City of Kalispell Public Works City Water Information ~ Consumer Confidence Report 2003

Kalispell Resident:This annual report for calendar year 2003 is your opportunity to see how Kalispell’s drinking water compares to standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It fulfills a requirement that the City has to provide accurate and timely information about your drinking water and the regulations that govern its safety.

Where We Get Our Water
The source of the water supply for the City of Kalispell is groundwater wells and one spring. The Public Works Department manages ground water wells that draw from a deep artesian aquifer that lies under the entire Flathead valley. The spring is ground water under the influence of surface water and draws from this deep artesian aquifer and a shallow unconfined alluvial aquifer as well. The City’s water is considered moderately hard and is expressed in two ways, as 205 milligrams per liter (mg/l) or 12 grains per gallon (gpg) hardness.

Contaminant Information from EPA
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immunocompromised 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/Centers for Disease control (CDC) guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Crytosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800/426-4791).
In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations established limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health. Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonable 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 Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800/426-4791).

Drinking Water Sources
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. Substances that may be present in source water include microorganisms, inorganic and organic chemicals, pesticides and herbicides, or radioactive materials.

For more information
If you have questions about your tap water quality or would like information on opportunities for public participation in decisions that affect your water quality, please call Joni Emrick at 758-7817; Write or visit the Department of Public Works, City Hall, P.O. Box 1997, 312 First Avenue East, Kalispell, MT. 59903; Attend a regular City Council meeting on the first and third Monday of each month at 7:00 P.M. in the City Hall.

Test Results for Kalispell’s Water – Calendar 2003
Before the City of Kalispell can deliver water to your home, it must first be thoroughly tested in certified laboratories that can detect trace amounts of contaminants. The City of Kalispell test results for last year are shown in the table on the next page.
The EPA regulates substances that are potentially harmful to human health and have at least a reasonable possibility of being found in either water sources or finished drinking water. Our water is monitored for these regulated contaminants at one time or another. Some substances are tested frequently: weekly, quarterly, or annually. The level of some substances, however, changes little over time, or the chances of detecting them is expected to be low. These contaminants are monitored less than annually. Substances that have been found in previous years’ testing are listed in the table along with the year they were found.

Kalispell's water is tested for nearly 100 different contaminants; only those detected are listed in the table below. Test results again show Kalispell’s water safe to drink.

Contaminant	Level Found	Range Low	Range High	MCL	MCLG	Sample Date	Violation
Alpha emitters (pCi/L)	2.6	ND	2.6	15	0	2002	No
Chlorine (as Cl2) (ppm)	0.29²⁾	NA	NA	4	4	2003	No
Copper (ppm)	0.09¹⁾	0.02	0.11	AL=1.3	1.3	2001	No
Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate (ppb)	8.7	ND	8.7	6	0	2003	No
Flouride (ppm)	0.16	0.07	0.16	4	4	2003	No
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) (ppb)	0.1625²⁾	NA	NA	60	NA	2003	No
Lead (ppb)	7¹⁾	5	11	AL=15	0	2001	No
Nitrate (measured as nitrogen) (ppm)	0.68	0.20	.68	10	10	2003	No
TTHMS (Total Trihalomethanes) (ppb)	0.275²⁾	NA	NA	80	NA	2003	No
Total Organic Carbon (ppm)	0.4167²⁾	NA	NA	TT	NA	2003	No

Understanding the Testing Data: Level found can be the highest amount found in the water or the average of all samples analyzed, depending on the regulation. If multiple samples were tested, the lowest and highest detected values are listed under Range.

MCL (Maximum Contaminant Levels). This is the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. Some contaminants also have MCL goals (MCL Goals): The level of a substance where there is no known or expected health risk. MCLG’s allow for a margin of safety. MCLs are set as close to MCLGs as feasible using the best available water treatment processes.

The MCL for Chlorine is known as the MRDL (Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level). This is the highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that the addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants. The MCLG for chlorine is known as the MRDLG (Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal). This is 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 microbial contaminants.

Other Definitions: pci/L (picocuries per liter): a measure of radioactivity ND: Not detected at testing limit ppm: Parts per million or milligrams per liter ppb: Parts per billion or micrograms per liter NA: Not applicable AL (Action Level): The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements a water system must follow. TT (Treatment Technique): A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.