5-trichloromethylbenzen, p&m-xylene, o-xylene, methyl t-butyl ether, methyl isobutyl ketone, 1,2-dibromoethane, 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane, aldrin, dieldrin, chlordane, endrin, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide, lindane, methoxychlor, toxaphene, proachlor, PCB’s, 2,4-D, 2,4,5-T, silvex, dalapon, dicamba, dinoseb, pentachlorophenol, pichloram, alachlor, atrazine, simazine, hexachlorobenzene, hexachlorocyclopentadiene, benzo(a)pyrene, di (2-ethylexyl) adipate, di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, aldicarb sulfoxide, aldicarb sulfone, oxamyl, methomyl, 3­hydroxycarbofuran, aldicarb, carbofuran, carbaryl, glyphosate, and diquat were tested at least every 18 months

Definitions    
Picocuries per liter (pCi/L): A measure of the radioactivity in water.

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water.  MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible.

Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (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.

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

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

Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU): A measure of the clarity of water.  Turbidity in excess of 5 NTU is just noticeable to the average person.

Milligrams per liter (mg/l): Corresponds to one part of liquid in one million parts of liquid (parts per million – ppm). 

Micrograms per liter (mg/l): Corresponds to one part of liquid in one billion parts of liquid (parts per billion – ppb).

Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (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 microbiological contaminants.

Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG): The level of a 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 microbiological contamination.

90^th Percentile Value: The values reported for lead and copper represent the 90^th percentile.  A percentile is a value on a scale of 100 that indicates the percent of a distribution that is equal to or below it.  The 90^th percentile is equal to or greater than 90% of the lead and copper values detected at your water system

COMMITMENT OF CONTINUING SERVICE

Again we are pleased to present our annual water quality report. This report covers the results of completed testing done on our water system from January 2010 to December 2010. Your Water District is committed to delivering the best quality drinking water to its residence. We remain committed to meet the challenges of education and of water conservation and of serving the needs of all of our water consumers. For additional information on this report or any questions feel free to contact the Water Division Office at 914-734-1026.

INFORMATION AVAILABLE FROM:

Cortlandt Consolidated Water District     914-734-1026

Westchester County Health Department 914-813-5000

FACTS AND FIGURES

Our water system serves approx. 33,700 people through 9,100 services connections. The total water distributed in 2010 was 998 million gallons. The daily average of treated water pumped into the distribution system is 1.95 million gallons per day. For the year of 2010 we had an unaccounted for water total of 28.7% this water was used to flush mains, fight fires, and lost in water main leakages, etc. Water customers in 2010 were charged $6.38 per 1,000 gallons of water.

If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women, infants, and young children.  Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. 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. Cortlandt Consolidated Water District is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of plumbing components used in your home. 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 http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

INFORMATION ON FLUORIDE ADDITON

Our system is one of the many drinking water systems in New York State that provides water with a controlled, low level of fluoride for consumer dental health protection. According to the United States Centers for Disease control, fluoride is very effective in preventing cavities when present in drinking water at an optional range of 0.9-1.2 mg/l(parts per million). To ensure that the fluoride supplement in your water provides optimal dental protection, the State Department of Health requires that we monitor fluoride levels on a daily basis. During 2010 monitoring showed fluoride levels in your water varied from 0.51-1.40 mg/l  and was within the optimal range 75% of the time. None of the monitoring results showed fluoride at levels that approach the 2.2 mg/l MCL for fluoride.

FLUORIDE IS ONLY ADDED TO THE WATER SUPPLIED BY THE AMAWALK TREATMENT PLANT WHICH SUPPLIES WATER TO THE NORTHERN SECTION OF CORTLANDT, YOU MAY CALL THE DIVISON OFFICE TO FIND OUT IF YOUR SECTION OF TOWN HAS FLUORIDE ADDED TO THE WATER.

INFORMATION ON GIARDIA

In 2010 our untreated water was tested monthly for both Cryptosporidium and for Giardia. No Cryptosporidium were found in any of the samples. One Giardia organism was found in an 11.23-liter sample of untreated water in one month. Current test methods do not allow us to determine if the organisms are dead or if they are capable of causing disease. No Giardia was found in the eleven other untreated water samples collected in 2010. Therefore, our monitoring indicates the presence of Giardia in our source water and we are required to provide the following information:

Giardia is a microbial pathogen present in varying concentrations in many surfaces water and groundwater under the influence of surface water. Giardia is removed/inactivated through a combination of filtration and disinfection or by disinfection. Ingestion of Giardia may cause giardiasis, an intestinal illness. People exposed to Giardia may experience mild or severe diarrhea, or in some instances no systems at all. Fever is rarely present. Occasionally, some individuals will have chronic diarrhea several.

WHAT DOES THIS INFORMATION MEAN?

As you can see by the tables in the previous section, our system had two violations. The section below describes the violations and what they mean to you the customer. We have learned though 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?

Our water system exceeded several drinking water standards over the past year. Even though these were not emergencies, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened and what we did to correct these situations. We are required to monitor your drinking water for specific

contaminants on a regular basis. Results of regular monitoring are an indicator of whether or not our drinking water meets health standards. Below is a description of the excesses in 2010:

            During 2010, out of 360 Bacteria samples, two samples in November tested positive for total coliform bacteria. The two positive samples could have been as a result of contaminated sampling bottles or improper sampling methods. The Town of Cortlandt Consolidated Water District sent notices to all residents in the District as mandated by Westchester County.  During January and February

of 2010, the Water District filed to take five (5) distribution turbidity samples per week for two (2) weeks in January and three (3) weeks in February.  During February 2010, the Water District failed to take six (6) of the required thirty (30) monthly microbiological samples. 

What should I do?

There is nothing you need to do at this time.

The table below lists the contaminants we did not properly test for during the last year, how often we are supposed to sample for microbiological contamination and turbidity and how many samples we are supposed to take, how many samples we took, when samples should have been taken, and the date on which follow-up samples were taken.

Immediately following the positive samples, corrective measures were taken to prevent further positive samples and public notifications where distributed to all water district customers. Both the positive bacteria samples and the missed turbidity samples reported to the public and County Health Department as required by the State of New York.

WATER CONSERVATION

Did you know that the average single-family household within the Cortlandt Consolidated Water District uses approximately 100,000 gallons of water each year, at a cost of $6.38 per 1,000 gallons, or about $638.00 per year? Although we are fortunate enough to have a plentiful supply of reasonable priced water, everyone should do his or her part to conserve this precious resource.

Here are some ways that you can help save water and money:

• Repair all leaks promptly. Leaks waste water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Check all faucets and toilets for leaks.
• Install aerators on all sinks and use a high-pressure, low-flow showerhead. Replacing old fixtures with water conserving models can produce substantial savings without reducing effectiveness and comfort.
• Water your gardens and lawns in the early morning or evening instead of the heat of the day to reduce evaporation.
• Do not over-water! Measure the rainfall. Your lawn only needs one inch of water per week. Your gardens may need more, you can usually tell by the droop of the leaves. Using too much water is not only expensive but can cause damage. If you do water, water deeply, not in short busts.
• Raise the blade on your mower and keep the grass longer, then leave the clippings on the lawn as compost. This will lead to a healthier lawn.

COMPLETED PROJECTS FOR 2010

The Cortlandt Consolidated Water District has completed the installation of new radio read meters at 99% of the locations throughout the Town.  This project was done to expedite the meter reading in Town, and to allow us to be ahead of the unaccounted water in the Town.  This program also freed up three- water maintenance men to be put into the work force to continue our preventative maintenance program town wide.  If you have any questions or think you have not had a new meter installed please call the office at 734-1026.

The Town of Cortlandt continued with its fire hydrant flushing program which serves two functions: the first is clearing the water mains of sediment and debris, the second is it gives us the opportunity to work each hydrant and find the ones that are in need of repair and service.

We are continuing to update our GPS system, which is used to locate hydrants, water mains, and curb box.  The system is also used to create work orders used for the daily cooperation of the system.

WATER MAIN CLEANING AND LINING: Work is currently underway to clean and line the existing 8” cast iron water mains on Adams Rush Road, Cortlandt Street, Durrin Avenue, and Locust Avenue from Enrico Drive to Route 6.  This project is scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2011.

TROLLEY ROAD WATER MAIN REPLACEMENT: Work has been completed on the Trolley Road to install a new 8” ductile iron water main. This replacement project should reduce the amount of water main breaks and improve the water quality for the area.

ADAIR ROAD WATER MAIN REPLACEMENT: Work has been completed on the Adair Road to install a new 8” ductile iron water main. This replacement project should reduce the amount of water main breaks and improve the water quality for the area.

FIRE HYDRANT REPLACEMENT: The Consolidated Water District will continue with its ongoing fire hydrant replacement and upgrade program town wide.

PROPOSED PROJECTS FOR 2011

FIRE HYDRANT REPLACEMENT: The Consolidated Water District will continue with its ongoing fire hydrant replacement and upgrade program town wide.

SUMMARY

Thank you for allowing us to continue to provide you and your family with quality drinking water this year. We ask that all our customers help us protect all of our water sources, which are the heart of our community. Please call our office if you have questions.

TOWN OF CORTLANDT

2010 DRINKING WATER SUPPLY & QUALITY STATEMENT

Cortlandt Consolidated Water

167 Roa Hook Road

Cortlandt Manor, NY 10567