The tables in this report show the results of our water-quality analyses for January 1 to December 31, 2019. Every regulated contaminant that we detected in the water, even in the most minute traces, is listed here. The table contains the name of each substance, the highest level allowed by regulation (MCL), the ideal goals for public health, the amount detected, the usual sources of such contamination, footnotes explaining our findings, and a key to units of measurement. The State allows us to monitor 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. Although we ran many tests, only the listed substances were found. They are all below the MCL required. We are pleased to report that your drinking water meets or exceeds all Federal and State requirements.
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 using the best available treatment technology.
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): The level of contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL): 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.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG): 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 microbes.
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.
NTU = | Nephelometric Turbidity Units (a measure of water clarity) | N/A = | Not Applicable |
ppb = | parts per billion, or micrograms per liter (µg/l) | ppm = | part per million, or milligrams per liter (mg/l) |
MinRDL= | minimum level of residual disinfectant required at the entry point to the distribution system |
Contaminant |
Date Tested |
Unit |
MCL |
MCLG |
Detected Level/Range |
Major Sources | Violation |
Inorganic | |||||||
Barium |
1/14/2019 |
ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.028 |
Discharge of drilling wastes; Discharge from metal refineries; Erosion of natural deposits |
NO |
Fluoride1 | 1/14/2019 | ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.43 | Erosion of natural deposits; Water additive for dental health; Discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories | NO |
Nitrate | 7/16/2019 | ppm | 10 | 10 | <1.4 | Runoff from fertilizer use; Leaching from septic tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits | NO |
Nitrite
|
7/16/2019 | ppm | 1 | 1 | <0.005 | Runoff from fertilizer use; Leaching from septic tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits | NO |
Cyanide (Free)
|
1/14/2019 |
ppb |
200 |
200 |
72 |
Discharge from steel/metal factories; Discharge from plastic and fertilizer factories | NO |
1 EPA’s MCL for fluoride is 4 ppm. However, Pennsylvania has set a lower MCL to better protect human health.
Contaminant | Date Tested |
Unit | MCL | MCLG | Detect Level/Range |
Major Sources | Violation |
Synthetic Organic
|
|||||||
Di(2-ethylhexyl)
adipate
|
2018 | ppb | 400 | 400 | <1.5 | Discharge from chemical factories | NO |
Di(2-ethylhexyl)
phthalate
|
2018 |
ppb | 6 | 0 | <1.5 | Discharge from rubber and chemical factories | NO |
Contaminant | Date Tested | Unit | MCL | MCLG | Highest Detect |
Lowest Percentage |
Date | Major Sources | Violation |
Turbidity | 2019 | NTU | TT2 | 0 | 0.069 | 100% | 2/19 | Soil Runoff | NO |
2 TT = 1 NTU for a single measurement and TT = 95% of monthly samples <0.3 NTU
Contaminant | Date Tested | Unit | % Removal Required | % Removal Achieved | # of Quarters out of Compliance | Major Sources | Violation |
Total Organic Carbon | 2019 | % Removed | 25 – 35% | 38 – 48% | 0 | Naturally present in the environment | NO |
Inorganics | Date Tested | Unit | AL | MCLG | 90thPercentile Value |
Sites Above AL | Major Sources | Violation |
Lead | Jun – Sep 2019 | ppm | 15 | 0 | 5.6 | 0 of 61 |
Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits | NO |
Copper | Jun – Sep 2019 | ppm | 1.3 | 1.3 | 0.09 | 0 of 61 |
Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits | NO |
Disinfection Byproducts |
Date Tested | Unit | MCL | MCLG | Highest Running Average |
Range | Major Sources | Violation |
TTHMs [Total Trihalomethanes] |
Year 2019 | ppb | 80 | N/A | 65.3 | 17.4 – 102 |
By-product of drinking water chlorination | NO |
HAAs [Total Haloacetic Acids] |
Year 2019 | ppb | 60 | N/A | 24.5 | 0 – 30.9 |
By-product of drinking water chlorination | NO |
Disinfectants | Date Tested | Unit | MinRDL | Lowest Detect |
Range of Monthly Average | Major Sources | Violation |
Chlorine (Entry Point) |
Year 2019 | ppm | 0.2 | 1.5 | 1.5 – 2.1 | Water additive used to control microbes | NO |
Chloramines (Entry Point @ Spray Reservoir) |
Jun – Oct 2019 | ppm | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.4 – 1.5 | Water additive used to control microbes | NO |
Disinfectants | Date Tested | Unit | MRDL | MRDLG | Highest Monthly Average |
Range of Monthly Average |
Major Sources | Violation |
Chlorine (Distribution / Zone A) |
Year 2019 |
ppm | 4 | 4 | 1.5 | 0.8 – 1.5 | Water additive used to control microbes | NO |
Chloramines (Distribution / Zone B) |
Jun – Oct 2019 | ppm | 4 | 4 | 1.6 | 1.1 – 1.6 | Water additive used to control microbes | NO |
Unregulated contaminants are those for which the EPA has not established drinking water standards. The purpose of unregulated contaminant monitoring is to assist EPA in determining the occurrence of unregulated contaminants in drinking water and whether future regulation is warranted. In addition to testing we are required to perform, our water system 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 or have any questions about the West View Water Authority and our water quality, contact Mark Valenty, Environmental Compliance Coordinator, at (412) 931-3292.
Unregulated Contaminant | Date Tested | Unit |
Detection Limit | Average | Range | Major Sources |
Violation |
Bromide |
Year 2019 |
ppm |
1 |
0.72 |
0 – 2.3 |
Naturally-occurring element; used in hydraulic fracturing to extract natural gas from shale. | NO |
Strontium | Year 2015 | ppb | 0.3 | 110 | 110 | Naturally-occurring element; used in making CRT televisions. | NO |
Chromium, Hexavadent | Year 2015 | ppb | 0.03 | 0.05 | 0.04 – 0.06 | Naturally-occurring element; used in making steel and other alloys. | NO |
Manganese | 8/6/2018 | ppb | 0.4 | 1.62 | 1.62 | Naturally-occurring element; used in steel production, fertilizer, batteries, and fireworks. | NO |
HAA6BR | Year 2018 | ppb | N/A | 11.0 | 4.1 – 24.3 | By-product of drinking water chlorination. | NO |
HAA9 | Year 2018 | ppb | N/A | 21.8 | 12.0 – 42.0 | By-product of drinking water chlorination. | NO |
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): No VOCs were detected during the 2019 reporting year.
Radiological Analysis: Radiological Analysis was conducted during the 2011 reporting year, resulting in non-detects for all parameters.
Our water system violated four drinking water standards over the past year. Even though these were not emergencies, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened and what we did to correct these situations.
We are required to monitor your drinking water for specific contaminants on a regular basis. Results of regular monitoring are an indicator of whether or not our drinking water meets health standards. During September we mislabeled 1 of the required 120 samples for total coliform, and thus collected 119 of the 120 required samples that month. All 120 total coliform samples were collected for all other months in 2019, and this notice returns us to compliance with DEP requirements.
There were 3 additional violations this past year related to reporting. Samples were taken correctly at the required time and reported at the required time by West View Water Authority for turbidity and chlorine. However, several reports included mistakes in nomenclature, dates, and/or labels. When West View discovered the mistake and made the appropriate correction in the report, the violation(s) were generated because the corrected report was submitted at a later date than that required for the original sample. All of the incorrect reports have been corrected and submitted to the State. The corrected reports and sampling results indicate that West View Water Authority is meeting drinking water standards and fully in compliance with DEP requirements.