2023 Water Quality Report
This is Your 2023 Annual Water Quality Report (test results from 2023)
This report is designed to inform you about the drinking water and services we deliver everyday. Our constant goal is to provide you with a safe dependable supply of drinking water and we would like for you to understand the efforts we make continually to improve the water treatment process and protect our water resources. We are committed to ensuring the quality of your water.
Hecla Water has a current, unconditioned license to operate this water system.
To view and/or download the full 2023 Annual Water Quality Report as a PDF, click here.
Drinking Water Source
Hecla Water’s primary water source is groundwater from the Ohio River Valley Aquifer System located along side State Route 7, just south east of Athalia, Ohio. The well field contains eight wells which pump over two million gallons of water each day. The treatment process includes sand filtering, fluoridation and chlorination. The softening process was eliminated due to the increase in demand. Hecla Water has a source protection plan which is being updated to include added security measures. The Homeland Security Act protects the details of the protection plan and additional security. If you have any questions about this report or concerning your water company, contact Tim Dalton at 533-0526. If you want to learn more about your water system, attend the regularly scheduled meetings, held each month on the fourth Thursday at 11:30 AM at the office on State Route 141.
Hecla Water also uses the City of Ironton as a secondary source of water. The city treats surface water from the Ohio River through pre-sedimentation, upflow clarification, filtration, and chlorination. The Ironton Water Treatment plant was constructed in 1993 and provides approximately 1.74 million gallons of drinking water a day. Customers in the Coryville and Porter Gap areas are fed from the Ironton interconnection. Although less than 1% of the daily supply, Ironton serves as a supplementary and emergency connection for Hecla Water.
Sources of Contamination
What are sources of contamination to drinking water? The sources of drinking water (both tap water 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 radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity.
Contaminants that may be present in source water include: (A) Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations and wildlife; (B) Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally-occurring or result from urban storm water runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming; (C) Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban storm water runoff, and residential uses; (D) 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 storm water runoff, and septic systems; (E) 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, USEPA prescribes regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. FDA regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.
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 Federal Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791).
Hecla Water Treatment Plant Results Table #1 PWS—OH4401612
Source—Groundwater well field on SR 7 near Athalia. The Hecla Water Association routinely monitors for contaminants in your drinking water according to Federal and State laws. These tables show the most recent testing done in accordance with the regulations.
Water Contaminants
| Contaminate | MCLG | MCL | Level Found | Range | Any Violation | Year | Typical Source of Contamination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asbestos | 7 MFL | 7 MFL | <0.18 | N/A | NO | 2021 | Decay of asbestos cement in water mains; erosion of natural deposits |
| Chlorine (ppm) | MRDLG = 4 | MRDL = 4 | 0.9508 | 0.89 –0.98 | NO | 2022 | Water additive used to control microbes |
| Nitrate (ppm) | 10 | 10 | 0.598 mg/L | N/A | NO | 2022 | Runoff from fertilizer use; leaking from septic tanks, sewage; erosion of natural deposits |
| Fluoride (ppm) | 4.0 | 4.0 | 0.8845 mg/L | 0.0-1.53 | NO | 2022 | Water additive which promotes strong teeth; erosion of natural deposits; discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories |
| Total Trihalomethanes (ppb) | N/A | 80 | 51.9 | 15.3-63.1 | NO | 2022 | Byproduct of drinking water disinfection |
| Alpha emitter | 0 | 15 pCi/L | 1.0 ± 1.3 | N/A | NO | 2021 | Erosion of natural deposits of certain minerals that are radioactive and may emit a form of radiation known as alpha radiation |
| Radium 228 | 0 | 5 pCi/L | 0.84 ± 0.64 | N/A | NO | 2021 | Erosion of natural deposits |
| Lead** (ppb) | 0 | Action limit=15 | 4.4400 | N/A | NO | 2022 | Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits |
| Copper (ppm) | 1.3 | Action limit=1.300 | .185 | N/A | NO | 2022 | Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits |
Table 1 Additions:
1 of 35 lead samples exceeded the acƟon level in June-September 2021 testing cycle. The 1 sample that exceeded the acƟon level tested 29.5µg/l.
0 of 35 copper samples extended the acƟon level in June-September 2021 testing cycle.
Variances & ExempƟons (V & E) - State of EPA permission not to meet an MCL or a treatment technique under certain conditions. NOT GIVEN IN OHIO
Parts per million (ppm) or Milligrams per liter –one part per million corresponds to a single penny in $10,000.
Parts per billion (ppb) or Micrograms per liter - one part per billion corresponds to a single penny in $10,000,000.
MFL = Million Fibers per Liter
Table #2 City of Ironton—Surface Water Treatment Plant
Hecla-Ironton connection. Source—The Ohio River. January 2005, this connection began full time use for customers along 21 miles of Route 93 and adjoining roads to Royersville; Hanging Rock to Pine Creek.
City of Ironton—Surface Water Treatment Plant
| Contaminate | MCLG [MRDLG] | MCL [MRDL] | Level Found | Range Low-High | Any Violation | Year | Typical Source of Contamination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barium (ppm) | 2 | 2 | 0.0320 | N/A | No | 2022 | Discharge of drilling wastes; Discharge from Metal refineries; Erosion of natural deposits |
| Chlorine (ppm) | 4 | 4 | 1.32 | 1.01-1.76 | No | 2022 | Water additive used to control microbes |
| Fluoride (ppm) | 4 | 4 | 1.30 | 0.80-1.30 | No | 2022 | Erosion of natural deposits; Water additive which promotes strong teeth; Discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories |
| Haloacetic Acids [HAA] - Stage 2 (ppb) | N/A | 60 | 26.03 | 14.7-64.1 | No | 2022 | By-product of drink water disinfection |
| Nitrate (ppm) | 10 | 10 | 1.28 | 0.54-1.28 | No | 2022 | Runoff from fertilizer use; Leaching from septic tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits |
| TTHM [Total Trihalomethanes] - Stage 2 (ppb) | N/A | 80 | 19.0-127.0 | No | 2022 | By-product of drinking water disinfection | |
| Total Organic Carbon (ppm) | N/A | TT | 1.30 | 1.3-2.0 | No | 2022 | Naturally present in environment |
| Turbidity (NTU) | N/A | TT | 0.30 | 0.03-0.30 | No | 2022 | Soil runoff |
| Turbidity (Lowest monthly percent of samples meeting limit) | N/A | TT | 100% | N/A | No | 2022 | Soil Runoff |
| Secondary Substances - Fluoride | N/A | SMCL 2.0 | 1.01 | 0.80-1.3 | No | 2022 | Erosion of natural deposits; Water additive which promotes strong teeth; Discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories |
| Contaminate, MCLG, AL, Amount Detected (90th Percentile), Sites Above AL, Total Sites, Any Violation, Year, Typical Source of Contamination | |||||||
| Copper (ppm) | 1.3 | 1.3 | <0.05 | 0/30 Range: <.05-0.421 | No | 2022 | Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits |
| Lead (ppb) | 0 | 15 | <5.0 | 0/30 Range: <5.0-10.4 | No | 2022 | Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits |
Definitions for Test Results Tables
Less Than = < ] [More Than = >] [ N/A or NA = not applicable ] [ nonreg = non regulated by EPA] [TT = treatment technique] [NTU = nephelometric turbidity units]
Action Level (AL)– the concentration of a contaminant which , if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.
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. Maximum Contaminant level (MCL): The highest level of contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology. Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL): The highest residual disinfectant level allowed. Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG): The level of residual disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health.
All drinking water contains a small amount of some contaminants.
Turbidity
Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of water and is an indication of the effectiveness of our filtration system. The turbidity limit set by the EPA is {0.3 NTU) in 95% of the daily samples and shall not exceed 1 NTU at any time. As reported above, The purchased water from the city of Ironton’s highest recorded turbidity result for 2021 was 0.21 NTU and lowest monthly percentage of samples meeting the turbidity limits was 100%.
Lead In Drinking Water
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. The Hecla Water Association 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 drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the safe drinking water Hotline at www.epa.gov/safewater/lead
Initial Distribution System Evaluation
Under the Stage 2 Disinfectants/Disinfection byproducts Rule (D/DBPR), our public water system was required by USEPA to conduct an evaluation of our distribution system. This is known as an Initial Distribution System Evaluation (IDSE), and is intended to identify locations in our distribution system with elevated disinfection byproduct concentrations. The locations selected for the IDSE may be used for compliance monitoring under Stage 2 DBPR, beginning in 2012. Disinfection byproducts are the result of providing continuous disinfection of your drinking water and form when disinfectants combine with organic matter naturally occurring in the source water. Disinfection byproducts are grouped into two categories. Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) and Haloacetic Acids (HAA5). USEPA sets standards for controlling the levels of disinfectants and disinfectant byproducts in drinking water, including both TTHMs and HAA5s.
Unregulated Contaminants
Unregulated contaminants monitoring helps the EPA to determine where certain contaminants occur and whether the EPA needs to regulate those contaminants.
Contaminants Data
| Name | Average | Range | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,4 Dioxane | .29 yg.k | 0.110-0.47 | 2015 |
| Bromochloroacetic Acid | 5.38 µg/l | 3.2-12 | 2019 |
| Bromodichloroacetic Acid | 3.85 µg/l | 1-8.8 | 2019 |
| Chlorate | 25 µg/l | N/A | 2015 |
| Chlorodibromoacetic Acid | 1.75 µg/l | 1.1-3.6 | 2019 |
| Chromium | 0.067 µg/l | N/A | 2015 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 2.38 µg/l | 0.92-4.1 | 2019 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 7.60 µg/l | 2.8-22 | 2019 |
| Hexavalent Chromium | 0.0595 µg/l | 0.034-0.095 | 2015 |
| Manganese | 16.76 µg/l | N/A | 2018 |
| Molybdenum | 1.316 µg/l | 1.1-1.6 | 2015 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 0.55 µg/l | 0-0.83 | 2019 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 5.35 µg/l | 0-19 | 2019 |
| Strontium | 178.75 µg/l | 160-230 | 2015 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 6.42 µg/l | 1.1-16 | 2019 |
| Vanadium | 0.265 µg/l | 0.24-0.29 | 2015 |
Susceptibility Analysis
The aquifer that supplies drinking water to the Hecla Water Association wells is moderately susceptibility to contamination. This determination was made because of the following reasons:
-The water table of the sand and gravel aquifer begins approximately 40 feet below the ground surface.
-There is approximately 15-25 feet of sandy clay overlying the sand and gravel. This may slow the migration of contaminants into the aquifer.
-Potential significant contaminant sources exist within the protection area.
Water quality data were evaluated using the drinking water compliance database at Ohio EPA. The available data do not indicate that contamination has impacted the aquifer at Hecla Water Association’s wellfield. Because sampling requirements are for treated water, the lack of water quality impacts does not necessarily indicate a lack of contamination. This determination is limited by the sampling that is performed for the water system. Eight (8) potential sources of contamination have been identified by Hecla Water Association including SR 7, the Ohio River, home septic systems, an auto body shop, commercial facilities with fuel/fuel oil tanks, and a salvage yard. Because of these potential sources of contamination that exist within the wellhead/source water protection area and the moderate sensitivity of the aquifer, the Hecla Water Association’s wellfield is considered to be moderately susceptible to contamination. In summary, there is a moderate likelihood for contamination of the Hecla Water Association’s source water. Implementing appropriate protection strategies for the potential contaminant sources will help reduce the likelihood of contamination affecting the aquifer.