City of Portsmouth, Virginia - Public Utilities

Water Quality Table - 1999 Data
Regulated Parameters		Concentration Units	EPA Goal MCLG	EPA Limit MCL	Portsmouth's Concentration Level	Typical Sources	Notes/ Health Effects
Microbial Contaminants
Total Coliform Bacteria		--	0	Presents of coliform bacteria in >5% of monthly samples	1.9%	Normally present in the environment.	This value represents the highest monthly percentage of positive samples during 1999.
Fecal Coliform		--	0	A routine sample and a repeat sample are total coliform positive and one is also fecal or E. coli positive.	1	Human and animal fecal waste.	This value represents the total number of positive samples taken during 1999. A minimum of 100 samples are taken each month.
Turbidity		NTU	N/A	TT	0.65	Soil runoff	99% of samples taken met turbidity limits.
Radioactive Contaminants
Beta/photon emitters		pCi/L	0	50	3.9	Decay of natural and man-made deposits.	The MCL for Beta particles is 4 mrem per year. EPA considers 50pCi/L to be the level of concern for beta particles.
Inorganic Contaminants
Antimony		ppb	6	6	<2	Discard from petroleum refineries, fire retardants, ceramics, electronics, solder
Arsenic		ppb	N/A	50	<2	Erosion of natural deposits; runoff from orchards; runoff from glass and electronics production waste
Barium		ppm	2	2	<0.02	Discharge of drilling wastes; discharge from metal refineries; erosion of natural deposits
Beryllium		ppb	4	4	<2	Discharge from metal refineries and coal-burning factories; discharge from electrical, aerospace, and defense industries
Cadmium		ppb	5	5	<2	Corrosion of galvanized pipes; erosion of natural deposits; discharge from metal refineries; runoff from waste batteries and paints
Chromium		ppb	100	100	<10	Discharge from steel and pulp mills; erosion of natural deposits
Copper		ppm	1.3	AL = 1.3	0.52	Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits; leaching from wood preservatives	Zero of 102 samples taken exceeded Action Level
Cyanide		ppb	200	200	<10	Discharge from steel/metal factories; discharge from plastic and fertilizer factories	Most recent data from 1996 (see Note 1 below)
Fluoride		ppm	4	4	1.5	Erosion of natural deposits; water additive that promotes strong teeth; discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories
Lead		ppb	0	AL = 15	3	Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits	Zero of 102 samples taken exceeded Action Level
Selenium		ppb	50	50	<10	Discharge from petroleum and metal refineries; erosion of natural deposits; discharge from mines
Thallium		ppb	0.5	2	<2	Leaching from ore-processing sites; discharge from electronics, glass, and drug factories
Synthetic Organic Contaminants
2,4-D	ppb		70	70	<0.3	Runoff from herbicide used on row crops	Most recent data in 1994 (See Note 1 below)
Endrin	ppb		2	2	<0.4	Residue of banned insecticide	Most recent data in 1994 (See Note 1 below)
Lindane	ppt		200	200	<100	Runoff/leaching from insecticide used on cattle, umber, gardens, on fruits, vegetables, alfalfa, livestock	Most recent data in 1994 (See Note 1 below)

Regulated Parameters		Concentration Units	EPA Goal MCLG		EPA Limit MCL	Portsmouth's Concentration Level	Portsmouth's Concentration Range	Typical Sources		Notes/ Health Effects
Volatile Organic Compounds
TTHMs [Total trihalomethanes] (See Note 2 below)		ppb	N/A		100	83	47 –148	By-product of drinking water chlorination		Some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous systems, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.
Information Collection Rule (ICR) Parameters (See Note 3)
Giardia	Total Cysts			NGE	NLE	8	6-8	Human and animal fecal waste	Only two occurrences above the analytical detection limit were observed in the source water prior to treatment.
THM4	ug/L			NGE	NLE	46	19-46	By-product of drinking water chlorination
HAA5	ug/L			NGE	NLE	81	37-81	By-product of drinking water chlorination
HAN	ug/L			NGE	NLE	7	5-7	By-product of drinking water chlorination
HK	ug/L			NGE	NLE	7	3-7	By-product of drinking water chlorination
CP	ug/L			NGE	NLE	1	0-1	By-product of drinking water chlorination
CH	ug/L			NGE	NLE	11	2-11	By-product of drinking water chlorination
TOX	ug/L			NGE	NLE	284	123-284	By-product of drinking water chlorination
Residual Chlorine	mg/L			NGE	NLE	6	2-6	By-product of drinking water chlorination

Non-Regulated Parameters	Concentration Units	Portsmouth’s Concentration Level	Typical Sources
Additional Water Quality Parameters
Aluminum	ppb	<200
Iron	ppb	<200	Erosion of natural deposits; leaching from pipes, residual of drinking water treatment process
Manganese	ppb	30	Erosion of natural deposits; by-product of drinking water treatment process
Sodium	ppm	43
pH	--	7.2
Alkalinity – Total	ppm	60	Erosion of natural deposits
Chloride	ppm	13	Erosion of natural deposits
Color	PCU	26	Leaching from vegetation
Corrosion Index	--	10
Calcium Hardness	ppm	22
Hardness – Total	ppm	54	Erosion of natural deposits
Ammonia	ppb	<40	Runoff from fertilizer use; by-product of drinking water chloramination

Note 1: The Virginia Department of Health has waived the requirement to test for the following elements because they are not expected to occur in drinking water in this area: Synthetic Organic Pesticides, Carbamates, Volatile Fumigants, Chlorinated Herbicides, cyanide, diquat, dioxin, endothall, glyphosate, and asbestos.

Note 2: The City of Portsmouth has enhanced coagulation and Chloramines will be added to the filtration system in the fall of 2000. The addition of chloramines will reduce future TTHM levels in the future.

Note 3: ICR parameters represent 1998 data.