| Water Quality Table - 2000 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 |
Presence of coliform bacteria in >5% of
monthly samples |
1% |
Naturally present in the environment |
This value represents the highest monthly
percentage of positive samples during 2000. |
|
Fecal Coliform |
-- |
0 |
A routine sample and a repeat sample are total
coliform positive, and one is also fecal coliform or e. coli positive. |
0 |
Human and animal fecal waste |
This value represents the total number of
positive samples taken during 2000. A minimum of 100 samples are taken per
month. |
|
Turbidity |
NTU |
N/A |
TT |
0.20 |
Soil runoff |
100% 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 |
<0.2 |
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 |
0.26 |
Corrosion of household plumbing systems, erosion
of natural deposits, leaching from wood preservatives |
Zero of 75 samples taken exceeded Action Level.
Portsmouth’s concentration range is <.01 - .44. |
|
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 |
.83 |
Erosion of natural deposits, water additive that
promotes strong teeth, discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories |
|
|
Lead |
ppb |
0 |
AL = 15 |
2 |
Corrosion of household plumbing systems, erosion
of natural deposits |
One of 75 samples taken exceeded Action Level.
Portsmouth’s concentration range is <1 – 18. |
|
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 |
|
|
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 |
88.5 |
54-143 |
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 |
<10 |
Erosion of natural deposits; by-product of
drinking water treatment process |
|
Sodium |
ppm |
30.4 |
|
|
pH |
-- |
7.3 |
|
|
Alkalinity - Total |
ppm |
70.9 |
Erosion of natural deposits |
|
Chloride |
ppm |
17 |
Erosion of natural deposits |
|
Corrosion Index |
-- |
9.44 |
|
|
Calcium Hardness |
ppm |
16 |
|
|
Hardness - Total |
ppm |
23 |
Erosion of natural deposits |
Note 1: The Virginia Department of Health has waived requirements 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 began using chloramines in the fall of
2000. This action will reduce future TTHM levels.
Note 3: ICR parameters represent 1998 data.
|
