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www.hopewell-junction-citizens-for-clean-water.org

Our View On Little Switzerland Water!

On July 17 the EPA held a meeting to meet with residents living in the Hopewell Precision Superfund site and residents living in Little Switzerland. Over 200 people showed up and we would like to thank each and every one of them for attending. The meeting lasted over 4 hours. Many questions were asked. We would like to give you our view and answer some of those questions since we have been extremely involved with this issue.

For those of you that want to get the IBM water instead of Little Switzerland water, we ask why? According to a very good authority, Little Switzerland water is some of the best water in the county. IBM water is more expensive. IBM water also contains chloromines and PCBs. There is simply no comparison.

Those of you wanting to stay with your Point of Entry Treatment Systems, POET, we understand your reasoning but you need to look at the big picture. Having these systems are protecting us but they were not meant to be a permanent solution. Some real estate brokers are staying away from our area because of our water. They do not care that our POET systems work 100%. Having and needing those systems are a big red mark over our community. Maybe not today but 5, 10, 25 years down the line you will want to sell your home. Having a water system will once again allow our homes to be marketable. We will never again have this opportunity to get water piped to our home on the federal governments dime. Try paying for a water system out of your own pocket.

So what if the government is going to pay to fix Little Switzerland's broken pipes? We see it as a win-win situation. The reason for so many broken pipes is when the original system was built, it was built incorrectly. The pipes were put directly on the rock. We think the people up in Little Switzerland deserve to get their well fixed correctly at no more cost to them. It is not their fault that whoever built the well cut corners. They will benefit from our connecting to their system and once again we say....so what?

Two years ago at an EPA meeting, residents were begging for a water system. No one said they wanted to live with their POET system for ever. Well, the EPA did what YOU asked. The water they want to supply to us is good quality water. Great in fact. They want to bring it to your home at no cost to you.

The original owner of Hopewell Precision is not deceased as someone said at the meeting. He is alive and well and living in California. Living very nicely. In the late 70's when the dumping took place, Hopewell Precision knew exactly what they were doing. They were greedy and saved some money at our expense. We agree that Hopewell Precision should pay for our water once the bills begin. We need to lobby hard to get this to happen.

Just look at the 8 or so superfund sites IBM caused in Dutchess County. Did IBM get penalized? NO! Dutchess County and NYS used our tax dollars to help pay for a water line going directly to IBM because IBM contaminated the tons of water under the East Fishkill IBM plant. And do not get us started on their tax deductions. Injustices such as these are not right. For IBM and Hopewell Precision, crime does pay!

Members of the public are encouraged to comment on the proposed cleanup plan during the public comment period, which ends on August 5, 2008. The proposed plan and other relevant documents are available at the East Fishkill Town Hall Community Library located at 348 Route 376, Hopewell Junction, at EPA’s Manhattan offices at 290 Broadway or online.

A copy of the proposed plan can be obtained by going to the EPA Website at: http://epa.gov/region02/superfund/npl/hopewell/proposedplan.pdf

The little Switzerland well water results-2005-2006

Annual Drinking Water Quality Report for 2005
Little Switzerland Water District
Town of East Fishkill
(Public Water Supply ID# 1302803)

INTRODUCTION

To comply with State regulations, Little Switzerland Water District will be annually issuing a report describing the quality of your drinking water. The purpose of this report is to raise your understanding of drinking water and awareness of the need to protect our drinking water sources. Last year, your tap water met all State drinking water health standards. This report provides an overview of last year’s water quality. Included are details about where your water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to State standards.

If you have any questions about this report or concerning your drinking water, please contact Supervisor John Hickman, Jr. at (845) 221-4303 or Highway Superintendent Dennis Miller at (845) 221-2681. We want you to be informed about your drinking water. If you want to learn more, please attend any of our regularly scheduled town board meetings. The meetings are held throughout the year.

WHERE DOES OUR WATER COME FROM?

In general, 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 activities. Contaminants that may be present in source water include: microbial contaminants; inorganic contaminants; pesticides and herbicides; organic chemical contaminants; and radioactive contaminants. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the State and the EPA prescribe regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The State Health Department’s and the FDA’s regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.

Our water system serves a total of approximately 135 homes. Our water source is from two drilled wells that draw from an underground aquifer along the Fishkill/Sprout Creek drainage basin. The water is disinfected with chlorine (sodium hypochlorite) prior to distribution. The Little Switzerland Water District facilities produced nearly 22.3 million gallons of water for distribution throughout the year with an average daily production of approximately 61,100 gallons.

The New York State Department of Health completed a source water assessment of the water supply in 2003. The source water assessment has rated our water source as having a potential susceptibility to microbial and nitrate contamination. These ratings are due primarily to the reported proximity of the wells to permitted discharge facilities (facilities that discharge wastewater into the environment and are regulated by the state and/or federal government) and the residential land use and related activities in the assessment area. The full results of this report are available from the Town of East Fishkill or the Dutchess County Department of Health. For questions regarding this report, please contact the New York State Department of Health at (518) 402-7713.

ARE THERE CONTAMINANTS IN OUR DRINKING WATER?

As the State regulations require, we routinely test your drinking water for numerous contaminants. These contaminants include: total coliform, inorganic compounds, nitrate, volatile organic compounds and synthetic organic compounds. The table presented below depicts which compounds were detected in your drinking water. The State allows us to test for some contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently. Some of our data, though representative, are more than one year old.

It should be noted that all drinking water, including bottled drinking water, may be reasonably 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 EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791) or the Dutchess County Department of Health at (845) 486-3400

 

 

Table of Detected Contaminants
Contaminant	Violation Yes/No	Date of Sample	Level Detected (Avg/Max) (Range)	Unit Measure- ment	MCLG	Regulatory Limit (MCL or AL)	Likely Source of Contamination
Inorganic Contaminants
Chloride	No	9/05	81	mg/l	N/A	250	Naturally occurring or indicative of road salt contamination.
Color	No	9/05	5	Units	N/A	15	Large quantities of organic chemicals, inadequate treatment, high disinfectant demand, and the presence of metals such as iron, manganese, and copper.
Odor	No	9/05	2	Units	N/A	3	Organic or inorganic pollutants originating from municipal and industrial waste discharges; natural sources.
Manganese	No	9/05	8	ug/l	N/A	300	Naturally occurring. Indicative of landfill contamination.
Iron	No	9/05	93	ug/l	N/A	300	Naturally occurring.
Barium	No	9/05	4	ug/l	N/A	2000	Discharge of drilling wastes; Discharge from metal refineries; Erosion of natural deposits.
Nitrate	No	9/05	1.29	mg/l	10	10	Runoff from fertilizer use; Leaching from septic tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits.
Sodium	No	9/05	11.4	mg/l	N/A	N/A (1)	Naturally occurring; Road salt; Water softeners; Animal waste.
Sulfate	No	9/04	32	mg/l	N/A	250	Naturally occurring.
Copper	No	8/05	0.380 (.199-.442)	mg/l	1.3	AL=1.3	Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits; leaching from wood preservatives.
Lead	No	8/02	4.5 (1-10)	ug/l	0	AL=15	Corrosion of household plumbing systems, erosion of natural deposits.
Radioactive Contaminants
Beta particle and photon activity from man-made radionuclides	No	6/04 – 12/04	3.94 (Avg.) (3.29 – 4.58)	pCi/l	0	50	Decay of natural deposits and man-made emissions.
Gross alpha activity (including radium- 226 but excluding radon and uranium)	No	6/04 – 12/04	4.25 (Avg.) (3.68 – 4.82)	pCi/l	0	15	Erosion of natural deposits.
Combined radium – 226 and 228	No	6/04 – 12/04	0.56 (Avg.) (ND – 0.61)	pCi/l	0	5	Erosion of natural deposits.

 

Notes:

(1) Water containing more than 20 mg/l of sodium should not be used by people on severely restricted sodium diets. Water containing more than 270 mg/l of sodium should not be used for drinking by people on moderately restricted sodium diets.

Definitions:

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.

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.

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 required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water. Non-Detects (ND): Laboratory analysis indicates that the constituent is not present.

Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU): A measure of the clarity of water. Turbidity in excess of 5 NTU is just noticeable to the average person.

Milligrams per liter (mg/l): Corresponds to one part of liquid in one million parts of liquid (parts per million - ppm).

Micrograms per liter (ug/l): Corresponds to one part of liquid in one billion parts of liquid (parts per billion - ppb). Nanograms per liter (ng/l): Corresponds to one part of liquid to one trillion parts of liquid (parts per trillion - ppt). Picograms per liter (pg/l): Corresponds to one part per of liquid to one quadrillion parts of liquid (parts per quadrillion – ppq).

Picocuries per liter (pCi/L): A measure of the radioactivity in water.

Millirems per year (mrem/yr): A measure of radiation absorbed by the body.

Million Fibers per Liter (MFL): A measure of the presence of asbestos fibers that are longer than 10 micrometers.

WHAT DOES THIS INFORMATION MEAN?

As you can see by the table, our system had no violations. We have learned through our testing that some contaminants have been detected; however, these contaminants were detected below the level allowed by the State.

IS OUR WATER SYSTEM MEETING OTHER RULES THAT GOVERN OPERATIONS?

During 2005, our system was in compliance with applicable State drinking water operating, monitoring and reporting requirements. According tto our records, the majority water customers have water softeners installed. The Dutchess County Department of Healtth does not require monitoring of individual customers under the lead and copper rule for customers with softteners. If you do not currently use a water softener and wish to have the Town of East Fishkill perform lead and coppper testing for you, please contact the East Fishkill Water Department at 221- 2681.

Do I Need to Take Special Precautions?

Some people may be more vulnerable to disease causing microorganisms or pathogens 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 from their health care provider about their drinking water. EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium, Giardia and other microbial pathogens are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800- 426-4791).

 

WHY SAVE WATER AND HOW TO AVOID WASTING IT?

Although our system has an adequate amount of water to meet present and future demands, there are a number of reasons why it is important to conserve water:

·            Saving water saves energy and some of the costs associated with both of these necessities of life;

·            Saving water reduces the cost of energy required to pump water and the need to construct costly new wells, pumping systems and water towers; and

·            Saving water lessens the strain on the water system during a dry spell or drought, helping to avoid severe water use restrictions so that essential fire fighting needs are met.

You can play a role in conserving water by becoming conscious of the amount of water your household is using, and by looking for ways to use less whenever you can. It is not hard to conserve water. Conservation tips include:

·            Automatic dishwashers use 15 gallons for every cycle, regardless of how many dishes are loaded. So get a run for your money and load it to capacity.

·            Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth.

·            Check every faucet in your home for leaks. Just a slow drip can waste 15 to 20 gallons a day. Fix it and you can save almost 6,000 gallons per year.

·            Check your toilets for leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank, watch for a few minutes to see if the color shows up in the bowl. It is not uncommon to lose up to 100 gallons a day from one of these otherwise invisible toilet leaks. Fix it and you save more than 30,000 gallons a year.

CLOSING

Thank you for allowing us to continue to provide your family with quality drinking water this year. We ask that all our customers help us protect our water sources, which are the heart of our community. Please us if you have questions.

 

Annual Drinking Water Quality Report for 2006
Little Switzerland Water District
Town of East Fishkill
(Public Water Supply ID# 1302803)

INTRODUCTION

To comply with State regulations, Little Switzerland Water District will be annually issuing a report describing the quality of your drinking water. The purpose of this report is to raise your understanding of drinking water and awareness of the need to protect our drinking water sources. Last year, your tap water met all State drinking water health standards. This report provides an overview of last year’s water quality. Included are details about where your water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to State standards.

If you have any questions about this report or concerning your drinking water, please contact Supervisor John Hickman, Jr. at (845) 221-4303 or Highway Superintendent Dennis Miller at (845) 221-2681. We want you to be informed about your drinking water. If you want to learn more, please attend any of our regularly scheduled town board meetings. The meetings are held throughout the year.

WHERE DOES OUR WATER COME FROM?

In general, 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 activities. Contaminants that may be present in source water include: microbial contaminants; inorganic contaminants; pesticides and herbicides; organic chemical contaminants; and radioactive contaminants. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the State and the EPA prescribe regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The State Health Department’s and the FDA’s regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.

Our water system serves a total of approximately 135 homes. Our water source is from two drilled wells that draw from an underground aquifer along the Fishkill/Sprout Creek drainage basin. The water is disinfected with chlorine (sodium hypochlorite) prior to distribution. The Little Switzerland Water District facilities produced nearly 31.5 million gallons of water for distribution throughout the year with an average daily production of approximately 86,300 gallons.

The New York State Department of Health completed a source water assessment of the water supply in 2003. The source water assessment has rated our water source as having a potential susceptibility to microbial and nitrate contamination. These ratings are due primarily to the reported proximity of the wells to permitted discharge facilities (facilities that discharge wastewater into the environment and are regulated by the state and/or federal government) and the residential land use and related activities in the assessment area. The full results of this report are available from the Town of East Fishkill or the Dutchess County Department of Health. For questions regarding this report, please contact the New York State Department of Health at (518) 402-7713.

ARE THERE CONTAMINANTS IN OUR DRINKING WATER?

As the State regulations require, we routinely test your drinking water for numerous contaminants. These contaminants include: total coliform, inorganic compounds, nitrate, volatile organic compounds and synthetic organic compounds. The table presented below depicts which compounds were detected in your drinking water. The State allows us to test for some contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently. Some of our data, though representative, are more than one year old.

It should be noted that all drinking water, including bottled drinking water, may be reasonably 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 EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791) or the Dutchess County Department of Health at (845) 486-3400

 

 

Table of Detected Contaminants
Contaminant	Violation Yes/No	Date of Sample	Level Detected (Avg/Max) (Range)	Unit Measure- ment	MCLG	Regulatory Limit (MCL or AL)	Likely Source of Contamination
Inorganic Contaminants
Chloride	No	9/05	81	mg/l	N/A	250	Naturally occurring or indicative of road salt contamination.
Color	No	9/05	5	Units	N/A	15	Large quantities of organic chemicals, inadequate treatment, high disinfectant demand, and the presence of metals such as iron, manganese, and copper.
Odor	No	9/05	2	Units	N/A	3	Organic or inorganic pollutants originating from municipal and industrial waste discharges; natural sources.
Manganese	No	9/05	8	ug/l	N/A	300	Naturally occurring. Indicative of landfill contamination.
Iron	No	9/05	93	ug/l	N/A	300	Naturally occurring.
Barium	No	9/05	4	ug/l	N/A	2000	Discharge of drilling wastes; Discharge from metal refineries; Erosion of natural deposits.
Nitrate	No	9/06	1.48	mg/l	10	10	Runoff from fertilizer use; Leaching from septic tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits.
Sodium	No	9/05	11.4	mg/l	N/A	N/A (1)	Naturally occurring; Road salt; Water softeners; Animal waste.