Last year, as in years past, your tap water met all U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state drinking water health standards. Local Water vigilantly safeguards its water supplies and once again we are proud to report that our system has not violated a maximum contaminant level or any other water quality standard.

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-compromised 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 Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Water Drinking Hotline (800-426-4791).

The source of Hopewell Water Company's water historically has been two springs:  the Zimmerman Spring and the Nelson (Palmer Creek) Spring.  Last year during our water crisis a well was drilled next to the Zimmerman Spring on the Aldrich property.  This well is used to supplement during times of the year when the springs are not producing enough water to meet the needs of the members.  They are all located in the Eola Hills.

The water tests are done by The Waterlab Corporation, of Salem, Oregon.  The reports are available online at the Oregon Department of Human Services, Drinking Water Program web site:  http://170.104.158.45/inventory.php3  and type 00251 in the box for the Hopewell Water Company information.  If you want general information about Oregon's Drinking Water program the address is:  http://oregon.gov/DHS/ph/dwp/ccr.shtml  A copy of this report is also accessible from the preceding link.

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 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). 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:

microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, that may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife; inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally occurring or result from urban stormwater runoff, industrial, or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming; pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential uses; organic Chemical 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 stormwater runoff, and septic systems; and radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.  In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems.  Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.

Contact Steve Aldrich 503-868-7092 - we can always use members willing to be involved!

Did you know that the average U.S. household uses approximately 350 gallons of water per day? Luckily, there are many low-cost or no-cost ways to conserve water. Fix toilet and faucet leaks. Take short showers - a 5 minute shower uses 4 to 5 gallons of water compared to up to 50 gallons for a bath. Turn the faucet off while brushing your teeth and shaving; 3-5 gallons go down the drain per minute. Teach your kids about water conservation to ensure a future generation that uses water wisely.

Remember this water system is for domestic use only.  Please refrain from watering your lawn or filling swimming pools.  The system is very strained during the summer months and conserving water helps everyone on the system to have enough for basic needs.

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

The table below lists all of the drinking water contaminants that we detected during the calendar year of this report. The presence of contaminants in the water does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk.  Unless otherwise noted, the data presented in this table is from testing done in the calendar year of the report.  The EPA or the State requires us to monitor for certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently.

Nitrate [measured as Nitrogen] (ppm)

10

10

2

NA

2007

No

Runoff from fertilizer use; Leaching from septic tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits

Uranium (ug/L)

0

30

0.0015

NA

2003

No

Erosion of natural deposits

ug/L

ug/L : Number of micrograms of substance in one liter of water

ppm

ppm: parts per million, or milligrams per liter (mg/L)

NA

NA: not applicable

ND

ND: Not detected

NR

NR: Monitoring not required, but recommended.

MCLG

MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level Goal: 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.

MCL

MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level: The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology.

TT

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

AL

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

Variances and Exemptions

Variances and Exemptions: State or EPA permission not to meet an MCL or a treatment technique under certain conditions.

MRDLG

MRDLG: Maximum residual disinfection level goal. 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.

MRDL

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.

MNR

MNR: Monitored Not Regulated

MPL

MPL: State Assigned Maximum Permissible Level

Steve Aldrich

Address:

10700 Jerusalem Hill Rd. NW

Salem, OR 97304

503-868-7092

paradiseacres@gotsky.com

http://www.riverbenddentalclinic.com/CCR2008.htm