2022 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report

2022 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report

Town of Jay

The Town of Jay continues to work on the quality of our drinking water every day.  Our water system utilizes ground water from a total of two wells that draw water from the Sand and Gravel Aquifer.  Because of the quality of our water, the only treatments required are chlorine for disinfection purposes and lime for pH adjustment.  Granular Activated Carbon filters are used for Ethylene Dibromide (EDB) removal.  In the last two years we have recharged our carbon filters to ensure they are operating at the highest effectiveness.  This year we completed our cast-iron pipe replacement pipes.

You can now pay your bill online!  Go to www.townofjayfl.com and at the top of the page select the electronic check or credit card option.  If you would like to set up an automatic payment, please call the Town of Jay at (850) 675-4556. We encourage our valued customers to be informed about their water utility.  If you want to learn more, please attend any of our regular scheduled meetings. They are held on the first and third Monday of each month at 6:00 pm at Jay City Hall.

The Town of Jay routinely monitors for contaminants in your drinking water according to Federal and State laws, rules, and regulations. Except where indicated otherwise, this report is based on the results of our monitoring for the period of January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022. Data obtained before January 1, 2022 and presented in this report are from the most recent testing done in accordance with the laws, rules, and regulations.

In 2021 the Florida Department of Environmental Protection performed a Source Water Assessment on our system.  The assessment was conducted to provide information about any potential sources of contamination in the vicinity of our wells.  There are two potential sources of contamination identified for the Jay System with low susceptibility levels. The assessment results are available on the FDEP Source Water Assessment and Protection Program website at www.dep.state.fl.us/swapp or they can be obtained from Ronald Witt at (850) 675-4556.

In the table below, you may find unfamiliar terms and abbreviations.  To help you better understand these terms we’ve provided the following definitions:

Maximum Contaminant Level or MCL: 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.

Maximum Contaminant Level Goal or 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.

Maximum residual disinfectant level or 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 microbial contaminants.

Maximum residual disinfectant level goal or 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 microbial contaminants.

Not Detected (ND): Indicates that the substance was not found by laboratory analysis. 

Parts per billion (ppb) or Micrograms per liter (µg/l): One part by weight of analyte to 1 billion parts by weight of the water sample.

Parts per million (ppm) or Milligrams per liter (mg/l): One part by weight of analyte to 1 million parts by weight of the water sample.

Picocurie per liter (pCi/L): Measure of the radioactivity in water.

2022 CONTAMINANTS TABLE

Contaminant and Unit of Measurement				Dates of sampling (mo/yr)						MCL Violation Y/N					Level Detected					Range of Results							MCLG				MCL			Likely Source of Contamination
Ethylene dibromide (nanograms/l)				Jan-Nov 2022						N*					5.3					0-11							0				20			Discharge from petroleum refineries
*Some people who drink water containing ethylene dibromide in excess of the MCL over many years could experience problems with their liver, stomach, reproductive system, or kidneys, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.  MCL=No due to compliance is based on an average of four quarters of data.
Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection By-Products
Disinfectant or Contaminant and Unit of Measurement			Dates of sampling (mo. /yr.)					MCL or MRDL Violation Y/N						Level Detected				Range of Results						MCLG or MRDLG					MCL or MRDL				Likely Source of Contamination
Chlorine (ppm)      (Stage 1)			Jan – Dec 22					N						0.875				0.65-1.1						MRDLG = 4					MRDL = 4.0				Water additive used to control microbes
Lead and Copper (Tap Water)
Contaminant and Unit of Measurement		Dates of sampling    (mo. /yr.)					AL Exceeded Y/N					90th Percentile Result				No. of sampling sites exceeding the AL					MCLG				AL (Action Level)					Likely Source of Contamination
Copper (tap water) (ppm)		Aug 21					N					0.68				0 of 10					1.3				1.3					Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits; leaching from wood preservatives
.Lead (tap water) (ppb)		Aug 21					N					0.8				0 of 10					0				15					Corrosion of household plumbing systems, erosion of natural deposits
Secondary Contaminants
Contaminant and Unit of Measurement	Dates of sampling (mo/yr)				MCL Violation Y/N				Highest Result				Range of Results				MCLG					MCL				Likely Source of Contamination
Manganese (ppm)	Feb-Oct 2022				Y				0.017				.003-.017				N/A					0.05				Natural occurrence from soil leaching

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. Jay Water System 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 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.

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, the EPA prescribes regulations, which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems.  The Food and Drug Administration (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 the water poses a health risk.  More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.

Nitrate in drinking water at levels above 10 ppm is a health risk for infants of less than six months of age. High nitrate levels in drinking water can cause blue baby syndrome. Nitrate levels may rise quickly for short periods of time because of rainfall or agricultural activity. If you are caring for an infant, you should ask advice from your health care provider.

The State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) sets drinking water standard for secondary contaminants and has determined that Manganese is an aesthetic concern at certain levels of exposure.  Manganese was sampled in May and October 2021 and the Manganese was found in slightly higher levels than are allowed by the State (an MCL violation).  Manganese, as a secondary drinking water contaminant, does not pose a health risk and in small amounts is essential to human health.  We will continue to sample as required by rule and work with the Department as needed.

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/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbiological contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

We at the Town of Jay would like you to understand the efforts we make to continually improve the water treatment process and protect our water resources. If you have any questions or concerns about the information provided, please feel free to call any of the numbers listed.