2010 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report
YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly
PWS ID# NC 01-11-104

06/21/2011

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 provide 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, because informed customers are our best allies.  

What EPA Wants You to Know
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 Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).
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). 
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 microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which 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 storm water 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 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 stations, 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 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. 

When You Turn on Your Tap, Consider the Source

The water that is used by this system is groundwater and is located at the Blue Ridge Physiographic province. There are several potential contaminant sources; Asphalt pavement ,automobile parking areas, surface water and streams , a landfill, septic systems, sewer line, two old wells not abandoned, marshy land, residential houses, a building with bathrooms and storage, and in 2005 there was a climbing structure installed inside the 100 foot radius of well #1.

Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP) Results

The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Public Water Supply (PWS) Section, Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP) conducted assessments for all drinking water sources across North Carolina.  The purpose of the assessments 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 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 each source for YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly was determined by combining the contaminant rating (number and location of PCSs within the assessment area) and the inherent vulnerability rating (i.e., characteristics or existing conditions of the well or watershed and its delineated assessment area). The assessment findings are summarized in the table below:

Susceptibility of Sources to Potential Contaminant Sources (PCSs)
                                   

 The complete SWAP Assessment report for YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly may be viewed on the Web at:  http://www.deh.enr.state.nc.us/pws/swap  Please note that because SWAP results and reports are periodically updated by the PWS Section, the results available on this web site may differ from the results that were available at the time this CCR was prepared.  If you are 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 requests to swap@ncmail.net.  Please indicate your system name, PWSID, and provide your name, mailing address and phone number.  If you have any questions about the SWAP report please contact the Source Water Assessment staff by phone at 919-715-2633.

It is important to understand 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.

Violations that Your Water System Received for the Report Year

During calendar year 2010 (January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010), The Assembly received no violations.

Water Quality Data Table of Detected Contaminants

We routinely monitor for over 150 contaminants in your drinking water according to Federal and State laws. The table below lists all the drinking water contaminants that we detected in the last round of sampling for the 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 testing done January 1 through December 31, 2010. The EPA or the State requires 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 water quality, is more than one year old.

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 future regulation is warranted.

Important Drinking Water Definitions:   

Not-Applicable (N/A) – Information not applicable/not required for that particular water system or for that particular rule.

Non-Detects (ND) - Laboratory analysis indicates that the contaminant is not present at the level of detection set for the particular methodology used.

Parts per million (ppm) or Milligrams per liter (mg/L) - One part per million corresponds to one minute in two years or a single penny in $10,000.

Parts per billion (ppb) or 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.

Parts per trillion (ppt) or Nanograms per liter (nanograms/L) - One part per trillion corresponds to one minute in 2,000,000 years, or a single penny in $10,000,000,000.

Parts per quadrillion (ppq) or Picograms per liter (picograms/L) - One part per quadrillion corresponds to one minute in 2,000,000,000 years or one penny in $10,000,000,000,000.

Picocuries per liter (pCi/L) - Picocuries per liter is a measure of the radioactivity in water.

Million Fibers per Liter (MFL) - Million fibers per liter is a measure of the presence of asbestos fibers that are longer than 10 micrometers.

Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU) - Nephelometric turbidity unit is a measure of the clarity of water.  Turbidity in excess of 5 NTU is just noticeable to the average person.

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

Treatment Technique (TT) - A treatment technique is a required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

Maximum Residual Disinfection Level Goal (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.

Maximum Residual Disinfection Level (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 Contaminant Level (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 (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.

Extra Note:  MCLs are set at very stringent levels. To understand the possible health effects described for many regulated constituents, a person would have to drink 2 liters of water every day at the MCL level for a lifetime to have a one-in-a-million chance of having the described health effect.

Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Contaminants (September 2010)

Water Characteristics Contaminants

Inorganic Contaminants

Lead and Copper Contaminants

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 your home's plumbing. If you are concerned about 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 using tap water. Additional information is available from the Safe Drinking Water 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.
YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly 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 your 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.

Consumer Confidence Report Certification Form

Water System Name                             YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly

PWS ID#: N.C.  0 1  -  1 1  - 1 0 4  Report Year:  2010  Population Served:_______200__

The community water system (CWS) named above hereby confirms that all provisions under 40 CFR parts 141 and 142 requiring the development of, distribution of, and notification of a consumer confidence report have been executed.  Further, the CWS certifies the information contained in the report is correct and consistent with the compliance monitoring data previously submitted to the primacy agency by their NC certified laboratory.

Certified by:    Name:  Clifton P. Day   Title:   Maintenance-ORC

Signature: __________________________________________________

Phone #:  (828)210-8479 Date: _June 21, 2011

Methods used and complete:

        Systems serving 100,000 or more persons must post the CCR on a publicly-accessible Internet site which is
        www.___________________________________________________
        Systems serving 10,000 or more persons must distribute the CCR by mail or direct delivery.
        Date Delivered:                      and specify direct delivery methods:    
        Systems serving less than 10,000 persons but more than 500 persons must either distribute the CCR by mail         or direct delivery. Date Delivered:                      and specify direct delivery method:                  
       
              OR (mailing waiver option of the CCR itself) (Voided if using CCR for Tier III Public Notification!)
        notify by “direct means” that the CCR is not being mailed, but it will be published in what  
        newspaper(s) and when (attach copy of notice)
        Date Delivered:                    and specify “direct means” of delivery of the notice:____
    
        and the complete CCR was printed in the local newspaper(s)
        and a copy of the CCR was made available upon request

        Systems serving 500 or fewer persons must either distribute the CCR by mail or direct delivery.
        Date Delivered:                    and specify direct delivery methods:
 
                OR (mailing waiver option of the CCR itself) (Voided if using CCR for Tier III Public Notification!)
        notify by “direct means” that the CCR is not being mailed, but how a copy may be obtained  (attach 
        copy of notice)
        Date Delivered:                    and specify “direct means” of delivery of the notice:____
         and a copy of the CCR was made available upon request

    X    “Good faith” efforts (in addition to the above required methods) were used to reach non-bill paying consumers
          such as industry employees, apartment tenants, etc. Those extra efforts included the following methods:
   X   posting the CCR on the Internet at www.blueridgeassembly.org

        mailing the CCR to postal patrons within the service area
        advertising the availability of the CCR in news media (attach copy of announcement)
        publication of the CCR in local newspaper (attach copy)
   X   posting the CCR in public places such as:(attach list if needed) BRC bulletin board, Younts Hall bulletin board ,
         Weatherford hall bulletin board , and at Guest Services desk To hand out.
        delivery of multiple copies to single bill addresses serving several persons such as: apartments,                         
        businesses, and large private employers
        delivery to community organizations such as: (attach list if needed) ___
Note: For the mailing waiver option, the Direct Means allowed are a letter, a bill stuffer, a door hanger, or a postcard dedicated to the CCR. The notice may not be on the water bill itself as the only means of notification.                                                                                                                                                   

Well Location Map