2013 Annual Water Quality Report

2013 Annual 
Water Quality 
Report 
City of New London Utilities
Serving New London & Waterford Connecticut
Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio
Water & Water Pollution Control Authority  
Barry Weiner, Chairman
Robert Grills, Vice Chairman
Gregory Dzicek
Glenn Hamler
Robert Funk
Evelyn Louziotis
John W. Russel
Customer Service: 
(860) 447-5222
Safe Drinking Water Hotline:
(800) 426-4791
The City of New London’s annual
water quality report shows the source
of our water, lists the results of our
tests, and contains important
information about water and health. 
•••
We are pleased to show 
you how we have surpassed 
water-quality standards. 
•••
If you have concerns about the quality of water
please contact the customer service office.
Este informe continene informacion importante acerca
de su agua potable. Haga que alguien lo traduzca para
usted, o hable con alguien que lo entienda.
Customer Service
(860) 447-5222
Safe Drinking Water Hotline
(800) 426-4791
W&WPCA regular meetings are held at 7:00 pm 
on the fourth Thursday of each month in the 
New London Senior Center Library at 120 Broad 
Street (rear)  
Public Utilities
120 Broad Street
New London, CT 06320
860-447-5222
Fax: 860-437-6323
The Water Department Office is located on the 
second floor of the Richard R. Martin Center,    
120 Broad St., New London, CT. Water and sewer 
bills may be paid during the weekdays from  
8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
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Water system data
The City of New london’s water comes from lakes and
reservoirs in a protected watershed that is located in
Waterford, Montville, and Salem. The principal reservoir is Lake
Konomcx:, storing over 1.2 billion gallons of water. The water is
treated at Konomoc and delivered through a system of 210
miles of pipes. four pump stat ions and six water storage tanks
with a capacity offifteen million gallons.
     The water system serves 45,000 customers through 14,000
water services. Over 2 billion gallons of water per year is
processed using coagulat ion. flocculation, sedimentation and
carbon filt ration. Lime is added to the finished water to adjust
the ph. sodium hypochlorite to disinfect. fluoride for dental
health and phosphate for corrosion cont rol. Water quality lab
tests are performed regularly at t he plant and by Groton Labs,
a state certified facility.   
Lead and copper advisory
Corrosion of household plumbing systems and erosion of
nat ural deposits are sources of lead in drinking water. Infants
and children who drink water containing lead in excess of the
action level could experience delays in their physical or mental
development Children could show slight deficits in attention
span and learning abilities. Adults who drink this water over
many years could develop kidney problems or high blood
pressure.
     Sources of copper in drinking water are corrosion of
household plumbing systems, erosion of natural deposits, and
leaching from wood preservatives. Copper is an essential
nutrient, but some people who drink water containing copper
in excess of the action level over a relatively short amount of
time could experience gastrointestinal distress. Some people
who drink water containing copper in excess of the action
level over many years could suffer liver or kidney damage.
People with Wilson’s Disease should consult their personal
doctor.
Source water assessment
The Connecticut Department of Public Health, Drinking Water
Division completed a water assessment of Lake Konomoc
Reservoir System t hat can be accessed on the Department of
Public Health’s website: htt p://www.dph.state.ct.us.The
assessment found that this public drinking water source,
Lake Konomoc, has a low susceptibility to potential sources
of contamination. Additional source water assessment
informat ion can be found at the Environmental Protect ion
Agency’s website at www.epa.gov.
Source water protection
Source water is unt reated water from streams, rivers, lakes or
underground aquifers that is used to supply public drinking
water. Preventing drinking water contamination at the source
makes good public health sense, good economic sense, and
good environmental sense. You can be aware of the
challenges of keeping drinking water safe and take an active
role in protecting drinking water. There are many ways you
can get involved in drinking water protection. Dispose properly
of household chemicals, help clean up the watershed, or attend
publiC meetings to ensure the community’s need for safe
drinking water is considered in making decisions about land
use. For more information contact the EPA at 1-800-426-4791 or
visit the EPA:s website at www.epa.gov/safewater/protect.html
Maintenance of
2,000 hydrants
Treatment plant
Treatment plant
Pump station

Additional health information
To ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA sets limits on
the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by
public water systems. FDA regulations establish limits for
contaminants in bottled water. Small amounts of some
contaminants are commonly found in all drinking water,
including bottled water. The presence of contaminants does
not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk.
	 Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in
drinking water. Immuno-compromised persons, such as
cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, organ
transplant recipients, 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 are available
from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).
	 The sources of drinking water (both tap 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 radioactive material and can pick up
substances from the presence of animals or human activity.
	 Contaminants that may be present in source water include:
(A) Microbial contaminants, (viruses and bacteria)
which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic
systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife.
(B) Inorganic contaminants, (salts and metals) which
can be naturally occurring or result from urban storm
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, storm water runoff,
and residential uses.
(D) Organic chemical contaminants, (synthetic and
volatile organics) which are byproducts 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.
Water quality
How to read this table
The table shows the results of our water-quality analyses.
Every regulated contaminant detected in the water, even in
the minutest traces, is listed here. The table contains the
name of each substance, the ideal level for public health
(MCLG), the highest level allowed by regulation (MCL), the
amount detected, the usual sources of such contamination,
footnotes explaining our findings, and a key to units of
measurement.
Definitions of MCL and MCLG are important.
Maximum Contaminant Level or MCL:
The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in
drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLG’s 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 or AL:
The concentration of a contaminant, which if exceeded
triggers a treatment or other requirement, which a water
system must follow.
N/A: Not applicable
NTU: Nephelometric Turbidity Unit
Parts per million or ppm: The equivalent of one
second in 12 days
Parts per billion or ppb: The equivalent of one
second in 32 years.
Water conservation
It is vital that we all work together to maintain it and use it
wisely. Here are a few tips you can follow to help conserve:
• Check for leaky toilets (put a drop of food coloring in
	 the tank, let it sit. If the water in the bowl turns color,
	 you have a leak). A leaking faucet or toilet can dribble
	 away thousands of gallons of water a year.
• Consider replacing your 5-gallon per flush toilet with an
	 efficient 1.6 gallon per flush unit. This will permanently
	 cut your water consumption by 25%.
• Run only full loads in dishwashers and washing machines.
	 Rinse all hand-washed dishes at once.
• Turn off the faucet while brushing teeth or shaving.
• Water lawn and plants in the early morning or evening
	 hours to avoid excess evaporation. Don’t water on a windy,
	 rainy, or very hot day.
• Water shrubs and gardens using a slow trickle around
	 the roots.
• Apply mulch around plantings.
• Select low-water demanding plants that provide an
	 attractive landscape without high water use.
• Be sure your hose has a shut-off nozzle. Hoses without
	 a nozzle can spout 10 gallons more per minute.
• Be sure sprinklers water only your lawn and not the
	 pavement.
Regulated at the treatment facility
	
	
	
Highest
	
	
	
Level	
Major sources
Substance	
MCLG	
MCL	
Detected	
in drinking water
Turbidity	
N/A	
5 NTU	
0.29 NTU	
Soil runoff
Chloride	
N/A	
250 ppm	
17 ppm	
Natural deposits; runoff from roadsalting
Sodium	
N/A	
* 28 ppm *	
11.4 ppm	
Natural deposits; runoff from roadsalting
Sulfate	
N/A	
N/A	
5.1 ppm	
Naturally present in the environment
TOC	
N/A	
N/A	
1.6 ppm	
Naturally present in the environment
Fluoride	
4 ppm	
4 ppm	
1.17 ppm	
Water additive which promotes  strong teeth; erosion of natural deposits; 
	
	
	
	
discharge from fertilizerand aluminum factories
Barium	
N/A	
2 ppm	
0.004 ppm	
Discharge of drilling wastes; discharge from metal refineries; 
	
	
	
	
erosion of natural deposits 
Nitrate	
N/A	
10 ppm	
0.005 ppm	
Runoff from fertilizer use; leaching from septic tanks, sewage; 
	
	
	
	
erosion of natural deposits
Regulated in the New London distribution system
	
	
	
Highest
	
	
	
Monthly	
	
Major sources
Substance	
MCLG	
MCL	
Average	
Range	
in drinking water
HAA5	
N/A	
60 ppb	
24 ppb	
12 - 33 ppb	
Byproduct of drinking
	
	
	
	
	
water disinfection
TTHM	
N/A	
80 ppb	
63 ppb	
15 - 67 ppb	
Byproduct of drinking
	
	
	
	
	
water disinfection
Chlorine	
4.0 ppm	 4.0 ppm	
0.7 ppm	
0 - 1.5 ppm	
Water additive used to
	
	
	
	
	
control microbes
Regulated in the Waterford distribution system
	
	
	
Highest
	
	
	
Monthly	
	
Major sources
Substance	
MCLG	
MCL	
Average	
Range	
in drinking water
HAA5	
N/A	
60 ppb	
26 ppb	
1 - 36 ppb	
Byproduct of drinking
	
	
	
	
	
water disinfection
TTHM	
N/A	
80 ppb	
70 ppb	
13 - 89 ppb	
Byproduct of drinking
	
	
	
	
	
water disinfection
Chlorine	
4.0 ppm	 4.0 ppm	
1.5 ppm	
0 - 1.8 ppm	
Water additive used to
	
	
	
	
	
control microbes
Regulated at the tap of New London’s customers
	
	
	
	
	
	
Your	
	
	
	
Major sources
Substance	
MCLG	
MCL	
Water	
Range	
Sample Year	
Violation	
in drinking water
Lead	
0 ppb	
AL = 15 ppb	 3.8 ppb	
1 site over	
2011	
No	
Corrosion of household
	
	
	
	
action level	
	
	
plumbing systems
Copper	
1.3 ppm	 AL = 1.3 ppm 	0.15 ppm	
not detected over	
2011	
No	
Corrosion of household
	
	
	
	
action level	
	
	
plumbing systems
Regulated at the tap of Waterford’s customers
	
	
	
	
	
	
Your	
	
	
	
Major sources
Substance	
MCLG	
MCL	
Water	
Range	
Sample Year	
Violation	
in drinking water
Lead	
0 ppb	
AL = 15 ppb	 0	
not detected over	
2011	
No	
Corrosion of household
	
	
	
	
action level	
	
	
plumbing systems
Copper	
1.3 ppm	 AL = 1.3 ppm 	0.13 ppm	
not detected over	
2011	
No	
Corrosion of household
	
	
	
	
action level	
	
	
plumbing systems
*** Although there is no EPA MCL for sodium, the State of Connecticut requires systems which exceed 28 ppm notify their customers, 
so individuals on sodium restricted diets can inform their physicians.
Monitoring and reporting violations   
None
Public Education and Information
Please call the customer service office for more information about the water system, wastewater system or environmental concerns. 
Additional information is available and public educational opportunities are available.
The data presented in this report is from the most recent
testing done in accordance with regulations. Although we ran
thousands of tests for more than a hundred contaminants,
only the substances listed above were found. They are all
within the required MCL.
Infants and children: Delays in physical or mental development; children could show slight deicits in attention span and learning abilities; 
Adults: Kidney problems; high blood pressure; Short-term exposure: Gastrointestinal distress. Long-term exposure: Liver or kidney damage. 
People with Wilson’s Disease should consult their personal doctor if the amount of copper in their water exceeds the action level 
Infants and children: Delays in physical or mental development; children could show slight deicits in attention span and learning abilities
Adults: Kidney problems; high blood pressure 
If you have any questions regarding this report or any 
other water quality questions please call 
(860) 447-5222