Consumer Confidence Report
The Southeastern Oakland County Water Authority and the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department are proud of the fine drinking water they provide. The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department's drinking water meets or surpasses all federal and state drinking water standards. This Consumers' Annual Report on Water Quality shows the source of our water, lists the results of our tests and contains important information about water and health.
The Southeastern Oakland County Water Authority (SOCWA), incorporated in 1953, provides Detroit water through its member distribution systems to a population of 210,000 within a 56 square mile area. Current members are: Berkley, Beverly Hills, Bingham Farms, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Clawson, Huntington Woods, Lathrup Village, Pleasant Ridge, Royal Oak, Southfield and Southfield Township.
The sources of supply to the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department System (DWSD) are the Detroit River and Lake Huron. Water from the Detroit River is taken through the Belle Isle intakes and is treated at the Northeast and the Springwells Plants. The water taken from Lake Huron near the City of Port Huron is treated at the Lake Huron Treatment Plant.
For communities who receive water from the Springwells water treatment plant (Berkley, Clawson, Huntington Woods, Lathrup Village, Pleasant Ridge, Royal Oak and Southfield): Your source water comes from the Detroit River, situated within the Lake St. Clair, Clinton River, Detroit River, Rouge River, Ecorse River, in the U.S. and parts of the Thames River, Little River, Turkey Creek and Sydenham watersheds in Canada. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, and the Michigan Public Health Institute performed a source water assessment in 2004 to determine the susceptibility of potential contamination. The susceptibility rating is on a seven-tiered scale from "very low" to "very high" based primarily on geologic sensitivity, water chemistry, and contaminant sources. The susceptibility of our Detroit River source water intakes were determined to be highly susceptible to potential contamination. However, all four Detroit water treatment plants that use source water from the Detroit River have historically provided satisfactory treatment of this source water to meet drinking water standards. DWSD has initiated source-water protection activities that include chemical containment, spill response, and a mercury reduction program. DWSD participates in a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit discharge program and has an emergency response management plan. If you would like to know more information about this report or to obtain a complete copy of this report, please contact your local water department.
For communities who receive water from the Lake Huron water treatment plant (Beverly Hills, Bingham Farms, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills): Your source water comes from the lower Lake Huron watershed. The watershed includes numerous short, seasonal streams that drain to Lake Huron. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, and the Michigan Public Health Institute performed a source water assessment in 2004 to determine the susceptibility of potential contamination. The susceptibility rating is on a seven-tiered scale ranging from "very low" to "very high" based primarily on geologic sensitivity, water chemistry, and contaminant sources. The Lake Huron source water intake is categorized as having a moderately low susceptibility to potential contaminant sources. The Lake Huron water treatment plant has historically provided satisfactory treatment of this source water to meet drinking water standards. If you would like to know more information about this report or to obtain a complete copy of this report, please contact your local water department..
Statistical Data of Raw Water Lines (DWSD)
- Water Works Park receives its raw water via a 10 foot/11 foot diameter brick/concrete tunnel lying below the Detroit River's surface.
- Northeast Water Treatment Plant receives raw water from a common intake shaft with Water Works Park and the Springwells facility. Water travels through a 15.5 foot diameter river tunnel buried deep below the water surface. A common 14 foot diameter tunnel transports raw water for both Northeast and Springwells from Water Works Park to a point north approximately 10,000 feet where the 14 foot diameter line divides into a 10 foot line to the Northeast Plant, and a 12 foot barrel to the Springwells Plant. From the division, water travels through the 10 foot line approximately 5.2 miles to the Northeast Plant and through the 12 foot diameter tunnel, 8.5 miles to the Springwells Plant.
- The Lake Huron Plant receives raw water from Lake Huron. The intake shaft is located 4 miles from shore. Raw water travels 6 miles between the intake and the plant via a 16 foot diameter gravity flow line.
The many miles of deep raw water tunnels are periodically inspected, either by hard hat divers or with cameras, for structural integrity and zebra mussel infestation.
Note: Data is from various maps and drawings held by DWSD.
Required Health Information
To ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes limits on the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. FDA regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water.
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).
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 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 organics, 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, 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. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health.
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than is 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 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. The Southeastern Oakland County Water Authority 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 elevated lead levels in your home's water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791) or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
Cryptosporidium is a microbial pathogen found in surface water throughout the U.S. Although filtration removes Cryptosporidium, the most commonly used filtration methods cannot guarantee 100 percent removal. Our monitoring indicates the presence of these organisms in our source water. Cryptosporidium was detected once, during a twelve-month period at our Detroit River intake plants. Current test methods do not allow us to determine if the organisms are dead or if they are capable of causing disease. Ingestion of Cryptosporidium may cause Cryptosporidiosis, an abdominal infection. Symptoms of infection include nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. Most healthy individuals can overcome the disease within a few weeks. However, immuno-compromised people, infants and small children, and the elderly are at greater risk of developing life-threatening illness. We encourage immuno-compromised individuals to consult their doctor regarding appropriate precautions to take to avoid infection. Cryptosporidium must be ingested to cause disease, and it may be spread through means other than drinking water.
Unregulated contaminants are those for which EPA has not established drinking water standards. Monitoring helps EPA to determine where certain contaminants occur and whether it needs to regulate those contaminants. Beginning in July 2008-April 2009, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) began monitoring quarterly for unregulated contaminants under the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 2 (UCMR2). All the UCMR2 contaminants monitored on List 1 and List 2 in 2008-2009 were undetected.
Additional Contaminants Monitored
The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department has performed additional monitoring and tested for many substances found in water. These substances may be a concern if they occur at high concentrations; however, maximum safe levels have not been set for them because we do not know if they pose a health risk - because we do not have a good way of detecting them or because they are rarely found in treated water. We measured and detected Total Haloacetic Acid (a family of six (6) halogenated acetic acid organic chemicals), Aluminum, Iron, Silver, and Zinc. The measured amount of these substances is below the EPA health advisory limit. Scientific findings suggest that the level we found poses no threat to human health.
Other Monitoring
In addition to testing that is required to be performed, DWSD voluntarily tests for hundreds of additional substances and microscopic organisms to make certain our water is safe and of high quality. If you are interested in a more detailed report, contact the Water Quality Division at (313) 926-8127.
Upon completion of the treatment process at the various plants, the finished water is transported through Detroit transmission mains ultimately reaching the SOCWA system via their 54-inch water line in Eight Mile Road, 60-inch water line in Inkster Road and their new 72-inch water line along Quarton-Lahser-14 Mile Roads.
The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department's drinking water meets or surpasses all federal and state drinking water standards. DWSD is a member of the Partnerships For Safe Water, a new national initiative to help achieve operational excellence in water treatment. The partnership was developed through cooperation among the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), states, and water supply associations to provide better protection for consumers from microbial contaminants that can cause intestinal illness.
SOCWA System
There were a total of seven (7) connections to the DWSD System that provided for the purchase of approximately 8,361 million gallons of water (see breakdown below) for an average of 22.9 million gallons per day.
Shafter Pump Station (Livernois and Eight Mile Road) 505.8
Lamb Pump Station (Greenfield and Eight Mile Road) 45.7
12 Mile Meter Station (Twelve Mile and Inkster Road) 3,381.0
14 Mile and Lahser Meter Station (Fourteen Mile and Lahser) 4,202.7
Quarton and Chesterfield 223.3
Square Lake and Lahser 451.9
The SOCWA System delivered water purchased from the City of Detroit through a system of 54 miles of water main, storage and pumping facilities, leading to 48 metered connections to its member communities.
2009 Community Consumption |
|
| Berkley | 417 Million Gallons |
| Beverly Hills | 361 Million Gallons |
| Birmingham | 909 Million Gallons |
| Bingham Farms | 91 Million Gallons |
| Bloomfield Hills | 458 Million Gallons |
| Clawson | 306 Million Gallons |
| Detroit Zoo | 136 Million Gallons |
| Rackham Golf Course | 8 Million Gallons |
| Huntington Woods | 200 Million Gallons |
| Lathrup Village | 115 Million Gallonns |
| Pleasant Ridge | 90 Million Gallons |
| Royal Oak | 2,025 Million Gallons |
| Southfield | 3,753 Million Gallons |
SOCWA has a fully certified laboratory for the microbiological examination of drinking water which is compliant with state and federal regulations. We take a minimum of 58 water samples per week at strategic locations throughout the distribution system and test for indications of waterborne pollution to ensure that the water is bacteriologically safe. We begin the analysis of each sample in our lab the day that it is taken. We are proud of the fact that we had no positive tests for the year and therefore no follow up testing or other actions were required.
This report includes the following charts and tables listing the results of tests conducted by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department and the Southeastern Oakland County Water Authority in the year 2010
- Springwells Water Treatment Plant Detected Contaminants Table
- Lake Huron Water Treatment Plant Detected Contaminants Table
- SOCWA'S Bacteriological Analysis Report
Terms used in these charts, tables and other parts of the report are defined here:
Definitions:
Maximum Contaminant Level or 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 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 (AL): The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirement that a water system must undertake.
Treatment Technique (TT): A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.
The data presented in this report is from the most recent testing done in accordance with regulations.
Key to Detected Contaminants Tables |
||
Symbol |
Abbreviation for |
Definition/Explanation |
MCLG |
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal |
The level of contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. |
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. |
MRDLG |
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level |
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. |
MRDL |
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level |
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. |
ppb |
Parts per billion (one in one billion) |
The ppb is equivalent to micrograms per liter. A microgram = 1/1000 milligram. |
ppm |
Parts per million (one in one million) |
The ppm is equivalent to milligrams per liter. A milligram = 1/1000 gram. |
NTU |
Nephelometric Turbidity Units |
Measures the cloudiness of water. |
| ND | Not Detected | |
TT |
Treatment Technique |
A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water. |
AL |
Action Level |
The concentration of a contaminant, which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow. |
| HAA5 | Haloacetic acids | HAA5 is the total of bromoacetic, chloroacetic, dibromoacetic, dichloroacetic, and trichloroacetic acids. Compliance is based on the total. |
| TTHM | Total Trihalomethanes | Total Trihalomethanes is the sum of chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane, and bromoform. Compliance is based on the total. |
| pCi/l | picocuries per liter | a measure of radioactivity |
n/a |
Not applicable |
|
> |
Greater than |
|
Water-Quality Table Footnotes
- The detected level is based on the 90 percentile values of the most recent round of sampling. No samples exceeded the action level (AL).
- The detected level and range values are determined by calculating a running annual average of all samples taken at a sampling point.
- The detected level is based on the 90 percentile values of the most recent round of sampling.
Questions:
Local Distribution - Call your Community Water Department.
Southeastern Oakland County Water Supply System - Water Authority offices: (248) 288-5150.
Detroit Water and Sewerage Department - Water Quality Division at (313) 926-8127.
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality - Drinking Water and Radiological Protection - (586) 753-3755.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Safe Drinking Water Hotline: (800) 426-4791.
