2009 Annual Water Quality Report

City of New London Utilities
Serving New London & Waterford Connecticut
2009 Annual 
Water Quality 
Report
T
he City of New London 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 contiene 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
Customer Service: 
(860) 447-5222
Safe Drinking Water Hotline: 
(800)426-4791
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 Martin Center Building 
on 120 Broad Street. Water and sewer bills may 
be paid during weekdays 8:30-4:00.
Water & Water Pollution Control Authority
Barry Weiner Chairman
Robert Grills Vice Chairman
Mario Strafaci
Evelyn Louziotis
Glen Hamler
Gregory Dziczek


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 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 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 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.
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.
Regulated at the treatment facility
Substance
MCLG
MCL
Highest Level Detected
Major sources in drinking water
Turbidity
N/A
5 NTU
0.24 NTU
Soil Runoff
Chloride
N/A
250 ppm
18 ppm
Natural Deposits; Runoff from road salting
Sodium
N/A
* 28 ppm *
9.8 ppm
Natural Deposits; Runoff from road salting
Sulfate
N/A
N/A
6.0 ppm
Naturally present in the environment
TOC
N/A
N/A
1.3 ppm
Naturally present in the environment
Fluoride
4 ppm
4 ppm
0.15 ppm
Water additive that promotes strong teeth
Barium
N/A
2 ppm
0.003 ppm
Naturally present in the environment
Regulated in the New London distribution system
Substance
MCLG
MCL
Highest Level Detected
Major sources in drinking water
HAA5
N/A
0.06 ppm
0.02 ppm
By-product of chlorinating drinking water
TTHM
N/A
0.08 ppm
0.09 ppm
By-product of chlorinating drinking water
Chlorine
4.0 ppm
4.0 ppm
1.87 ppm
Water additive used to control microbes
Regulated in the Waterford distribution system
Substance
MCLG
MCL
Highest Level Detected
Major sources in drinking water
HAA5
N/A
0.06 ppm
0.03 ppm
By-product of chlorinating drinking water
TTHM
N/A
0.08 ppm
0.07 ppm
By-product of chlorinating drinking water
Chlorine
4.0 ppm
4.0 ppm
1.82 ppm
Water additive used to control microbes
Regulated at New London’s customers tap
Substance
MCLG
MCL
Highest Level Detected
Major sources in drinking water
Lead 
0 ppb
AL = 15 ppb
5 ppb
Corrosion of household plumbing systems
Copper
1.3 ppm
AL = 1.3 ppm
0.09 ppm
Corrosion of household plumbing systems
Regulated at Waterford’s customers tap
Substance
MCLG
MCL
Highest Level Detected
Major sources in drinking water
Lead 
0 ppb
AL = 15 ppb
13 ppb
Corrosion of household plumbing systems
Copper
1.3 ppm
AL = 1.3 ppm
0.11 ppm
Corrosion of household plumbing systems
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.
If you have any questions regarding this report or any other water quality questions 
please call (860) 447-5222
*** Although there is no EPA MCL for sodium, the State of Connecticut requires systems exceeding 28 ppm notify their
customers, so individuals on sodium restricted diets can inform their physiciansbe present in source water include:
The data presented in this report is from the most
recent testing done in accordance with regulations.
Although we ran thousands of tests for over a hundred
contaminants, only the substances listed below were
found. They are all the within the required MCL.