Department Policies

STEVENS POINT WATER DEPARTMENT

300 Bliss Avenue • P.O. Box 243 • Stevens Point, Wisconsin 54481-0243
Phone: 715-345-5260 • Emergency After Hours: 715-346-1051 • Fax: 715-345-5369
www.stevenspointwaterdpt.org
Hours: Monday - Friday: 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM

Annual Drinking Water Quality Report

Issue 11 • Summer 2010

The staff and Management of the City of Stevens Point Water Department are proud to provide safe, dependable water to over 9,000 customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The bottom line is: Our water meets or exceeds all federal and state standards for quality and safety. In 2009, Stevens Point was awarded "Best Tasting Water in Wisconsin" from a taste test held at the annual Wisconsin Water Association Conference. This report describes Stevens Point's drinking water quality, which conforms to federal regulations.

We want our valued customers to be informed about their drinking water.  The federal government also wants you to be informed about what substances are in your water.  They have required all water utilities in the U.S. to provide this information to their customers on an annual basis since October 1999.

WATER DEPARTMENT CURRENT AND FUTURE PROJECTS

In the 2009 construction season, water main was reconstructed and replaced on Fourth Avenue from Second Street to Lee Street.

Continuing conservation efforts include an annual system wide leak detection survey that found a total of 17 leaks which saved approximately 27 million gallons of water per year and savings of $20,379.00, after they were repaired.

Work on new well 11 continues

Water Street os being reconstructed from Whiting Avenue to Wisconsin Street.  We will be replacing 4,224 feet of water main, 58 water services and 6 fire hydrants.

City wide cross-connection surveys began in 2009.  Residential customers' properties will be inspected for cross connections as Water Department personnel complete required water meter exchanges every 10 years.

Public, Industrial, and Commercial properties will be surveyed by a hired cross connection professional.  All of these surveys should be completed in three to four years.

Letters will be sent to properties to schedule these surveys. 

For more information on our DNR required cross connection program please visit www.stevenspointwaterdpt.org/xconnect.htm.

CONSERVATION TIPS

 DO YOUR PART TO SAVE WATER PLEASE:

• Fix leaky toilets or faucets.  A leak as small as a 1/16" diameter stream can waste 296,000 gallons of water per year

• Wash only full loads of clothes and dishes.

• Take short showers or half-full baths.

• Install low-flow fixtures.

• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or doing dishes.

• Install water saving plants in your landscape and water your lawn wisely.  Early morning or later evenings are recommended times for watering.  Avoid the hottest part of the day as the water evaporates instead of reaching your lawn. Don't over water.  Only water every three to five days, if it is needed.  Use rain barrels for watering needs.

• Adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk or street.

• For cold drinks keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap.  This way, every drop goes down you not the drain.

• Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway and sidewalk and save water every time.

• Upgrade older toilets and fixtures with water efficient models.

• Adjust your lawn mower to a higher setting.  A taller lawn shades roots and holds soil moisture better than if it is closely clipped.

2009 Test Results

The Stevens Point Water Department routinely monitors your drinking water from their seven groundwater wells, in compliance with Federal and State laws. This table displays the number of contaminants that were required to be tested in the last five years.  This report may contain up to five years worth of water quality results.  If a water system tests annually, or more frequently, the results from the most recent year are shown.  If testing is done less frequently, the results shown are from the past five years.  Inorganic Contaminants (16), Radioactive Contaminants (3), Unregulated Contaminants (34), Microbiological Contaminants (2), Volatile Organic Contaminants (20), Synthetic Organic Contaminants including Pesticides and Herbicides (23), Disinfection Byproducts (2).  If you have any questions regarding this report, please contact Director Kim Halverson at 715-345-5260.

ALL TEST RESULTS WITH NO DATES LISTED WERE TAKEN IN 2009.

 

*Systems exceeding a lead and/or copper action level must take actions to reduce lead and/or copper in the drinking water.  The lead and copper values represent the 90th percentile of all compliance samples collected.  If you want information on the number of sites or the actions taken to reduce these levels, please contact your water supply operator.

Definition of Terms

For your convenience, this table provides definitions of many terms and abbreviations that you may not be familiar with:

• (ND) Non-Detects - Laboratory analysis indicates that the constituent is not present.
  
• (ppm) Parts per million or (mg/l) Milligrams per liter - One part per million corresponds to one minute in two years or a single penny in $10,000.
  
• (ppb) Parts per billion or Micrograms per liter - One part per billion corresponds to one minute in 2,000 years, or a single penny in $10,000,000.
  
• (pCi/L) Picocuries per liter - Picocuries per liter is a measure of the radioactivity in water.
  
• (AL) Action Level - The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.
  
• (TT) Treatment Technique - A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water
   
• (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.
   
• (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.
   
• (MFL) Million Fibers per Liter.
   
• (mrem/year) Millirems per year - A measure of radiation absorbed by the body.
   
• (NTU) Nephelometric Turbidity Units.
   
• (ppt) Parts per Trillion - or nanograms per liter.
   
• (ppq) Parts per quadrillion - or picograms per liter.
   
• (TCR) Total Coliform Rule
   

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Educational Information

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.  FDA regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which shall provide the same protection for public health.

The source 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 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 chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff and septic systems.
• Radioactive contaminants that can be naturally occurring or the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.

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 for advice from your health provider.

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Important Health Information...

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 microbial contaminants are available from the ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY'S SAFE DRINKING WATER HOTLINE (1-800-426-4791).

STEVENS POINT BOARD OF WATER &
SEWAGE COMMISSIONERS

Paul Adamski - President
Eugene Tubbs - Secretary
Jim Cooper, Mae Nachman, Carl Rassmussen

Commission meetings are held the second Monday
of every month at noon.

Water & Sewage Payments

Stevens Point Water Department
300 Bliss Ave. Stevens Point

M&I  Bank
1245 Main St. Stevens Point

Central City Credit Union
3101 Hoover Rd. Stevens Point

Valley Communities Credit Union (Members Only)
2940 Church St. Stevens Point

Payments made by check for the exact amount will be accepted at the
Stevens Point City Clerk's Office
1515 Strongs Ave. Stevens Point
The Clerk's Office will not provide receipts or change.

Please visit our website at stevenspointwaterdpt.org or call our office at 345-5260 for more payment options.

Due to the amount of customers using cell phone service versus land lines, we are having difficulty reaching you to inform you of water shut offs or other emergency information.  We have the ability to add contact information to our billing system, which is kept confidential.  Please provide your cell phone contact information to us so we can keep you informed of emergencies and service shut offs.  You can send the information with your bill payment, email us at waterinfo@stevenspointwaterdpt.org or call us at 345-5260.  Thank you.

 

Stevens Point Water Department
300 Bliss Avenue
P.O. Box 243
Stevens Point, WI 54481-0243

Phone: 715-345-5260

Office Hours : Monday - Friday ==> 7:30 am - 4:00 pm
Emergency After Hours Calls Only ==> 346 - 1051