Water

The City Of Florence obtains its water from the Greater Cincinnati Water Works through the Boone-Florence Water Commission. Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW) uses the latest treatment techniques in its state-of-the-art facilities to remove harmful contaminants from its major source of water, the Ohio River. Cincinnati has been recognized nationally for its excellent drinking water with an average of 300 tests performed every day throughout the system to ensure safe drinking water. The Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) process used at GCWW Miller Plant is especially well known. Cincinnati pioneered the use of GAC treatment to remove organic contaminants from spills in the river. GAC also allows them to use substantially less chlorine in the treatment process.
We, The City Of Florence Public Services Department, work diligently to provide top quality water to every tap. We ask that all our customers help us protect our water sources, which are the heart of our community, our way of life and our children’s future.

Interesting Facts About Water

· It takes 2.072 gallons of water to make 4 new tires
· You use 2 gallons of water to brush your teeth
· An automatic dishwasher uses 9 to 12 gallons of water
· Water is a natural insulator and it regulates the Earth’s temperature
· Water is the only substance on Earth found naturally in 3 forms: solid, liquid and gas
· 80% of the Earth’s surface is covered with water
· Only 1% of the Earth’s water is suitable for drinking
· A gallon of water weighs 8.34 pounds
· Water freezes at 32 degrees F, 0 degrees C
· Water vaporizes at 212 degrees F, 100 degrees C
· An elephant is 70% water
· An ear of corn is 80% water and a tomato is 95% water
· A person can live about a month without food but only about a week without water

Boil Water Advisory

What is a boil water advisory?
A Boil Water Advisory (BWA) is a preventative measure issued to protect the health of the community from water borne infectious agents. A Boil Water Advisory is issued only after careful consideration among representatives from public health, regulatory agencies and municipal departments

What should I do under a BWA?
Create a supply of water for cooking, drinking and tooth brushing.

* Bring the water to a rolling boil for 3 minutes. Timing starts when the water starts to bubble.
* Cool the water then place in clean containers for use or refrigerate.

Hot soapy water can be used for dishwashing and kitchen/bathroom surface cleaning. As a precaution, add one tablespoon of bleach per gallon.

Laundry water does not need to be treated. Unless otherwise noted, water for showering does not need to be treated.

If the water is not safe for drinking because of germs (bacteria, viruses or parasites), good hand washing with soap and water should be followed up with hand disinfection with alcohol-based disinfectant.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Where does The City of Florence get its drinking water?
A: In March of 2003 GCWW (Greater Cincinnati Water Works) began selling drinking water, on a wholesale basis to Boone County and the City of Florence from its Miller Plant.

Q: How hard is Florence’s water?
A: Calcium and magnesium salts are the minerals in water, which are responsible for its hardness. GCWW Miller Plant (which supplies the City Of Florence with its water) has an average hardness of 116 milligrams per liter or 7 grains per gallon. That is considered moderately hard water.

Q: Why does GCWW add fluoride to the water?
A: Fluoride is added to the water, as required by state law (passed in 1970) to protect teeth. According to the American Dental Association persons who drink fluoridated water have a 40 to 50% reduction in the number of cavities that would have occurred without fluoride.

Q: Why does drinking water look cloudy?
A: Cloudy water which clears quickly from the bottom up is caused by tiny air bubbles in the water similar to gas bubbles in soda pop. After a while, the bubbles rise to the top and disappear. This cloudiness occurs often in the winter when drinking water is cold. Air does not affect the safety of water.

Q: Should I buy bottled water?
A: America’s bottled water is less regulated than municipal water and costs up to 1,000 times more than municipal drinking water.

Q: Should I install a water filter in my home?
A: A water filter is not required to meet drinking water standards. Most filters remove large chlorine ions, which is in the water to kill bacteria.

Q: Should I install a water softener in my home?
A: GCWW has moderately hard water that can cause scaling of the pipes and bathtub rings. If this bothers you, a water softener will help. Soft water rinses off better and you generally use less soap.

Annual Drinking Water Quality Report

Q: What is a CCR?
A: The Consumer Confidence Report, or CCR, is an annual water quality report that a community water system is required to provide to its customers. The CCR contains information about substances detected in your drinking water, possible sources of the substances, potential health effects of the substances and other valuable information.

Q: When will I receive my Annual Water Quality Report (CCR)?
A: Community water systems are required to provide the CCR to customers by July 1 of each year. The report contains water quality information from the previous calendar year.

Q: I received a water quality report from my water system. Does this report indicate there is something wrong with the water, or that it’s unsafe?
A: Every Community Water System (CWS) is required by law to provide its customers with a water quality report also known as a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). The CCR is a general overview of the water quality. This report lists the regulated contaminants the CWS detected in treated water and the level at which they were found for the preceding calendar year.
For each detected contaminant, the report must contain the following pieces of information in a table; maximum contaminant level goal (MCLG), maximum contaminant level (MCL), level of contaminant detected, likely contaminant source, and notation of any violation. The Hotline can provide general information concerning the required content for the CCR. Contact your local water system for specific information about local water quality.

Q: What do MCL, MCLG and MRDL mean?
A: Each CCR should contain a section of definitions, which explains what these terms mean. Below is a table of definitions.

Important Drinking Water Definitions
· 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.
· 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.
· 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.
· Variances and Exemptions: State or EPA permission not to meet an MCL or a treatment technique under certain conditions.
· MRDLG: Maximum residual disinfection level goal. 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.
· MNR: Monitored Not Regulated
· MPL: State Assigned Maximum Permissible Level

Cryptosporidium / Immunocompromised

Q: Why did my CCR contain information on cryptosporidium? What can I do if I am immunocompromised?
A: A section concerning cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants is required in all CCRs to provide information for immunocompromised persons such as individuals with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants. The section does not indicate the presence of cryptosporidium in drinking water. A guidance document developed jointly by EPA and CDC for people who may be immunocompromised is available online at www.epa.gov/safewater/crypto.html. This guidance provides important information for immunocompromised individuals. You can order hard copies of this guidance through the SDW Hotline.

Q: Does my public water system treat the water for cryptosporidium?
A: Yes, through a combination of sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection. GCWW has tested for Crypto in treated water from the Miller and Bolton Treatment Plants for thirteen years ands never detected it.

Q: What the health effects are associated with cryptosporidium?
A: Cryptosporidium can cause gastrointestinal illness (e.g., diarrhea, vomiting, cramps). Other health effects information concerning cryptosporidium is available online at www.epa.gov/safewater/crypto.html.

Lead in Drinking Water

Q: Is there a safe level of lead in drinking water for children?
A: EPA has set the maximum contaminant level goal for lead at zero because lead is a toxic metal that can be harmful to human health even at low exposure levels, it is persistent, and it can bioaccumulate in the body over time. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends intervention when the level of lead in a child's blood is 10 micrograms per deciliter or greater. It is important to recognize all the ways a child can be exposed to lead. Children are exposed to lead in paint, dust, soil, air, and food, as well as drinking water. Therefore, the amount of lead a child can be exposed to in drinking water before exceeding the recommended blood level depends upon the amount of lead coming from these other sources. Young children, infants, and fetuses are particularly vulnerable to lead because the physical and behavioral effects of lead occur at lower exposure levels in children than in adults. A dose of lead that would have little affect on an adult can have a significant affect on a child. In children, low levels of exposure have been linked to damage to the central and peripheral nervous system, learning disabilities, shorter stature, impaired hearing, and impaired formation and function of blood cells.

Q: Where can I obtain further information on the health effects of contaminants that may be harmful to me?
A: You can contact your local or state public health department, personal physician, or the EPA’s safe drinking water hotline at 1-800-426-4791 for further information on the health effects and potential sources of the various contaminants found in drinking water supplies.
Northern Kentucky Health Department 859-341-4264
Kentucky Cabinet of Health Services 877- 807-4027

Monitoring Waiver

Q: Why does the current CCR contain results from previous calendar years?
A: Federal regulations require that if a system is allowed to monitor for regulated contaminants less often than once a year, the table must include the date and results of the most recent sampling. Thus, the report may reflect the date and result of the last samples taken.

Testing

Q: How does City ensure the highest quality water?
A: Quality water starts at the treatment process. This is why the City of Florence, in conjunction with the Boone-Florence Water Commission obtains its water from the Greater Cincinnati Water Works. Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW) uses the latest treatment techniques in its state-of-the-art facilities to remove harmful contaminants. Cincinnati has been recognized nationally for its excellent drinking water. The Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) process used at GCWW Miller Plant is especially well known.
The Kentucky Division of Water reviews the City of Florence and Boone-Florence Water Commissions compliance testing results monthly. Also the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) reviews Greater Cincinnati Water Works compliance testing results monthly to make sure that our tap water is safe to drink. Our water was within all state and federal health-based limits in 2003, as it has been for many years.

Q: What type of water quality tests does the City perform?
A: The City conducts tests for THM (Trihalomethane), HAA (Haloacetic Acid), Chlorine, and Bac-T (Fecal Coliform Bacteria).

Q: How many tests does the City conduct and at what frequency?
A: The City conducts the following number and frequency of tests:
1. THM (Trihalomethane) – 48 Total, 12 per quarter, 3 each at 4 sample sites.
2. HAA (Haloacetic Acid) – 32 Total, 8 per quarter, 2 each at 4 sample sites.
3. Chlorine – 1,460 Total, 4 times daily, 1 each at 4 sample sites.
4. Bac-T (Fecal Coliform Bacteria) – 504 Total, 42 times per month, 1 each at 42 sample sites.

Q: How is the City sampling sites selected?
A: The sites are selected as a representative sample of the community. The City submits a list of potential sites to the Kentucky Department of Water for their approval. In the event a sampling site is not accessible, a list of standby sites approved by KDOW is available.

Q: Does the Boone-Florence Water Commission perform any water quality testing?
A: No, not directly. The Boone-Florence Water Commission contracts with both the City of Florence and Boone County to perform its required testing. A Bac-T is taken at each of the Boone-Florence Water Commission water towers monthly and 4 THM tests are conducted quarterly.

Q: How often is GCWW water tested?
A: GCWW performs an average of 300 tests per day throughout their system. They also have water quality monitors at various locations throughout the treatment plants and in the distribution system that test the water continuously. Alarms on these monitors make it easy for them to respond quickly to potential problems before the water quality is affected. The GCWW is required to conduct many additional tests, as they are the treatment facility.

Q: Does GCWW do any monitoring of the water quality at the water towers?
A: No. But GCWW does monitor for chlorine and pH at the transfer pumping station located in Constance, Kentucky.

Safe Drinking Water Hotline

Q: Why is the Safe Drinking Water Hotline's 800 number listed in the report if the Hotline cannot provide local water quality information?
A: Systems are required to provide a telephone contact at the water system that can answer questions about the report. In addition, a toll free number for EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline is provided to offer another source of information at no cost to the customer. The Hotline provides general information about CCRs and other safe drinking water issues. Hotline staff can also direct callers to sources for additional information, and can assist people in understanding the purpose and language of the CCRs.
By Phone: call toll free and speak with a specialist Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm eastern time (except Federal holidays) at 1-800-426-4791. Local calls or International calls at (703) 412-3330.
Bilingual Service is available. An introductory telephone message tells Spanish callers to leave a detailed message. Bilingual information specialists return these calls the same day.
By Recorded Message: The Safe Drinking Water Hotline telecommunications systems can receive recorded messages in English and Spanish 24-hours a day, seven days a week at 1-800-426-4791. Local calls at (703) 412-3330. International calls at (703) 412-3330.
By Mail: Write to The Safe Drinking Water Hotline, 4606M, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20460. Comments? Questions? Contact us online.