2023 Annual Water Quality Report

10 20 2 3 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report Johnston County Public Utilities Water system number East 40 - 51 - 018 Water system numbe r West 03 - 51 - 070 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________ We are pleased to present to you this year's Annual Drinking Water Quality Report This report is a snapshot of last year's water quality Included are details about from where your water comes , what it contains , and how it compares to standards set by regulatory agencies Our constant goal is to prov ide you with a safe and dependable supply of drinking water We want you to understand the efforts we make to continually improve the water treatment process and protect our water resources We are committed to ensuring the quality of your water and to providing you with this information Éste informe contiene información muy importante sobre la calidad de su agua potable Una copia de este reporte en español está disponible en la Oficina de Servicio Público en el Centro de Land Use The Johnston County water system has two service areas called Johnst on East and Johnston West In July of 2023 , the boundaries for the Johnston East and Johnston West service areas changed Through July 2023 , t he Johnston East service area was generally described as the area east of the Neuse River and south of I - 95 , and t he Johnston West service area was the area west of the Neuse River and north of I - 95 After July 2023 , the Johnston East service area was generally described as the area south of I - 95 and the Little River Water District along with the western portion o f the Buffalo Water District and the southeast portion of the O'Neals Water District After July 2023 , the Johnston West service area is generally described as the area north of I - 95 , with the exceptions of the Little River Water District along with the w estern portion of the Buffalo Water District and the southeast portion of the O'Neals Water District Please refer to the map s Water supplied to Johnston East has free chlorine as a secondary disinfectant Water supplied to Johnston West has chloramine s a combination of chlorine and ammonia as a secondary disinfectant The quality data for both service areas are prov ided to all customers We provide service for communities , towns and cities throughout our county including most unincorporated parts o f the county and the towns of Archer Lodge , Four Oaks , Princeton , Kenly , Clayton , and Wilson's Mills The County system also supplements the towns of Micro , Ben son , Pine Level , Smithfield , Selma , and Fuquay Varina with additional water When You Turn on Your Tap , Consider the Source In 20 2 3 , our water department produced and provided approximately 3 0 5 b illion gallons of water to our customers Our water source is surface water from the Neuse River , which forms just above Durham where the Eno and Flat Rivers converge The Neuse River flows approximately 190 miles through eastern North Carolina to the P amlico Sound The Johnston County intake and treatment facility are located one half mile east of Wilson's Mills , NC There are two reservoirs on site Each reservoir contains 35 million gallons The treatment system has five main steps to remove or r educe harmful contaminants presedimentation , coagulation , clarification , filtration by multimedia high rate filters , and disinfection Once treatment is complete , water is pumped into elevated storage tanks for distribution thr oughout the water system Johnston County also purchases water fr om the Town of Smithfield , Harnett County , City of Raleigh , City of Wilson , Sampson County , Northwest Wayne Sanitary District and Southwest Wayne Sanitary District on a bulk basis The source of the Smithfield and City of Raleigh supply is the Neuse River and the Harnett County supply is the Cape Fear River The City of Wilson utilizes Buckhorn Reservoir as their water supply source , while Sampson County and the Wayne Sanitary Districts have g round water supply wells Their treatment processes are similar to the C ounty's , and w ater purchased from bulk suppliers mixes with water produced by the C ounty in the distribution system A nnual report s for the County's bulk water suppliers can be viewed on each of their websites Please see last page of report for links to all purchased water systems water quality reports The US Environmental Protection Agency EPA wants you to Know Drinking water , including bottled water , may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants T he presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk More information about contaminants and p otential health effects can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agencys 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 , s prings , and wells As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground , it dissolves naturally occurring min erals and , in some cases , radioactive material , and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human act ivity Contaminants that may be present in source water include microbial contaminants , such as viruses and bacteria that may come from sewage treatment plants , septic systems , agricultural livestock operations , a nd wildlife ; inorganic contaminants , such as salts and metals , which can be naturally occurring or result from urban storm water runoff , industrial , or domestic wastewater disc harges , oil and gas production , mining , or farming ; pesticides and herbicides , which may come from a variety of sources su ch as agriculture , urban storm water 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 station s , urban storm water 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 re gulations 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 August - December 2023 January - July 2023 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 im mune 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 microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Water Drinking Hotline 800 - 426 - 4791 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 Johnston County P ublic U tilities is responsible for providing high quality drinking water , but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing compo nents When your water has been sitting for several hours , you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30Pageseconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking If you are concerned about lead in your water , you ma y 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 Hot line or at http wwwepa gov safewater lead In 2021 , EPA finalized a major update to rules regarding lead and copper in drinking water The update , known as the Lead and Copper Rule Revision LCRR , provides an improved level of public health protection The revisions focus on providing increased levels of protection from lead exposure in drinking water to children at schools and childcare facilities , identifying and removing lead service lines , and providing information about lead in drinking water to the community Johnston County has consistently maintained compliance with all water quality requirements , including full compliance with the original Lead and Copper Rule Over the next several months , we will be completing a study to verify compliance with the LCRR This will include developing an inventory of all water service line materials in our community , developing a plan to sample for lead at our schools and childcare centers , and developing a program to educate our customers about lead in drinking water Additional information the LCRR can be found at https wwwepagov ground - water - and - drinking - water review - national - pr imary - drinking - water - regulation - lead - and - copper Source Water Assessment Program SWAP Results The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources DENR , Public Water Supply PWS Section , Source Water As sess ment Program SWAP conducted assessment s for all drinking water sources across North Carolina The purpose of the assessment s was to determine the susceptibility of each drinking water source well or surface water intake to Potential Contaminant Sources PCSs The results of the assessment s are available in SWAP Assessment Reports that include maps , background information and a relative susceptibility rating of Higher , Moderate or Lower The relative susceptibility rating of the source for Johnston County Public Utilities was de termined by combining the contaminant rating number and location of PCSs within watershed and the inherent vulnerability ra ting ie , characteristics or existing conditions of the watershed and its delineated assessment area It is important to under stand that a susceptibility rating of " higher " does not imply poor water quality , only the systems ' potential to become contaminated by PCS's in the assessment area The assessment findings are sum marized in the table below Susceptibility of Sources t o Potential Contaminant Sources PCSs Source Name Susceptibility Rating SWAP Report Date Neuse River Higher September 2020 The complete SWAP Assessment report for Johnston County Public Utilities may be viewed on the Web at https wwwncwaterorg page 600 N ote that because SWAP results and reports are periodically updated by the PWS Section , the results available on this web site may differ from the r esults that were available at the time this CCR was prepared If you a re unable to access your SWAP report on the web , you may mail a written request for a printed copy to Source Water Assessment Program - Report Request , 1634 Mail Service Center , Raleigh NC 27699 - 1634 , or email request to swap @ ncdenrgov P lease indicate the system name of Johnston County , PWS # 03 - 51 - 070 , and provide your name , mailing address and phone number If you have any questions about the SWAP report please contact the Sour ce Water Assessment staff by phone at 919 - 707 - 9098 It is important to un derstand that a susceptibility rating of " higher " does not imply poor water quality , only the systems ' potential to become contaminated by PCS's in the assessment area Help Protect Your Source Water Protection of drinking water is everyone's responsibility You can help protect your community's drinking water source s in several ways examples dispose of chemicals properly ; take used motor oil to a recycling center , volunteer in your community to participate in group efforts to protect y ou r source , etc If you have any questions about this report or concerning your water utility , please contact Chandra Farmer , PE , Director of Utilities and Engineering , by calling 919 209 - 8333 or by writing to this address Johnston County Utility D ept PO Box 2263 , Smithfield , North Carolina 27577 We want our valued customers to be informed about their water utility You can attend Board of Commissioners meetings on the first Monday of each month , at 1 0 00 a m , in the Johnston County Courthouse , at 212 Market Street , Smithfield , NC Find out more on the Internet at www jcutil com ccr Important Drinking Water Definitions AL - Action Level - The concentration of a contaminant which , if exceeded , triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow MCL - M aximum 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 b est available treatment technology 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 mar gin of safety MRDLG - Maximum Residual Disinfection Level Goal - The l evel of a drinking water disinfecta nt 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 - Maximum Residual Disinfection Level - The h ighest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants 90 th Percentile - 90 of samples are equal to or less than the number in the chart ND - Non - Dete cts - Laboratory analysis indicates that the contaminant is not present at the level of detection set for the particular methodolog y used NTU - Nephelometric Turbidity Units - A measure of the clarity of water Turbidity in excess of 5 NTU is just notice able to the average person N A - Not - applicable - Information not applicable not required for that particular water system or for that particular rule Picocuries per liter pCi L - Picocuries per liter is a measure of the radioactivity in the water ppb - parts per billion - micrograms per liter ug l - One part per billion corresponds to one minute in 2,000 years , or a single penny in 10,000,000 ppm - parts per million - milligrams per liter mg l - One part per million corresponds to one minute in two years or a single penny in 10,000 RAA - Running annual average - The average of sample analytical results for samples taken during the previous four calendar quarters TT - Treatment Technique - A treatment technique is a required process intended to r educe the level of a contaminant in drinking water LRAA - Locational Running Annual Average LRAA - The average of sample analytical results for samples taken at a particular monitoring location during the previous four calendar quarters under the Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule Level 1 Assessment - A Level 1 assessment is a study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine if possible why total coli form bacteria have been found in our water system Level 2 Assessment - A Level 2 assessment is a very detailed study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine if possible why an E coli MCL violation has occurred and or why total coliform bacteria have been found in our water system on m ultiple occasions Variances and Exceptions - State or EPA permission not to meet an MCL or Treatment Technique under certain conditions Water Quality Data Tables of Detected Contaminants W e routinel y monitor for over 15 0 contaminants in your drinking water according to Federal and State laws The table s below list all the drinking water contaminants that we detected in the last round of sampling for each particular contaminant group The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk Unless otherwise noted , the data presented in this table is from analyses completed from January 1 through December 31 , 20 2 3 The EPA and the State allow us to monitor for certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants are not expected to vary significantly from year to year Some of the data , though representative of the waterPagequality , is more than one year old Unregulated contaminants are those for which the EPA has not established drinking water standards The purpose of unregulate d contaminant monitoring is to assist EPA in determining the occurrence of unregulated contaminants in drinking water and whe ther future regulations are warranted Water Quality Data Table s Johnston County WEST PWS # 03 - 51 - 070 20 2 3 Disinfectant Residuals Summary 20 2 3 Contaminant units Year Sampled MRDL Violation Y N Your Water RAA Range Low High MRDLG MRDL Likely Source of Contamination Chlorine ppm 20 2 3 N 0 72 00 6 - 3 4 5 4 40 Water additive used to control microbes Chl o r a mines ppm 20 2 3 N 2 61 00 - 39 9 4 40 Water a dd iti v e u sed to control microbes Stage 2 Stage 2 Disinfection Byproduct Compliance - Based on Locational Running Annual Average LRAA 20 2 3 Disinfection Byproduct Units MCLG MCL Your Water highest LRAA Range Low High Year Sampled MCL V iolation Yes No Likely Source of Contamination TTHM ppb N A 80 3 9 20 2 3 No Byproduct of drinking water disinfection B01 2 2 - 64 B02 2 3 - 5 9 B03 25 - 5 2 B04 20 - 47 B05 2 3 - 49 B06 2 4 - 4 9 B07 26 - 53 B08 10 - 63 HAA5 ppb N A 60 2 5 20 2 3 No Byproduct of drinking water chlorination B01 12 - 45 B02 16 - 41 B03 9 - 4 0 B04 7 - 41 B05 7 - 26 B06 14 - 2 7 B07 6 - 36 B08 7 - 56 For TTHM Some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with thei r liver , kidneys or central nervous systems , and may have and increased risk of getting cancer For HAA5 Some people who drink water containing haloacetic acids in excess of the MCL over many years may have an increased chance of getting cancer Inorganic Contaminants 20 2 3 C ontaminant units Sample Date MCL Violatio n Y N Your Water Range Low High MCLG MCL Likely Source of Contamination Fluoride ppm March 20 2 3 N 0 46 N A 4 4 Erosion of natural deposits ; water additive which promotes strong teeth ; discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories Turbidity 202 3 Contaminant units Treatment Technique TT Violation Y N Your Water MCLG Treatment Technique TT Violation if Likely Source of Contamination Turbidity NTU - Highest single turbidity measurement N 0 1 14 NTU N A Turbidity gt; 1 NTU Soil runoff Turbidity NTU - Lowest monthly percentage of samples meeting turbidity limits N 100 N A Less than 95 of monthly turbidity measurements are lt; 03 NTU Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of the water We monitor it because it is a good indicator of the effectiveness of our filtration system The turbidity rule requires that 95 or more of the mont hly samples must be less than or equal to 03 NTU PageSynthetic Organic Chemical SOC Contaminants including Pesticides and Herbicides 20 2 3 Contaminant units Sample Date MCL Violation Y N Your Water Range Low High MCLG MCL Likely Source of Contamination Simazine ppb 20 2 3 N 0 0 8 00 - 0 16 4 4 Herbicide runoff L ead and Copper Contaminants Pregnant women , i nfants and young children are typically more vulnerable to lead in drinking water than the general population 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 If you are concerned a bout elevated lead levels in your home's water , you may wish to have your water tested and flush your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before usi ng tap water Additional information is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline 800 - 426 - 4791 Contaminant Units Sample Date Your Water # of sites found above the AL MCLG MCL Likely Source of Contamination Copper 90 th percentile ppm December 2023 0 133 0 13 AL 13 Corrosion of household plumbing systems ; erosion of natural deposits ; leaching from wood preservatives Lead 90 th percentile ppb December 2023 0 0 0 AL 15 Corrosio n of household plumbing systems ; erosion of natural deposits Total Organic Carbon TOC 2023 Contaminant units TT Violation Yes No Your Water lowest RAA Range Monthly Removal Ratio Low - High MCLG Likely Source of Contamination Treatment Technique TT violation if Total Organic Carbon TOC Removal Ratio no units No 125 111 - 149 N A Naturally present in the environment Removal Ratio RAA lt; 100 and alternative criteria was not met Water Characteristics Contaminants The PWS section requires monitoring of other misc contaminants , some for which the EPA has set national secondary drinking water standards SMCLs because they may cause cosmetic or aesthetic effects such as taste , odor , and or color in drinking water The contaminants with SMCLs normally do not have any health effects and normally do not affect the safety of your water Contaminant units Sample Date Your Water Range Low High Secondary MCL Sodium ppm March 2023 3239 N A N A Sulfate ppm March 2023 196 N A 250 ppm pH March 2023 71 N A 65 to 85 Water Quality Data Table s Johnston County East PWS # 40 - 51 - 018 20 2 3 Stage 2 Disinfectant Byproduct Compliance - Based on Locational Running Average LRAA 20 2 3 Disinfection Byproduct Units MCLG MCL Your Water highest LRAA Range Low High Year Sampled MCL Violation Yes No Likely Source of Contamination TTHM ppb N A 80 7 1 20 2 3 No Byproduct of drinking water disinfection B01 5 - 7 7 B02 8 - 79 B03 40 - 11 7 B04 7 - 20 HAA5 ppb N A 60 31 20 2 3 No Byproduct of drinking water chlorination B01 0 - 36 B02 3 - 3 7 B03 1 7 - 4 7 B04 4 - 7 For TTHM Some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with thei r liver , kidneys , or central nervous systems , and may have an increased risk of getting cancer For HAA5 Some people who drink water containing haloacetic acids in excess of the MCL over many years may have an increased chance of getting cancer PagePage pageNumber5Inorganic Contaminants 202 3 C ontaminant units Sample Date MCL Violatio n Y N Your Water Range Low High MCLG MCL Likely Source of Contamination Fluoride ppm May 202 3 N 0 57 N A 4 4 Erosion of natural deposits ; water additive which promotes strong teeth ; discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories L ead and Copper Contaminants Pregnant women , infants and young children are typically more vulnerable to lead in drinking water than the general population 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 yo ur home's plumbing If you are concerned about elevated l ead levels in your home's water , you may wish to have your water tested and flush your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using tap water Additional information is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline 800 - 426 - 4791 Contaminant Units Sample Date Your Water Number of sites found above the AL MCLG MCL Likely Source of Contamination Copper 90 th percentile ppm July 20 2 3 0 08 0 13 AL 13 Corrosion of household plumbing systems ; erosion of natural deposits ; leaching from wood preservatives Lead 90 th percentile ppb July 20 2 3 0 0 0 AL 15 Corrosion of household plumbing systems ; erosion of natural deposits Turbidity 202 3 Contaminant units Treatment Technique TT Violation Y N Your Water MCL G Treatment Technique TT Violation if Likely Source of Contamination Turbidity NTU - Highest single turbidity measurement N 0 1 02 NTU N A Turbidity gt; 1 NTU Soil runoff Turbidity NTU - Lowest monthly percentage of samples meeting turbidity limits N 100 N A Less than 95 of monthly turbidity measurements are lt; 03 NTU Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of the water We monitor it because it is a good indicator of the effectiveness of our filtration system The turbidity rule requires that 95 or more of the monthly samples must be less than or equal to 03 NTU Disinfectant Residuals Summary 2023 Contaminant units Year Sampled MRDL Violation Y N Your Water RAA Range Low High MRDLG MRDL Likely Source of Contamination Chlorine ppm 20 2 3 N 1 27 0 3 2 - 2 67 4 40 Water additive used to control microbes Total Organic Carbon TOC 2023 Contaminant units TT Violation Yes No Your Water lowest RAA Range Monthly Removal Ratio Low - High MCLG Likely Source of Contamination Treatment Technique TT violation if Total Organic Carbon TOC Removal Ratio no units No 121 107 - 148 N A Naturally present in the environment Removal Ratio RAA lt; 100 and alternative compliance criteria was not met Water Characteristics Contaminants The PWS section requires monitoring of other misc contaminants , some for which the EPA has set national secondary drinking water standards SMCLs because they may cause cosmetic or aesthetic effects such as taste , odor , and or color in drinking water The contaminants with SMCLs normally do not have any health effects and normally do not affect the safety of your water Contaminant units Sample Date Your Water Range Low High Secondary MCL Sodium ppm May 2023 3012 N A N A pH May 2023 72 N A 65 to 85PagePage pageNumber6Synthetic Organic Chemical SOC Contaminants including Pesticides and Herbicides 2023 Contaminant units Sample Date MCL Violation Y N Your Water Range Low High MCLG MCL Likely Source of Contamination Simazine ppb 20 23 N 021 N A 4 4 Herbicide runoff Unregulated contaminants are those for which EPA has not established drinking water standards The purpose of unregulated contaminant monitoring is to assist EPA in determining the occurrence of unregulated contaminants in drinking water and whether futur e regulations are warranted Unregulated Contaminants UCMR5 Johnston County WTP East PWS # 40 - 51 - 018 EP2 Contaminant units ug L Sample Date Your Water PFBA 12 11 2023 00144 PF P eA 12 11 2023 000780 PFBS 12 11 2023 000552 PFHxA 12 11 2023 000820 PFHxS 12 11 2023 000377 PFOA 12 11 2023 000766 PFOS 12 11 2023 000749 PFHpA 12 11 2023 000329 Purchased Water Links City of Raleigh https wwwraleighncgov water - and - sewer Raleigh - water - reports Wilson County https wwwwilsonncorg residents all - departments water - resources water - treatment water - quality - report Sampson County https wwwsampso nnccom departments public_works water public_noticesphp Wayne Water Districts https wwwwaynewaterdistrictscom water - quality - report Harnett County https wwwharnettwaterorg water - quality - report Town of Smithfield https wwwsmithfield - nccom page utilities_annual_reportsPagePage pageNumber7In our continuing efforts to maintain a safe and dependable water supply it may be necessary to make improvements in the wate r system The costs of these improvements may be reflected in the rate structure Rate adjustments may be necessary in order to address these improvements Our staff in the Johnston County Utility Department work around the clock to provide top quality water to every tap We ask that all our customers hel p us protec t our water sources , which are the heart of our community , our way of life and our children's future wwwjohnstonnccom ccr This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer Discrimination is prohibited by Federal Law To file a complaint of discrimination , write USDA , Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights , 1400 Independence Avenue SW , Washington , DC 20250 - 9410 or call toll - free at 866 63 2 - 9992 or 800 877 - 8339 Federal Relay Service Page